I was on a business trip recently when something kind of incredible happened. Well, let’s say incredible and incredulous — there was both going on.
I was walking through the exhibit hall when I realized I was standing in front of the booth of a former client prospect. I say former because this was a company I’d talked with on a number of occasions in the past and had, on their request, prepared a proposal and statement of work for. It was also the same company that told me quite rudely that my price was unacceptable to them.
Fast forward to last week. There I was, not just standing at their booth, but staring at the person in the company who had sent that rude note to me. I introduced myself and made small talk. She was clearly uncomfortable at first (I would be if I’d said something like that, too), but eventually relaxed a little. Then she said it — “Do you handle X? I’d like to have a conversation on how we might work together.”
Right there. That’s proof that you as a writer have valuable skills, and ones that transcend price.
That’s a tough lesson to learn, especially when you’re starting out in freelance writing. When you’re new to it all, you’re a little doubtful about what your price should be or if anyone will ever think your skills are worth money. It’s easy to let other people’s opinions or reactions define you and to influence your price. However, remember this — the person who rejects your price today could well be the person who realizes tomorrow the mistake he just made. It’s happened to me more than once. In a few cases, the client came back asking to revisit the conversation. In one case, they begged. Literally begged.
While I highly doubt I’ll ever work with that rude company (respect has to be part of the package for me), it was gratifying to hear someone who had initially dismissed my rate now opening up the conversation again. I have a feeling there’s a sense on her side that I’ll be lowering my rate (fat chance — that sucker is going up if anything), but it doesn’t matter. The message is there — my skills are valuable even to the people whose budgets don’t match my rates.
That’s the same message you should carry with you into every client conversation and negotiation.
Here’s how to realize that value sooner:
Create the reality you want. Do you think people like Richard Branson didn’t struggle? Successful people struggle, but they do something more — they plan. They create the reality they’re trying to attain. Branson himself started Virgin airlines because of a canceled flight and the idea to charter a plane and sell the additional seats to other stranded passengers. He didn’t wait for his break — he made it happen.
Lose the fear of saying no. Not every client will be able to afford you. You are not required to take every job in front of you — in fact, you’ll never regret saying no to work that doesn’t fit you either in rates or in the project parameters/client behavior.
Think like a business owner. You own a business the minute you decide to freelance. The fastest way to improve your results is by adopting a business attitude. Mimic the professionalism others exude until it becomes second nature to you (and by professionalism, I mean a friendly-yet–detached approach to problems and negotiations). Think of every decision as one that will protect your business (and think of your business as a child or a friend you’re protecting). You will never regret making a decision that’s in your best interests.
Hold your ground. You don’t have to stomp (unless you want to in private), but don’t allow someone else’s unprofessional emotional outburst influence your decisions. Had I listened to that company’s rep, I’d be working for peanuts and miserable about it. And I suspect I’d be pushed around a lot. Instead, I refused to respond to the ugly note and I let it go. Guilt, whining, or strong-arming are never acceptable behaviors from your clients, nor are they any you should use.
Accept that not everyone will get it. Those clients who aren’t willing to pay your rate? They’re not your clients. They’re someone else’s. Smile, wish them well, and go find those clients who value your skills without question.
Writers, how did you realize your value?
What happened to make that light bulb come on?
My moment was a hard slap to the side of the head. It was my first year of freelancing. I let a smooth-talking salesman convince me to do a marketing analysis in exchange for introductions and referrals. Guess what did not happen? Yep, the introductions and referrals.
That lesson stuck with me. I won't say I didn't still stumble in realizing my worth but it sure made saying"No" a whole lot easier. 🙂
Wow. That sucks, Cathy! You'd think with the one-on-one exchange like that he'd have stuck to his side of the bargain.
His karma will get him.
I began to understand how low I'd priced myself when someone challenged me to double my rate – back then I couldn't go that far, but did a quote at 25% more than I thought I should. I noticed how easily the client accepted it and realized I had left money on the table… that was the start of the breakthrough for me.
Isn't it funny, Anne? I've had similar head-slapping moments. When I quoted my rate and the client accepted without missing a best, I knew I'd gone too low.
Lori, I love your advice to think of your business as a child or person you want to protect. Funny how most of us are willing to endure less-than-acceptable conditions, but wouldn't never accept the same for our loved ones.
Okay, from today on, my business is my baby!
Knowing what a jerk this person was in how they criticized your rates, you made the best decision. And it must have felt great putting them on the spot. 😉
I rarely get these kinds of inquiries anymore (a perk of keeping your rates public), and when I do they're never nasty about it.
What I generally do is politely tell them that I can't work within their budget (unless there's a way to change the scope to make that work).
Then I refer them to newer writers who will work for less. Either they realize they're happy with a less experienced writer, and that writer is getting paid what they want (win-win for both), or they realize they really do want a more experienced writer and they come back after they've found a way to increase their budget or decrease the scope of their project.
More come back than you might think!
Out of curiosity, would you consider working with the company if a different point person contacted you? Or did he ruin it for the lot of them?
Once, waaaay back in the beginning, I tried to negotiate with someone who was firm on her pay rate. The pay wasn't as abysmal as content mills, but it still wasn't what I knew I was worth. She ended the negotiation immediately, wishing me luck. In her reply, she touted the fact that she paid much higher than many others for the same work (true, like I said, higher than content mills). I was really upset about that loss for a long time because I was afraid I couldn't do better. But now, looking back, I know it turned out for the best, because I still might be working for that person at that price.
My, how things have changed … I had an inquiry a few days ago from someone paying a rate much, much lower than I'm willing to accept. And I didn't hesitate an instant to turn it down (kindly, even though it was really low).
Don't forget to feed your baby, Paula. 🙂
Jenn, you ask a good question. Would I work for them if someone else were the point person? I'm thinking no — the response was just so cold and deliberate that it felt like a directive from above. It was the sense I got, especially since she knew my price going in. It had to come from someone who would tolerate that behavior (or promote it).
There would have to be proof (once this woman is gone) that the attitude stopped at her, or I couldn't do it. I have plenty of other opportunities to work with clients who aren't rude (and who can afford me, which I think is the larger point in the whole scenario).
Ashley, feels good, doesn't it? You were right to walk away from that, and shame on her for fussing about how great her rates were. People who do often realize they're not paying enough. It's a defensive move.