When asked for a price quote, it is essential that you take your time and supply accurate information that is going to work to your advantage. This holds true in every industry, and freelance writing is no exception. I am always receiving emails asking how I arrive at my quotes, and what goes into the process. While every situation and potential client is different, there are some things that I always do.
As mentioned above, you should always take your time. Sure, it can be exciting to be asked for a price quote, but if you jump the gun you could end up doing one of two things: you could offer too low of a price and leave money on the table or you could quote too high and scare the client off. If you take your time you will be able to compare the project to past work, think about all of the work that is entailed, and of course, cross reference with your current rate sheet.
If possible, it would be nice if you could find out what type of budget the client has for the project. You may find that the client is searching for a bargain price that you cannot meet. Finding this out early on can go a long way in saving both parties a lot of time.
When working on any price quote you should take every last detail into consideration. This is going to change based on who you are working with, but you should consider things such as: past work for the client, your current workload, how bad you want to work with the client, etc. Anything that will affect the project and your career should be taken seriously during this process.
With all of that being said, for me, giving a solid price quote is all about taking my time. If I leave myself enough time to get together all the details, providing an accurate quote is usually an easy task.Â
While walking out of a restaurant last night, an elderly gentleman began to make conversation with me. Soon enough he was telling me about his many careers, and then asked me what my occupation was. Upon telling him that I was a freelance writer, he looked at me strangely. “You shoulda been an engineer,†he said. Not knowing where he was coming from, I asked why. “Being a freelance writer is nice but you can’t make any money.â€Â
It is a common misconception among many that freelance writers have no opportunity to earn “real money.†It is of my opinion that this misconception brings down writers in more ways than one, and makes many of them believe that they do not deserve to be paid reasonable wages.
Sure, some engineers make a lot of money, but there are just as many who are stuck as the bottom of the industry trying to make their way to the top. There may be some freelance writers who don’t make enough money to support themselves, but there is nothing that says you have to join them. When it comes down to it, the sky is the limit. As an engineer, for example, you will work for a company that sets your salary. As a freelance writer, there is nobody to hold you back. If you want to earn more money you do not have to ask for a raise or change jobs. You can simply work harder, do better work, and expand your client base.
Don’t let the perception of not earning enough money keep you away from following your dream of becoming a freelance writer. Just like any other career, you can start out at entry level wages and then increase your income as time goes by. Maybe I should have told that gentleman to check out my freelance writing income report for March?
Most freelance writers that I know communicate with clients primarily via email. For me, this holds true most of the time as well. Of course, there are times when I speak with clients over the phone or in person. But with email being so easy, quick, and effective, it seems to be the preferred method among most freelancers.
The key question is: how often do you communicate with your freelance writing clients? This is different for every writer and every client, but you definitely want to keep in mind that it is important to keep in touch. If you go too long without communicating, your client may feel as if you are out of touch too much. In the long run, this may put strain on your relationship.
One thing that I have found helpful is to communicate with clients even if my deadline is nowhere in sight. For instance, I have a large project due at the end of May for a regional sports publication. While I could wait until the last day to send the project, this would be a huge mistake. Not only would it put my back against the wall, but it would do the same to the editor. Instead, I check in once per week to update the editor on my progress and to ask if he needs anything. In most cases this is nothing more than a short email, and that is usually enough until the next time around.
Base your communication on the type of client you are dealing with, and what they have conveyed to you in the past. Many clients tell me up front that they want me to check in every so often. And believe it or not, some even tell me that they don’t need to talk until the project is complete. If you take cues from your client and your past experiences, you should not have any problems determining how often to communicate with them.
