Quoting and draft ideas - advice please

[pickupthismess]

Hi

I need some advice from fellow freelancers as am new to this freelancing lark (especially in my industry - marketing/PR).

I've had a few cases lately where a potential client has asked for a quote backed by a draft plan of action for their business. So I have spent time providing an outline plan with the quote as requested. Then they say they can't afford me (rubbish because I'm really cheap, so what they mean is they just can't afford anything) but they have my plan.

In future should I refuse until they have committed to procede or do I risk just losing clients?

I don't work in marketing but in journalism where I have to bombard editors with idea outlines and there is always a danger they could take the idea and pass it onto someone else to write up. So, I have to tread a very fine line between getting them excited about it and not giving too much away - is there any way that this could be applicable to your pitching? Surely if it is free service, they can't expect too much detail and want general solutions rather than nuts and bolts of how to implement them? I know nothing about marketing so could well be talking rubbish,

what exactly are you sending them, a brief outline, or specifically, whta you can do for them in particular?

hiya - i'm a freelance pr consultant faced with similar problems. I try to give a brief outline and throw 1 or 2 exciting things into keep them interested but don't give it all away unless you are pretty sure they'll pay for your services. It is hard as you're trying to sell yourself but could, bascially, give them a whole PR plan for free amd put yourself out of a job!

I always ask for a sum of money for my roughs (which i then take off the final amount if they use me). i'm an illustrator and one year a council commissioned some Christmas Cards from me and published my roughs . Not only did i not get paid for doing a decent job, my work looked crap on the finished pieces. I did kick up a stink and got some money off them but it just goes to show how careful you have to be!

Glad I'm not the only one.

I have been giving away PR and marketing plan drafts I guess.

I have listed contacts (because they requested to see them), suggested possible press release content to get them excited, given them marketing concepts etc. Portly I'd love to charge but I think they'd just go elsewhere, especially at the moment. Variety you're quite right! I'm going to have to be vaguer I think.