On Sun, 13 Nov 2011 21:43:29 -0600, Ignoramus22978
wrote:
On 2011-11-14, Steve B wrote:
"Ignoramus22978" wrote in message
...
On 2011-11-12, Steve B wrote:
"Ignoramus8740" wrote in message
...
I quit my job a while ago and am no longer working for anyone.
i
It is often so with someone who is so busy making a living that they
don't
have the time or effort they need to make some real money.
You'll do it. Just concentrate on the "home runs". Those things that
make
the most money. Leave the labor intensive and medial profit stuff to
others.
Steve, thanks. I wanted, at first, argue and disagree about medium
profit stuff, but the more I thought about it, the more I realized
that you are actually right. I will try to delegate the boring stuff,
like assembling shelves, within budget of course. I am quite excited
about this transition and so far, enjoy every second of it.
i
Now that you're not working for $XX per hour, you have to set that amount.
For me, it's $50 an hour. OR stuff that can bring me a total profit that
will amount to that per hour when divided by time spent. Example: you can
spend time, even hours, schmoozing, or even doing stuff for free that may
come back to you in spades later. Sometimes, $pades times $ix. Sometimes,
a true freebie.
One bit of advice I got early was when a guy told me that he had some more
work, and if I did this job cheap, that he would give me the other work at a
good profit. I asked a mentor of mine, and he said Fergeddabout it, but
just take each job separately. No carrot and donkey tricks.
And the free schmoozing can reach a limit, too. You're not in it now for
fun. If it ain't making you money, it ain't fun. Keep that in mind, and go
fishin, or take your kids to the park if you want to do something that is
FUN and free. If a businessman wants to fault you for not wanting to do
something for free, he's not someone you want to mess with anyway.
YMMV. You've been around the block enough times to know when someone's
yanking your chain.
Steve, I agree. Now, I have decided, for now, that I do not want to
provide any services at all. I will not be welding for hire, fixing
machines for anyone besides myself, etc. The only thing that I will be
doing is buying and selling industrial equipment (and my
websites). So, what you said, while 200% true, I hope will not apply
to me.
I have, however, seen buyers who waste a lot of my time, and I try to
keep those away from me.
You're right to do that. Say "Buy the item and then we can talk." Or,
when they come up to you, set your timer watch for ten minutes and
when it beeps (or if they ask) tell them that you chat for ten but
charge $50/hr (w/ 1 hour minimum) for consulting time. It takes 3
seconds to set my Casio diver's watch to countdown mode. I use it to
steep my tea most often.
I'm about ready to start charging for estimates, myself. People who
have no timeline feel that others don't, either, and will readily
waste a couple hours of your time if given half a chance.
The "give me a huge discount, I will buy more from you later" type is
a very frequent occurrence.
And you might see as many as ONE of those folks return at a later
date, but don't hold your breath. If they do return, it with a "Well,
you gave me this low price last time, so do it again." Feh! I try to
get them to buy in quantity for a good price, telling them that I'm
not a one-off wholesaler. OTOH, I'm tired of hawking tees so my 2
lines of shirts are going wholesale from now on. Anyone need humorous
and/or politically incorrect Christmas presents? $8 a pop plus actual
shipping.
--
That's the thing about needs. Sometimes, when you get them met,
you don't need them anymore. -- Michael Patrick King