Question to those with consulting experience

[DaveJ]

My boss's nephew wants me to help him create a site for his aspiring business, but I do not know how to approach the work. Based on past experience, after I do work for free, the people I do the work for would rather disappear than to acknowledge what I did (much less pay me something). Since he's related to my boss (owner of the company) I'm wondering if that effects the arrangement, but moreover I understand 'Teamwork' and that sometimes starting a business requires more than one person striving for the same thing. Great companies were created with teamwork mentality, not the what-will-you-do-for-me-mentality. Apple, Google, YoutTube, etc were all started by technical partners working together, and not by people saying 'how much you gonna pay me' to their partners. I doubt these companies would have ever come about with that mentality. At the same time, I don't want to be taken advantage of... so what would be a typical contract with someone starting out and yet to acquire funds?

[blogslut]

1. Ask for a certain amount up front

For example, if you charge a flat fee then state you will do no work unless you are paid half your flat fee before you begin.

The fact is, you are going to expend time and energy building this site whether the client like it or not. You should be compensated for that initial labor and unfortunately, web designers often get screwed because the client "doesn't like the page" or "wants to go another way".

[canetoad]

2. Excellent advice blogslut

DaveJ - Whether you decide to charge money or make their site for no cost, you need to follow a procedure before you even start.

Have a meeting or two with them about their expectations, extent of the project, likes, dislikes - everything you can think of. Then go home and type up a proposal; reiterate what they told you. If you are charging, include your rates, terms and conditions. Work on as many drafts of this proposal as necessary before you do a minute of actual work on the site.

When it is ready to the satisfaction of both parties, get it signed.

When you have finished the work to the extent of the proposal send them a 'Close of Project' letter. Once again, if you are charging money, this would accompany the final invoice and need say nothing more than, 'Upon payment of the enclosed invoice, DaveJ considers this project closed.' There's a very good reason for this; it ensures they can't keep coming back for edits, extra pages etc long after you consider the job done.

[Lowell]

3. It depends on the complexity of the website

Canetoad gave some very good advice. Find out what the client needs. Will a static site do or do they want a dynamic site. I usually give them my cost estimate up front and ahead of time.

I build static sites in Dreamweaver. If it a basic page with little frills I may do it in Fireworks. For static sites I charge less than I do for dynamic site.

I build dynamic sites in Drupal. After the template is built I'll do the basic pages, ie about us, contact, services. Once it is the way the want it I turn the site over to the client and they have the ability to build or edit their pages through any browser.

I initially set the sites up as a sub domain of my company site. I don't purchase a domain for them or upload the site until they have paid all the expenses incurred.

If they want changes made later to a static site I charge them a set rate. If they want the CMS site upgraded or updated they pay for the updates. Don't give it away.

I always include, at the foot of the pages my company name with a link.

[david13]

4. And put limits on it. Make a contract, and indicate when your

up front fee is earned, when you are done, and how long you will come back to do maintenance, update, changes, etc.
That way they know up front what the deal is, and they don't expect you to spend the rest of your life on it for them.
dc