Estimate and bill by the hour or by the job – Pick One
One of the most difficult parts of my job is making up estimates. Some freelance medical writers bid and bill the job by how much the result of the job is worth, regardless of how many hours it will take them. I don’t feel comfortable with that approach.
Last year a client I’ve worked with extensively needed to have a drug covered in a new edition of a pharmacology book. The author of the book had requested the company provide the draft material about the drug’s pharmacokinetics, therapeutics, mode of action, and potential side effects. I had written two refereed journal clinical trial reports on the drug in addition to an executive summary “white paper,” which was used by the company to train the sales reps and technical service staff. If I would have bid that job by what it was worth, not by much time it required, I could have probably bid it at around $2,500.00. The fact is, the job took less than 4 hours to complete and I felt great about charging much less than what it was worth. Sure, I could have made a lot more money on that job, but instead I gained respect in the eyes of that client. I demonstrated integrity and gained respect that could not be gained in any other way.
What have been the benefits of that respect? I no longer need to bid on jobs for that client. He knows I will turn in a great product at a reasonable cost. He simply gives me the contacts and essential information and I am off and running; usually there is no need to even talk about cost or make an estimate for him. This client and I have developed a level of trust that I hope to develop with other clients. When something goes a bit hinky; you know, when an author I’m working with can’t make up their mind about what they want and they need to see it a few different ways on paper before they can decide, that sort of SNAFU, then this client is completely understanding about why my bill is a bit higher. That level of trust, which has resulted in an easy-going give and take in our business conversations, is priceless.
Last year a client I’ve worked with extensively needed to have a drug covered in a new edition of a pharmacology book. The author of the book had requested the company provide the draft material about the drug’s pharmacokinetics, therapeutics, mode of action, and potential side effects. I had written two refereed journal clinical trial reports on the drug in addition to an executive summary “white paper,” which was used by the company to train the sales reps and technical service staff. If I would have bid that job by what it was worth, not by much time it required, I could have probably bid it at around $2,500.00. The fact is, the job took less than 4 hours to complete and I felt great about charging much less than what it was worth. Sure, I could have made a lot more money on that job, but instead I gained respect in the eyes of that client. I demonstrated integrity and gained respect that could not be gained in any other way.
What have been the benefits of that respect? I no longer need to bid on jobs for that client. He knows I will turn in a great product at a reasonable cost. He simply gives me the contacts and essential information and I am off and running; usually there is no need to even talk about cost or make an estimate for him. This client and I have developed a level of trust that I hope to develop with other clients. When something goes a bit hinky; you know, when an author I’m working with can’t make up their mind about what they want and they need to see it a few different ways on paper before they can decide, that sort of SNAFU, then this client is completely understanding about why my bill is a bit higher. That level of trust, which has resulted in an easy-going give and take in our business conversations, is priceless.
posted by Tad B. Coles, DVM | 8:45 PM
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