| 8 Steps to Successfully Managing your Documentation Projects |
| Step 2: Estimate Realistically |
| by Jan Johansen |
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| For every project you have two main goals: |
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To maintain a good relationship with your client or employer by delivering a quality product – on time & within budget |
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To be compensated fairly for your work |
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| This means more than just creating a document with accurate content and a nice look. Your success also depends on how you handle every step of the project – from your first meeting with the client to your last invoice and follow up. |
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| Don’t Quote on the Spot |
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| Don’t let your client pressure you into offering an estimate or quote on the spot. Remember, they are hiring you to do something they don’t have the skills or time to do themselves, and they are paying you for your expertise. |
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| So, what if your client says… |
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| “How much is this going to cost us?” – Tell the client that you need time to prepare an accurate estimate so you can be confident that you can deliver quality materials for a fair price. Then give them a date for when you will provide the proposal. |
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| “What’s your hourly rate?" – If you’ve established one hourly rate for all your services, you can tell the client your rate. Or, if you have different rates for different services – give the client a range. But don’t get into specifics about the project. Again, tell them you need time to review the information you’ve just gathered about the project. |
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| “Can you get it done by [date] for $[amount]?” – Don’t commit to anything. |
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