Blog

[mjfdesigns]

Hello,

I am starting a blog based on ScriptLance and was hoping to get some testimonials from other Programmers and Webmasters.

Programmers:
1 - How long have you been with ScriptLance?
2 - How do you decide which projects to bid on?
3 - Are you consistent when bidding on similar projects, or do you bid based on project budget?

Webmasters:
1 - How long have you been with ScriptLance?
2 - How do you decide which Programmer to choose?
3 - Which is more important; Reviews or Price?

I will be happy to link to your affiliate links and or profiles if I use your information.

Thank you in advance.

- Mike

[OxyK]

cool !!!
so where's the link to the blog ???
or we need to answer here?

[retrobloom]

Hi Mike

I'd be happy to help, I've both programmer and webmaster accounts and would be happy to write a review based on experiences here.

Email Address REMOVED

Cheers

[mjfdesigns]

Hello,

thanks for the positive responses.

Please answer the questions here. Also leave your user names only for each account type. No email addresses please.

Once I have taken the information and created the blog post, I will post the url here.

Thanks again
- Mike

[retrobloom]

Hi Mike

sorry for the delay, I had no notification so just discovered your response. Here you are:

Programmers:
1 - How long have you been with ScriptLance?
I'm approximating (!) at 4 years - a long old time in website terms

2 - How do you decide which projects to bid on?
It depends on how much time I have at that moment - if I have no projects on then I'll bid on more intense work, though if I'm quite busy then I'll normally bid on simple tasks.

3 - Are you consistent when bidding on similar projects, or do you bid based on project budget?
I'm generally consistent - definitely with pricing, I don't bid to match anyones price but I make sure the webmaster knows what they get for their fee so there should be no confusion.

Saying that, if a project has a limit that is below the fee that I would usually command then I ignore it. In the past as a beginner I did bid on these projects and would often find the webmaster wanted the same quality work that they would usually expect from someone commanding higher rates of pay.



Webmasters:
1 - How long have you been with ScriptLance?
Coming up to 3.5 years.

2 - How do you decide which Programmer to choose?
Actually I most likely give those with less experience a chance. I will have a chat with them in the personal messaging and decide from there. I end up getting someone that wants the feedback, wants to prove themselves and are happy to complete - rather than a half-arsed job then demanding full payment!

3 - Which is more important; Reviews or Price?

For me at present, price. If my company was more established - and therefore stable - then reviews would be equally, but not more, important.

I find reviews are good to read, though if they relate to a completely different project to mine then they are not quite so relevant. I find talking the person and asking them questions relating to my particular project is more effective.

LtC

[mjfdesigns]

Hello,

retrobloom.

Please list your username for each account.
I will post your answers to the blog and let you know the url soon.

- Mike

[stepan]

Hi mjfdesigns. i would also be happy to answer
1 - How long have you been with ScriptLance?
I have been active at scriptlance for only a few months
2 - How do you decide which projects to bid on?
I scout out projects that i am able to accomplish and see what the persons range of payment for the job is . If it is defined , I look at the average bid and see the usualy price. i try to avoid the 5 dollar jobs
3 - Are you consistent when bidding on similar projects, or do you bid based on project budget?
it is mixed both ways . Sometimes i am forced to go to a rate that i normally wouldn;t to win the bid and sometimes when i am not pressured i can offer my usual prices

[mjfdesigns]

I take it that stepan is your freelancer username?

- Mike

[retrobloom]

Originally Posted by mjfdesigns

Hello,

retrobloom.

Please list your username for each account.
I will post your answers to the blog and let you know the url soon.

- Mike

Hi

Webmaster account is 'retrobloom' the programmers account is 'loucroft'

All the best,
L

[OxyK]

Programmers:
1 - How long have you been with ScriptLance?
- 7 months
2 - How do you decide which projects to bid on?
- the decision is based on feelings, if I feel something bad - no bid, walking away... if all is ok - I read requirements and look at the budget - $5-5 - walking away... check wm reviews - all positive - make a bid.
3 - Are you consistent when bidding on similar projects, or do you bid based on project budget?
usually consistent, but budget also matters. If someone willing to pay good price for the same work... why not?

[pixelita]

Programmers:
1 - How long have you been with ScriptLance?
Approximately one year

2 - How do you decide which projects to bid on?
I'm generally looking for banner or other quick graphic art jobs so my graphic artist can stay busy while I work on coding our web design projects. Occasionally I'll see a web design project (usually involving WordPress) that we will bid on. And I can generally tell whether or not a web master will be a good fit if he doesn't make unreasonable demands or outrageous statements, if he does not ask for comps prior to awarding the job, if he has a reasonable budget, etc.

