Comments on: Writer Wednesday: The Great Compromise

By: Lori Widmer

Lori Widmer — Mon, 04 Aug 2014 13:29:41 +0000

I remember you mentioning that client, Jenn. I'd have made the same concession. Sometimes the work is easy, the client is great, and you enjoy the project. Why not take a little less with those parameters?

Same here -- if I wanted to work with the client, I'd negotiate the fee. I think you recall the client prospect who recently resorted to saying nasty things instead of coming back with a simple "Your price is above our budget." He was nice enough on the phone that I might have negotiated. He did me a favor, though. His attitude came out without my having to waste any energy on him.

By: Jennifer Mattern

Jennifer Mattern — Mon, 04 Aug 2014 13:22:07 +0000

I shared an example of me compromising on price on my blog a while back. Basically, most clients were paying around $150-200 per blog post at the time (short ones). But I had one paying barely over $70. I remember someone having the gall to tell me I was working for peanuts by keeping that gig (I knew the client couldn't afford to pay more than that, so it was a take or leave it thing). In fact it was one of my highest earning gigs. The posts literally took 20-30 minutes from start to finish. They were beginner-level pieces on a topic I knew very well, and I was hired to write mostly from experience (no interviews or detailed research needed). I could practically write them in my sleep. And I brought in nearly $200 per billable hour on those posts, more than my $150 per hour target. Those were some pretty tasty peanuts. ;)

I have another client I occasionally "break the rules" for. We've worked together for 8 years now. I don't compromise much on price anymore (though I used to). And because he can't afford my normal rates most of the time, we don't work together as regularly -- more on larger projects when they come up. But if he needs something with a pretty quick turnaround, I'll usually find a way to squeeze him in. And I'll respond to him on "off" days once in a while simply because the time zone differences can make it tough for us to interact in real time.

I'd make fee exceptions if I really wanted to work for a client -- such as if I cared about the exposure more than the pay. But I also wouldn't let those kinds of projects come out of my billable hours. I'd schedule them in as marketing time so I don't sacrifice other, and better, gigs.

By: Lori Widmer

Lori Widmer — Thu, 31 Jul 2014 13:03:27 +0000

I have a few of those too, Ashley. The work is easy, the clients are a delight, and it's money in my pocket. Why not?

So the theme seems to be we tell clients that higher paying work takes priority. Has anyone seen that lead to an increase in what the lower paying clients pay?

By: Ashley

Ashley — Wed, 30 Jul 2014 21:06:38 +0000

I have an editor that I've been writing for since I first started freelancing. The pay is really not good at all, but he makes it so easy to work with him, and because each job is quick/easy for me to do, I end up making a decent hourly rate. It's still less than I would normally accept, and I don't accept any new clients at that rate. I just tell him that I can do it IF I have time in my schedule. He'll usually find something for me to write that works with my schedule (which is pretty inconsistent these days). So it works out for both of us.

By: Lori Widmer

Lori Widmer — Wed, 30 Jul 2014 17:03:31 +0000

Good plan, Paula. I like it. :) They can't say they weren't told, right?

Good to give a reason, Eileen. I usually say something like "I can give a one-time price break." It sends the message that hey, don't get used to it!

By: Eileen

Eileen — Wed, 30 Jul 2014 15:13:56 +0000

I've accepted less pay when things are slow, but even on those occasions my hourly rate was still quite good. If the client/prospect asking for a lower rate does not treat me with respect, though, it's a deal breaker. And when I do accept less pay, I let them know it's less than my normal rate and give them a reason why I'm willing to do it — because they're a long term client whose relationship I value, because I have a gap in my schedule, etc.

By: Paula

Paula — Wed, 30 Jul 2014 14:50:04 +0000

I have three or for filler clients. The work is all easy. They editors are peaches. They all pay fast, but less than I normally accept.

I'll squeeze their projects in if I have time or when I have a big expense looming. But I also make it clear to those clients that if another project comes in with the same deadline, the lower paying project gets the back burner. I've never not been able to finish one of their jobs, but the clients know their deadline might have to be pushed back.

They can accept those terms, pay more, or find another writer.

By: Lori Widmer

Lori Widmer — Wed, 30 Jul 2014 14:34:27 +0000

KeriLynn, that sounds like a decent pay rate. I wouldn't scoff at that, either.

Don't let the successful freelancers fool you -- even they have troubles finding work at times. It happens to the best of us.

By: KeriLynn Engel

KeriLynn Engel — Wed, 30 Jul 2014 13:35:05 +0000

Great points for discussion, Lori, and unfortunately something you don't see very often on many popular writing blogs. Freelancers who've been successful for many years and always have prospects coming to them can afford to be much more uncompromising than writers who are just starting out.

One of my compromises is: I do editing work for Scripted (a content mill) sometimes. They send out emails if they have a ton of articles to be edited, and once I'm familiar with the guidelines, I can make $100/hour editing for them. It's nice extra income when I have nothing else on my plate.