Kimberly, you’re not crazy. 🙂 You’re showing your clients a lack of fear of the market and a confidence in your work and your worth. I think it will be received positively.

Gabriella, I’m in agreement with you. When a long-time client lowers rates a bit and they’re a steady source of income, roll with it if you can afford to. And yes, revisit the rates later on. It may be a temporary thing (as most things are right now). Being flexible when they need you to be will leave a good impression.

But again, IF you can afford to be. If the price goes entirely too low, I’d be reconsidering that relationship. It’s okay to compromise when the client hits on hard times, but it’s not okay to take on the majority of their suffering.

Someone in one of my writer groups informed me that when he joined a small advertising agency as a copywriter four years ago, $75 an hour was standard entry-level pay. I charge flat rates, but use that rate as the base of the formula that determines how much to charge.

Tired!

I have two more points. Don’t overlook Joseph’s understated comment about letting clients stew over our rates. We all have to have the patience not to bid against ourselves.

That $1,600 a month client first wanted me to accept $1,250 per month, and I said it was too low. We parted ways professionally, and the guy came back less than two months later and said the two other writers he’d hired to do the work weren’t worth the lower amount, and did I still want the job at my original price? “Of course,” I said!

The point? We can’t panic when clients try to undercut us. If people don’t want to pay our rate, let test try the market. If they can get what they want for less, great. But often clients realize they can’t, and our patience will be rewarded–as long as we’re professional throughout.

Second point. How would we all handle the following situation? I have a freelance friend whose long-time and regular client asked her in January to drop her rate by one-quarter because the client’s budget had been cut.

Dunno, but for a long-term client that provides a monthly staple, I might agree to it with the stipulation that we revisit the rate in six months. That’s where our calls to stand firm get complicated, don’t they?

Anyway, I really appreciate all your comments. It really makes a difference in this tough market.

I’ll quote a client’s mailer at full rate, but may throw in an email follow-up or discount down a landing page or special report quite a bit to sweeten deal.

Every metro area is different… mine is ranked among top 3 worst hit in U.S. Plus there are many freelance writers working here, especially with all the layoffs. So supply far outweighs demand.

While there are still good clients paying decent rates, most now want “extra” value for their buck.

By the way, spoke with a contract plumber complaining about the same thing! All his customers are demanding way MORE for the same money they spent in past and his colleagues are all undercutting each other! Sound familiar?

Hey, Lori, you wanna peddle me as “Bitch in a Bottle” Just might work! 😉

http://freelanceswitch.com/rates/

There’s some ads covering some of the boxes that weren’t there before, so I think it might be optimized for Firefox, which I don’t use. But if you can see it properly, it’s a really great calculator for determining rates!