3 - Are you consistent when bidding on similar projects, or do you bid based on project budget?
We have been in business long enough to know what our threshold is and quite a few of the jobs offered here are below that threshold with the exception of some web sites and graphic artwork. But we consistently apply the same formula on similar work and don't try to fit our bid around someone's budget, rather fit someone's project around our general fees. Everyone ends up happier that way.

[stepan]

Originally Posted by mjfdesigns

I take it that stepan is your freelancer username?

- Mike

No it is actually lonelancer

[mjfdesigns]

Hello everyone,

Thank you all for your support and answers.
I have started posting the responses to the blog.
More to come...

- Mike

[OxyK]

Originally Posted by mjfdesigns

Hello everyone,

Thank you all for your support and answers.
I have started posting the responses to the blog.
More to come...

- Mike

great
so please give as a link...

[mjfdesigns]

Retrobloom

Thank you for posting your experiences, I have posted them to my blog at ScriptLance Experiences as posted by Retrobloom (http://www.scriptlancerblog.com/2007...ons-it-starts/)

- Mike

[mjfdesigns]

Stepan,

Thank you for your input. I have posted your information on my blog at Lonelancer - a freelance programmer on Scriptlance (http://www.scriptlancerblog.com/2007...opinions-more/)

- Mike

[mjfdesigns]

Onyx,

Today I posted your responses. Thank you again for participating. YOu can find the post titled Experiences of ScriptLance Programmer Onyx (http://www.scriptlancerblog.com/2007...ogrammer-onyx/)

- Mike

[mjfdesigns]

Pixelita,

Thank you for responding. You can find your response on my blog under the title Pixelita responds to ScriptLance Survey (http://www.scriptlancerblog.com/2007...tlance-survey/)

- Mike

[mjfdesigns]

Hello Nabeel,

The original post asks the questions I would like answered.
If you have additional information you would like to add that would be great too.

- Mike

[kerber]

[ edit: you might need to be my lector if you are going to publish this somewhere - English is not my native so reviewing it would be wise; sorry for that ]

Programmer [Kerber]:

1 - How long have you been with ScriptLance?

Actively, 1.5 years -- I registered back in 2003, worked 'till the end of '04 then got hired by guy from Scriptlance and fully worked with him till the middle of '07 + finally, came back to SL in December '07 [since the guy I worked for needed no more constant worker, as he moved to offline business platform] (which was something I could expect to happen in one moment, of course ;-)

2 - How do you decide which projects to bid on?

First of all, by deeply looking at the project description and seeing whether it's in the scope of my knowledge -- it must be 101%, cause I don't bid on projects I can't complete from A-Z. I discuss (second important thing) price + project in details via PMB and after few exchanged messages, I pretty much know whether it's something worth my time. Only after I'm fully aware of every aspect of work involved, I place my bid + I don't hesitate to retract it, if it turns out to be out of buyer's budget or if in PMB I see that person isn't serious enough or expects cheap work.

3 - Are you consistent when bidding on similar projects, or do you bid based on project budget?

I am consistent and my prices are - mine. Amount that buyer set as his lower/upper budget limit + bids placed by other programmer are - their. For instance, if buyer's upper budget limit is very close to my price, I try to fit but if it's not, if difference is more than let's say fifty bucks, I don't place bid. Other peoples bids were important to me in the beginning, back in '03, when I had no reviews and when it was important for me to get picked -- I had to do some projects for price I would never accept now, as it was/is objectively small + had to be cheaper then the crowd, since only thing (beside knowledge and communication skills) that could attract customers and distinguish me from the mass was - price. Now I have my own prices and stick to them -- if it's within the budget and if buyer can/is willing to afford me, cool, if not, well.. good luck to us both ;-)

Aside of those three, I think it's worth mentioning that you really need to do things the best as you can -- happy customer is returning customer + all the shiny reviews aren't useless -- aside of promoting you, they give you ability to stick to your prices AKA ability not to care about what other people bid -- if you always deliver what buyer wants, you should never worry about being picked [with your own prices, of course] cause there ARE buyers who mainly care for quality in all relevant terms [of code, communication] and ARE willing to pay for that - if you find those + if you make them return, your freelancer career is gonna be the job which feeds you and your family, from the warmth of your own home, working when you want and in the conditions you create + without having some idiot-of-boss on your neck or even worse, haughty collective around you.