Hi all, I am new to the forum and am looking for some business advice. Currently, I am working as a graphic/web design subcontractor and have a particular client with whom I have a contract. He represents a large portion of my income so let me say that I do not want to offend him in my proposal.
By certain projects that we work on together, he is affiliated with an association that contains hundreds of business owning members....a lot are in desperate need of a new website from what I've seen. I've brought this up in the past but he blows it off. He is not familiar with web design and so he does not actively pursue the work like he should. I want the work but because he is affiliated....they are NOT his clients but, he is friends with some of them through association, I would like to extend, as a courtesy, a flat rate or percentage to him in exchange of me mentioning his name as in " Hello Client, I see your name come across my desk from time to time because I work with Mr. Jones...yadda yadda..I'd like to redesign a site for you...."
So, I would like to draw up a proposal I am just unsure of the wording. I would like to make sure he knows that really do not NEED to go through him to approach these members. I would like to drop his name and he could even handle the initial meeting but then would hand the client off to me. The most important thing is that I need to be able to bill the client myself. As I said, we have a contract for our "core" work but there are also "on the side" jobs that I complete and bill him for. I have to then wait until he gets paid, then I get paid. These invoices go 3-5 months before I get full payment and I do not want anymore of that type of situation. He always pays, but it's crazy late for the side jobs.
Does anyone have a creative solution? I am friends with this person at this point because we've worked together for so long but for this potential web work, payment and management roles need to be different without me coming off as a jerk.
Any advice is GREATLY appreciated!
By certain projects that we work on together, he is affiliated with an association that contains hundreds of business owning members....a lot are in desperate need of a new website from what I've seen. I've brought this up in the past but he blows it off. He is not familiar with web design and so he does not actively pursue the work like he should. I want the work but because he is affiliated....they are NOT his clients but, he is friends with some of them through association, I would like to extend, as a courtesy, a flat rate or percentage to him in exchange of me mentioning his name as in " Hello Client, I see your name come across my desk from time to time because I work with Mr. Jones...yadda yadda..I'd like to redesign a site for you...."
So, I would like to draw up a proposal I am just unsure of the wording. I would like to make sure he knows that really do not NEED to go through him to approach these members. I would like to drop his name and he could even handle the initial meeting but then would hand the client off to me. The most important thing is that I need to be able to bill the client myself. As I said, we have a contract for our "core" work but there are also "on the side" jobs that I complete and bill him for. I have to then wait until he gets paid, then I get paid. These invoices go 3-5 months before I get full payment and I do not want anymore of that type of situation. He always pays, but it's crazy late for the side jobs.
Does anyone have a creative solution? I am friends with this person at this point because we've worked together for so long but for this potential web work, payment and management roles need to be different without me coming off as a jerk.
Any advice is GREATLY appreciated!
