Firstly the Moz reference, I see how you might think that, it certainly was not “name dropping” … Actually I aint sure what sort of name dropping it would be unless I am on their staff or endorsed by them, which is not the case in either situation, it was just trying to reaffirm that point that “freelancers don’t work” and how many time I have heard it before, I don’t post here and my post count was 0 at the time of your reply, actually this thread infuriated me so much, it provoked me to register to reply …
I have never and would never suggest to anyone how they should work. You seem to feel you can force your opinion or dare I suggest even dictate with confidence that your opinion is correct, which is truly bizarre and all together a little autocratic. Seriously, read back what you posted, can truly stand over that opinion and everything you say ?
Additionally, and this is semantics but none the less important to me, I feel I need to justify my post and not be quoted incorrectly, on more than one occasion I used the word “generally”, now you seem to have a degree of intelligence about you ,so I won’t patronise you and explain what that word means …
Not everything I said was set in stone, it was all based on my opinion, and that of the many other Freelancers carving out successful careers within the industry, even as tough as it is these days !!!
For you to suggest that how I conduct my work is somehow antiquated and is in the worst interest of the client, well it reeks of the opinion of an egotistical ass hole to be honest.
How dare you suggest without knowing me that the work I do on behalf of paying clients is somehow inferior to the work of you … I take my responsibility to customers extremely seriously, I am appreciative that the work I may conduct could help make or break a company, now I appreciate that may sound a little dramatic to you, but it has been the case for some smaller companies I have worked for, I have worked for companies who have struggled to justify my costing’s, but do it with the hope that the work I do on their behalf can drive traffic and increase sales …..
There is nothing an agency can do that I cannot do …I have access to the same tools we all use, and more significantly I have access to my intelligence and years of experience. I have homed my skillset though lot of trial and error, I adapt accordingly, I am very passionate about the work I do, I actually enjoy the work I do, I love freelancing, make no mistake about it, it aint easy, I was still working last night when I posted my initial post, I never ever have 9-5 days, I work every Saturday and sometimes Sundays, I am constantly at my desk , and yet I have to try and make time for a wife and two kids. But that’s the choice I have made and I love it, at 37 years of age I wouldn’t have it any other way .. yes I hoped one day I might have my own small business and employing people, it didn’t work out like that and naturally my freelancing turned out initially to be a stop gap to what I do on a daily basis.
As for how I conduct my work, you seem to think I am rigid in my approach due to the fact I mentioned initially I have a structured plan. Without structure in any approach you won’t succeed is this game, so much of what I do is repetitive but yet imperative work, of course each client is different, of course we need to be creative, but don’t tell me somehow I am doing the customer wrong cause I don’t deal directly with each and every one.
I merely registered on here to reply to your claims that it’s not in the best interest of the customer to work with a freelancer that conducts the work on behalf of the clients contact. I accept dialogue is key, I insist on being at every initial consultation with a customer, I am able to extract a lot of what I need them, or at least leave the client with a checklist of information, data etc we need to collate over the coming weeks / months. I communicate with my customer who then communicate with their client, I aint working with ignoramus morons, these are savvy guy who are able to communicate with their customer, and even at that is not set in stone ,I can still speak with the client even though technically they aren’t my customer but I must do it under the guise of the companies name I work on behalf off.
You really need to have a look at your opinion of your fellow counterparts within your industry, it’s quite shameful you can be so brash and disrespectful to a significant proportion of the community.
I don’t even know you but I have a dislike toward you based solely on your arrogant, ignorant opinion (and be grateful they are the only adjectives I am using), which is truly outstanding cause without being arrogant myself, you probably couldn't meet a more grounded chap then myself.
I appreciate my initial opinion may not have read well in your eyes, it’s quite obviously the case. I stand by what I said though, it’s an ignorant view you took, a view you base on your opinion rather than on your experience, and if I somehow thought I misunderstood what you said, your reply done nothing but reaffirm that.
We could continually go tit for tat here, but I neither have the will or the want to do so. I have never questioned your ability to conduct work, for all I know you could be a guru, and good for you if you are. I aint, I am not the foremost expert in the UK and Ireland, I guess I am far from it, but I tell you one thing I can say with confidence, I would happily put my abilities up against any Agency, they have nothing I do not have as a freelancer bar a brand and the ability to charge a lot more (and probably a few more heads) … their ability to have a direct relationship with a customer DOES NOT give them a competitive edge over me, and it certainly does not give their client a more valued, service than what I provide with customers I work on behalf off.
Regards
John