This week alone I have received four emails asking what I charge for a 500 word article. And these emails were not from buyers interested in working with me. Instead, they were from aspiring freelance writers who want to know how much I charge so that they can emulate my rates. As you can imagine, there are many issues with this.
First off, just as I cannot charge as much as others, there are some who cannot charge as much as me. There are many details that go into setting freelance writing rates. I charge what I do based on my experience, knowledge and other benefits that I bring to the table. Some freelance writers charge much more and others charge much less. But no matter what, you need to set your rates based on your income goals and other related details.
Moving on, one 500 word article is not the same as the next. Take for example a 500 word blog post compared to a 500 feature article in a mid-sized, regional magazine. As you can imagine, I would probably receive more money for the article in the magazine. Is this always the case? Of course not. But it goes to show that rates can and will change based on the project. Keep this in mind: 500 words are not always the same when it comes to setting rates. You must base your price on the market, the project topic and complexity, the client, and much more.
My best advice is this: your rate for a 500 word article, and every other project for that matter, should be based on what you are comfortable with while also aligning with your goals. Just because I charge a certain amount for so many words does not mean that everybody else should do the same. If this was the case, some freelance writers would be compromising a lot of income whereas others would be priced out of the market.
Every so often I send out requests to other professionals for services such as web design, marketing, SEO, etc. And it never surprises me when somebody emails me back with a rude response. They may say something such as “I don’t have time to help you†or “Unless you have a big budget you are wasting your time.†And as you can imagine, as soon as I see something like this the service provider is marked off my list. After all, do I really want to work with somebody who cannot even communicate in a professional manner? The answer is no.
Simply put, you should never be rude to your clients or anybody who inquiries about your freelance writing services. If you come across this way, it is going to greatly hinder your chances of securing a long term relationship. It is not difficult to communicate with respect and professionalism in mind. This is why it simply boggles my mind when others are rude when responding to email inquiries.
Take for example an SEO “professional†that I emailed last week. I am working on some new projects, and need to find a new SEO to assist me. Well, the first reply that I received was something like this: “I absolutely CANNOT help you at this time. I have too much work to take on a new client.†They did not say thank you for getting in touch, or tell me to keep them in mind in the future. Instead, they jumped the gun, told me no, and killed any chance they have at future work. Would it have been difficult for this person to be a bit nicer? Of course not. In the amount of time that it took to be rude they could have sent a nice email that would have left open the chance of working together down the road.
As a freelance writer you need to be serious about customer service. If you are hard to work with, your current clients are going to run away and potential buyers are going to cross you off their list before giving you a chance. The bottom line is simple: treat others with respect and the way that you would like to be treated yourself. This will pay off big time in the long run.Â
There are many reasons that you need to believe in your freelance writing skills. If you are on the fence about your talent, you need to get rid of this mental block as soon as possible. When it comes down to it, the best freelance writers believe that they have what it takes to succeed. This is not being cocky or arrogant. Instead, knowing that you are skilled enough to succeed is a great way of ensuring that you are always in the right frame of mind.
The following are three circumstances in which you need to strongly believe in your freelance writing skills:
1. Are you going to make the leap and become a full-time freelance writer? If so, you need to believe in yourself from day one. You need to believe that you have the skills to find clients, and that you can service them properly when the time comes. Doubt can and will kill your career as a freelance writer if you let it.
2. Is your freelance writing career at a stand still? Have you lost a few clients? If so, this is when you really need to show trust in yourself and your skills. There are going to be times in your career when it is hard to move forward for one reason or the next. When things get bad it is not a time to give up. Instead, you need to realize that this is part of the game and forge ahead each day. When you believe in your skills you will always have the confidence needed to get your career back on track.
3. Your clients will know if you are not confident in your freelance writing skills. This will show through in the way that you write, as well as the way that you communicate. You should always feel good about the skills and experience you offer. By doing so you will not only feel better about yourself, but this will also show through when dealing with clients.
No matter what stage you are at in your career, you need to believe that you have the skills necessary to succeed as a freelance writer.
