What is the sales cycle like? Do you take on more than one client at a time? If so, on average, how many? Are you looking for new gigs even while in the midst of implementing something for a given client?
Should my blog be about tech-related stuff only?
Do you always sign a contract before taking a gig?
Is fixed-price or hourly-rate work harder to get? I always see professional freelance devs using hourly rates, but I really prefer to take fixed price gigs (with payment milestones if I don't know the client well).
I occasionally see contractors complain that they have to much work. I'd love to be subcontracted for some of that work (seems like a pretty straightforward proposition - I'll do your extra work for a bit cheaper and you can keep the difference), but would that hurt me long-term because I wouldn't develop relationships with end-clients? Is this even a reasonable strategy for getting work?
What is the sales cycle like? Do you take on more than one client at a time? If so, on average, how many? Are you looking for new gigs even while in the midst of implementing something for a given client?
2-4 weeks to land new gigs. 1-3 clients at a time. Yes (see sales cycle answer).
Should my blog be about tech-related stuff only?
Only if you want it to be. My clients say they feel like they know me better after reading my blog.
Do you always sign a contract before taking a gig?
Usually, but not always. Probably always should, but there's really little recourse if a client in Kansas stiffs you for a $5k job. A contract won't help.
Is fixed-price or hourly-rate work harder to get? I always see professional freelance devs using hourly rates, but I really prefer to take fixed price gigs (with payment milestones if I don't know the client well).
Most clients seem to prefer fixed-price. Just make sure you have it spec'ed out well and you are clear that scope creep isn't going to happen.
I occasionally see contractors complain that they have to much work. I'd love to be subcontracted for some of that work (seems like a pretty straightforward proposition - I'll do your extra work for a bit cheaper and you can keep the difference), but would that hurt me long-term because I wouldn't develop relationships with end-clients? Is this even a reasonable strategy for getting work?
I think it's a fine strategy, but I'm personally wary of giving work to someone because if they fall through, I'm on the hook. I might make an extra couple thousand a month doing that, but if I have to do the work and end up jeopardizing my other clients because I don't have time to focus on them, I lose more than I gain. Plus, I think the time managing that subcontracting process is a lot more than you think. I did teach my little brother to program over the last couple years and he's paying his way through private university by doing subcontracting for me. Family is a little different, though.
"I think it's a fine strategy, but I'm personally wary of giving work to someone because if they fall through, I'm on the hook. "
That's my feeling too, though I'm (currently) in the camp of "too much work."
I'm reluctant to farm any work out that's going to ultimately have my name on it, but being over-busy means I'm turning away work, missing out on potential stable business, and staying coupled to too few large jobs.
What do other people here do? How do you arrange to subcontract?
I too have more work coming in than I can take on. If I know someone who can do it, I'll recommend them on directly rather than letting them go through me. I don't gain financially but it generally breeds goodwill. I could take a referral commission (some acquaintances seem to do this), but again I fear I'd be somewhat on the hook if the other person screwed up. Plus, if customers refer me other customers, they don't take a cut either.
That's what I've been doing. I don't like to leave people hanging, so I try to find someone who can take care of them.
I also like that people feel they can come to me as a first point of contact when looking for a developer, that if I'm not available I'll (hopefully) point them to someone who is.
If your influx of new contracts is stable enough, why not rent a cheap office, get said other person as an employee and work together at the same place?
"If your influx of new contracts is stable enough, why not rent a cheap office, get said other person as an employee and work together at the same place?"
I'm not sure the influx is that stable. And I'm not sure I want to shift to being a manager of a multi-person development shop. I suppose if I'm sub-contracting then I'm doing much the same admin work there as I would with a regular employee, except I think having that formal "business with employees" arrangement adds some complications (payroll, taxes, insurance, etc.)
Should my blog be about tech-related stuff only?
Do you always sign a contract before taking a gig?
Is fixed-price or hourly-rate work harder to get? I always see professional freelance devs using hourly rates, but I really prefer to take fixed price gigs (with payment milestones if I don't know the client well).
I occasionally see contractors complain that they have to much work. I'd love to be subcontracted for some of that work (seems like a pretty straightforward proposition - I'll do your extra work for a bit cheaper and you can keep the difference), but would that hurt me long-term because I wouldn't develop relationships with end-clients? Is this even a reasonable strategy for getting work?