Tuesday, March 24, 2009

spending smarter money

> There are a lot of ways to cut business spending, but what about the services or products we need in order to keep business coming in? Well, there are ways to cut back there too. A couple years ago, a colleague lost a regular client because they hired an in-house designer. He was frustrated, not only because he lost some regular business for himself, but also because they claimed it was to save money. Did they consider the expense of paying a salary, on top of health benefits, vacation and sick leave, not to mention the equipment, software and supplies they'd need to provide? It was certainly more annually than they had paid him.
> Freelancers can be a great way to get top quality while paying only for what you need. In a web article, Joseph Cozens points out, "Freelance designers often work from an office at home. They don't have to pay for staff, or pay high rental fees for a commercial premises. Their overheads are far lower than [an ad agency or design company]. This means that they don't have to charge as much as the big name companies, and that means that you get a top quality job done for much less." 
> Before you hire a freelancer, check out their portfolio and ask for references, or get a referral. Big agencies have positive things to offer too, but if you're watching your spending right now, consider a freelancer as a smart spending alternative.