Negotiation for freelance writers

Freelance writers have a varying approach towards negotiation—some don’t do it, whereas others are willing to wiggle.

The question is: When, as a freelance writer, should you negotiate with your clients on the prices you're charging?

In this episode, we talk about how we approach negotiation.

Justification for firm prices

In most cases, freelance writers should be firm on their pricing. The reason: Prices are set to align with a writer’s expertise, value provided, and years of experience freelance writing. Firm pricing gives you the financial stability to sustain your freelance writing business long-term.

“For 90% of my projects, the conversation begins with my fixed rates.”

However, if there’s a project you want to work on or a client you really want to work with, it’s okay to make room for flexibility. When negotiating, work to come to a middle ground on either the pricing or the scope of the project.

Answer the WHY of a negotiation

When you’re considering engaging in a negotiation, ask yourself why the client wants to negotiate. Do they want to negotiate because they’re an early-stage business or non-profit and don't have a big budget, or is this client just interested in nickel-and-diming?

Dig into why the client is asking you to come down a little on prices. Sometimes, it’s because they're trying to get as much as they possibly can out of you. Other times, it’s because they want to work with you, but don’t have a huge budget. It’s important to ask questions and discern the client’s reasoning.

The next thing to ask yourself is why you want this project. What's in it for you? You may be willing to negotiate to get your foot in the door for a new vertical you don't have much experience in, or you might be taking a few hundred dollars off to get a big name under your belt.

“Will your future self be glad that you negotiated and took on the project?”

Many times, freelance writers regret negotiating and end up feeling resentful about not getting paid enough. Other times, negotiation can lead to scope creep (which we’ve talked about ‌in a previous episode.) To avoid scope creep, negotiations should be documented and the final contract should be agreed upon in writing.

Different ways to negotiate

Negotiating as a freelance writer can take different forms depending on what you’re offering. It's about striking a balance that makes both parties happy.

“Negotiation is figuring out how to work together in a mutually collaborative way that benefits both you and your client.”

Depending on what the client can afford, you can tailor your typical offerings. For example, you could limit the number of interviews you conduct for a case study or the number of expert quotes in a long-form article.

Discounting and bulk rates

Another form of negotiation is discounting for a guaranteed volume of work. This guaranteed volume can be:

Bulk orders, such as 3-5 case studies
Long-term relationships or retainers, such as delivering a blog post every week for a longer period of time

Offering these options in the negotiation process show you're willing to collaborate, and clients feel like they're getting more value.

One note: we have found that it’s best to first work at your base price before you commit to bulk or long-term work.

Negotiating upwards

Negotiation doesn’t always mean discounting. Examples of negotiating upwards are:

Rush fees: charging higher for a project to be completed on a priority
Add-ons: charging extra for additional revisions, promotional blurbs, etc.

Positions in a negotiation

The negotiations as a freelance writer differ from daily life negotiations. Here, you’re the seller and in the driver’s seat of the negotiation. Although businesses need customers, whether a purchase is negotiable or not is the seller’s decision.

It’s also worth noting that the environment of negotiating over email is advantageous for someone who’s not as good at negotiating face-to-face or over the phone.

When negotiating with subcontractors, on the other hand, you become the buyer. It’s our belief that if their service is valuable to you and the rate is near your expectations, it’s not worth going back and forth over a small percentage.

Factors affecting negotiating power

Your negotiating power as a freelance writer depends on where you are in your business. Two factors that determine how you look at negotiation are your experience and your capacity.

There's nothing wrong with taking a lower rate when you're starting out. Remind yourself that you can negotiate and make compromises to get your business off the ground. From there, steadily increase your rates over time and build upon the baseline you have. It’s often a slow climb, but in time, you’ll get where you want to be.

Key Takeaways

It’s important to be firm with your rates and value your work as a freelance writer. It’s nice to have room for negotiations, but don’t get sucked in the spiral of being underpaid. To master the art of negotiation:

Understand your client’s motivations
Try various approaches to negotiation
Analyze your position

Leveraging negotiations can help you expand your expertise and grow your business as a freelance writer.