Base a Quote on your Rate, Project Details
When giving a quote for a freelance writing project you should consider two things: your rate and the details of the job. With these two details in mind you will be able to offer a fair quote that should suit both you and the buyer. If it doesn’t, you need to decide whether or not to renegotiate. Some freelance writers will drop their price a bit to land a gig, but others stick to their guns no matter what. Which group do you belong to?
Obviously, your freelance writing rates are the most important detail when giving a quote. No matter the client or the project, if you follow your rates it should not take you long to give a quote. For instance, if you have a set rate of $500 for a 500 word sales letter you can pretty much tell the buyer right away what you charge.
I don’t want you to think that the project details aren’t important, though. Sometimes the details of a given project may change your rate. As I have said many times before, one keyword article, for example, is not the same as the next. Just because you have a base rate does not mean that you will use it for every quote. The difference from one keyword article to the next can be huge. Length, subject matter, and research time should all be considered. For me, a 500 word article on the game of basketball would come much easier than one on landscaping tips. For this reason my quote would be different for each article.
When giving a quote consider your rate first. From there, let the project details guide you when customizing the quote. You may be able to offer a slightly lower price if the topic is right. But on the other hand, you may want to charge a bit more if you know you will be spending extra time on the project. Remember, you don’t have to rush to give a quote. You can take your time to ensure that you quote the right price.
