#freelance-talk

As someone who has hired a lot of freelance content writers, I would expect the freelancer to just give me their rate and then I would pay it if it wasn't way outside the range of normal. I would typically not have a hard budget in mind for a single blog post, rather an overall content marketing or marketing budget I'm using to achieve my goals. I might have a rate in mind based on experience working with other writers, but that only has so much bearing on how much I pay someone else in the future.

My feedback for your business coach is that playing silly mind games with clients isn't productive.

Thank you. That's my gut feeling, too.

That said, what would you have been willing to spend on a 2500-3000-word piece with a clear brief, but one that also required quite a bit of researching and sourcing/interview SMEs?

When I’m working with agencies, it’s 50/50 — sometimes they have a budget, give it to me, and ask if it’s acceptable. Sometimes they want me to quote a rate. For direct clients, I usually provide my rates for straightforward, repeatable content projects like blogs. When we’re talking about a big campaign asset like a whitepaper or ebook, I give a ballpark range, and then refine it based on the specific asks (number of SME interviews, rounds of revision, level of involvement with the design team, etc.). I get the principle of not being the first person to say a number in a negotiation, but in my experience of working with dozens of B2B companies, that’s just not the way it works.

That's what I said! Thank you.

If I'm talking to someone on a call, I'll ask what their budget is to make sure we're aligned and to make sure I don't hit them with an absurd number. If it's over email, I'll send over my rates.

The hard part is that every industry has a different idea of what rates should look like. I ask to get a sense of where they're at, but they don't always know.

Yeah just give them your flat rate. To make the process even more straightforward, why not advertise your flat online so both parties are aligned from day one?

I never speak with a prospect until they've reviewed my pricing. Saves a ton of time when they can't afford me later on down the line.

Also, I echo what @Cassandra Jowett says about your business coach.

Just to add to the conversation: Sometimes clients don’t have set budgets yet. They’re trying to determine it based on estimates and quotes they receive. In this case, it’s better to give your number.

If you truly want to work with the client, you could say something like, “Here’s my estimate, but I’d love to have a conversation to see how we could make it work with your budget.” I think this allows the potential client to keep you in mind even if your estimate is over what they had in mind, especially if your reputation is better than the competition.

My two cents.

Your two cents are worth much more. I like how diplomatic your response is.

Negotiating a full-time salary (i.e. “don’t be the first to say a number!“) is very different than quoting a service fee.

I have a set rate for blog posts and other standard services I provide that doesn’t really have much to do with the client’s budget—it has to do more with my business, the value and expertise I’m providing, the level of service and quality I offer, the effective hourly rate I need to make to cover all my expenses, the amount of work I can take on, and so on.

If that rate fits with the client’s budget, great! But in my experience, as others have mentioned, clients freelance budgets aren’t broken down granularly to every task or deliverable—it’s more like “here’s $10k for freelancers this month, use it as you need to accomplish our goals.”

TL;DR: don’t try to negotiate your rates with every client you come across. Set a rate that makes sense for your business and needs and that you feel confident and happy about, and quote it confidently. The right clients who value your work will be willing to pay what you need.