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advice Switching to freelance - Need some advice on this...

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      CommentAuthorVerum
    • CommentTimeAug 6th 2008
     
    In about a month, I'm switching to freelance full-time. Got a situation I want to be sure I make the right call on...

    - I've been the art director at my present company for a little over a year. Got 108% on my annual review (apparently, yes, it's possible).
    - I told the marketing director I plan to leave the company and freelance full-time, and I asked if he might want to continue the working relationship (I'm currently a pretty good bargain, and finding a replacement would be tough for them)
    - He said emphatically yes.
    - I mentioned the possibility of working out a monthly retainer fee for an agreed-upon workload.
    - He said to get a proposal together with some options, and that ideally he still wants me to do everything I do now. That's 2 catalogs a year, print ad campaigns, web, apparel, a crazy amount of stuff.

    So my question is... how should I differentiate the options in my proposal, and should I consider asking for a retainer that actually adds up to more than my currernt (bargain, remember) salary? Marketing director told me directly that I have a lot of leverage in the situation and that he wants to keep me on.

    I don't want to sell myself short, and I don't want to scare him off. Thoughts?

    Good lord I hope that made some sense. :awkward:
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      CommentAuthorchris
    • CommentTimeAug 6th 2008
     
    • 1). congrats!
    • b). freelance should get you more than your salary (as you will receive no employee benefits).
    • iii). make sure you put stuff in about getting good notice of required job deadlines from them too - you may (should) be working on other projects as well.
    • Fourthly). i guess there should be an agreement about working from home / their office when working on their jobs - best to get it all in writing.
    • Not least). good luck!
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    what you charge has to pay your wage PLUS overheads so of course it will be higher

    take that standpoint as a means for eeking out a wage increase as well without feeling you are taking the piss
    • CommentAuthormondo
    • CommentTimeAug 6th 2008
     
    It generally costs an employer an extra 30% over your salary to have you working there...I don't know how it is where you are, but here in Australia among other things they have to put aside a certain percentage for superannuation (the employee can contribute as much as they like, but there's a minimum contribution the employer has to make). If you asked for 25-30% more than you're currently earning, you wouldn't be costing them anything more. So...make it an extra 40%. heh.
    • CommentAuthorBiff
    • CommentTimeAug 6th 2008
     
    You can always negotiate downwards from your starting price- never up.
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      CommentAuthorVerum
    • CommentTimeAug 6th 2008
     
    Nice, all good points guys. Thanks very much. :smile:

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