Sealing Writing Deals: The Golden Bridge

What’s on the iPod: Quiet Little Voices by We Were Promised Jetpacks


A new poll this week — take a look over on the right side of this page. Don’t forget to cast your vote!

Happy birthday to Devon Ellington! I hope you have a lovely day, my dear. May it be a relaxing, stress-free day!

Though it felt like I did nothing yesterday (I actually had time to myself, go figure), I accomplished a lot. I worked on a book manuscript edit in the morning, got some mid-morning marketing in, and had time to write poetry in the afternoon. That’s productive.

In a recent client conversation, the client was on the fence. Still is, in fact. It’s not necessarily price, though that is one of their concerns. Instead, it’s what to do first and the timing. Plus, they do want the most bang for their buck.

When clients are holding back for whatever reason, it’s time to build a Golden Bridge.

The concept is straight out of Getting Past No: Negotiating Your Way From Confrontation To Cooperation by William Ury, and in my opinion, it’s the Bible of negotiation. The idea is to meet resistance not with begging, more resistance, or pressuring but with creating a collaboration with your client to get to yes.

So let’s say money is the obstacle. Let’s assume the difference between your fee and their budget is not insurmountable — say you charge $100 an hour and they can afford $70. Hourly, that would hurt both of you to have to compromise fully. However, look at it from a different perspective–the client’s.

Suppose you want to hire a contractor, but you just can’t fit it into your budget. What would you be agreeable to? What could that contractor say that would make you sign a contract?

Now, apply this same logic to your client. You’re hiring the writer. You’re the one who can’t afford more than $70 an hour. What would help you hire that person?

Here are some ideas:

Offer options. Urban Muse writer Susan Johnston once said she would offer to do a portion of a project for the client’s rate. Offer to edit what they produce, or write one section of a larger work for them. Or perhaps you could write blog posts that they could then expand into articles or white papers.

Give per-project rates. For some reason, hourly rates scare some clients. Maybe they see huge invoices down the road or maybe they think you’re nuts for charging so much (you’re not — you have to pay your own benefits). Instead, send them a list of typical charges for projects they may need. Often, you can get the work done quickly, which means you’re getting a fair rate and they’re staying on budget.

Ask for their suggestions. If you involve your prospective client in solving the dilemma, you’ve created a collaboration. It’s now easy for the client to see you as a business partner. So if your prices and your options aren’t helping, ask them if they have any ideas. There’s no reason not to include clients in the decision. They can’t balk at their own option, right? Well, they can, but they’re less likely to.

Offer bulk discounts. I’m not a fan of giving discounts to new clients who demand or expect them, but I will suggest them if there’s a chance to ensure a steadier stream of work. It’s a great way to show good faith and to build that working relationship.

Ask for feedback on the proposal. Not a decision, but what exactly don’t they like? What can you improve that would be more appealing besides the price?

Writers, how do you build that bridge between you and potential clients?
What methods work best for you in securing new client business?