I think you and I should try and organise more Freelancer meetups, or even have a “subgroup” of AWIA/Port80 for Freelancers to discuss the particular issues associated with it.

I know we get busy, but maybe its something we need to take more seriously? I know that I have a tendency to fall away when I get busier.

I don’t know whether we need to have specific events for smaller budget folks, per se, but merely make AWIA events more accessible across the board. It seems to be a given to give a student discount, but not to Freeancers. Maybe there should be slightly different prices for those 1-5 businesses vs the 6+?

If utilising something like Certegy Ezipay might help, then maybe that might be the answer?

Maybe more broadly as an organisation we need to acknowledge the disparity in project resources, or conference budgets, or in other places, between a Freelancer and an Agency. At the moment, I feel in many cases that we have to compete in many areas with a disadvantage?

How do you think one could engage these people and bring them value for money talks etc they can afford. Note not free – people don’t go to free events, they have to have a commitment to go, pre-paying a token fee $20-$50 is that commitment.

I think its about accessibility. Cashflow is a BIG issue in my business, even though the actual money is good, when it arrives. I think I am concerned that is a corner of the web industry that gets neglected a fair bit, because we are expected to have the same resources as agencies. I think its a wider problem than just conference fees, but permeates throughout everything from pitching/sales to Awards to everything… where we are expected to have this level playing field that ain’t so level

But yes, the ability to book now and pay later would be very helpful, I think, to ensure that you attract people who really want to go, rather than just those that buy the seats.

Let me emphasise that it is not merely whingeing about the cost, but making these things as accessible as possible to ALL members of AWIA, and not just discounting for students and charging everyone else equally.

It is interesting I wouldn’t consider myself on the “bigger” end of the freelancer scale, but I have managed to attend at least one east coast conference a year.

I would be interested in knowing what price people would be honestly prepared to pay for a local conference. And the quality of the speakers they would expect.

Would a book now, pay later scheme (before the event) help people.

I wish they’d offered a package deal or installment plan.

I do wonder (out loud) if AWIA as an organisation are actually interested in anyone but agencies and the “bigger” freelancers out there.