More so today than ever before, businesses and webmasters in need of a writer are negotiating. They don’t want to pay the writer’s “standard†rate. Instead, they want to haggle, back and forth, to get the best possible deal.
Some freelance writers are not open to negotiations. They set their rates, trust that they are on par with the industry, and stick to their guns. Others are open to negotiating.
While there is no right or wrong way of deciding if you should negotiate, if you opt for this there are a few tips that can help you land the best possible terms:
1. Do not throw out the first number. Just like buying a car, don’t get ahead of yourself and start tossing rates around. Instead, ask the potential client what they are willing to pay and go from there.
If you throw out the first number you may be leaving a lot of money on the table.
2. Be flexible and expect the same from the buyer. There is nothing wrong with being flexible as you negotiate. In fact, if you are not open to being flexible you are not cut out for negotiating. But remember, this is a two way street. Make sure you are not the only person willing to adjust.
3. Do not feel pressured to reach a deal. It would be nice to reach a deal with every person that you are in contact with. Unfortunately, this is not the reality of life as a freelance writer. Do your best to negotiate a good deal, but if things don’t work out feel free to walk away.
4. Do not burn any bridges. Time and time again I negotiate with clients and walk away without a deal. More than half of the time the client comes back a few days later to start the project. This is why you should never burn any bridges. If you anger somebody during the negotiation phase they are not likely to work with you in the future.
The next time you find yourself negotiating with a potential freelance writing client, use these tips to your advantage.
There is nothing better than a client that finds you, loves what you offer, and hires you on the spot. Unfortunately, the process does not always unwind this way. Instead, you are going to encounter “on the fence†buyers time and time again. These are people who are potentially interested in doing business with you, but unsure of whether or not they should move forward.
Here are three tips I use to tip these buyers in my favor:
1. Pinpoint any issues. Let’s face it: there is a reason why the person does not want to pull the trigger and hire you. Are they worried about your experience? Do they have pricing concerns? Once you learn more about their reservations you can make an attempt to ease the tension and finalize the deal.
2. Offer to have a phone conversation. Time and time again this works for me. If you have yet to speak on the phone, a quick conversation can go a long way in forming a relationship and helping both parties better understand each other.
3. Don’t put too much pressure on the buyer by continually asking for an answer. There is nothing worse than a job dangling over your head, never knowing if you are actually going to get started. But if you become overbearing and ask for an answer, day after day, the deal will die sooner rather than later.
When a buyer is on the fence and you are looking for help to close the deal, follow these three tips.
When it comes to marketing your freelance writing skills you may want to consider cold calling. You may not be familiar with this process, but that doesn’t mean you should run and hide. Instead, learn as much as you can about cold calling including how this can help you increase your workload and profits.
Making your first cold call can be downright terrifying. No matter if you are selling freelance writing services or something else, there is sure to be some level of fear deep down inside.
Fortunately, once you make a few cold calls you will begin to lighten up. Soon enough this will feel like second nature – even when you get hung up on.
Cold Calling Tips
1. Prepare a short script so you don’t get confused as the call starts. Try something like this:
Hi, my name is xxx xxxx and I am a freelance writer based in xxxxx, xx. I produce content for several businesses in your area, and wanted to see if this is something your company may need at the present time.
Easy enough, right? Once you receive a response, yes or no, you can move onto the next phase of the conversation.
2. Don’t take a hang up personally. The more cold calls you make the more times you will be hung up on. This should not stop you from continuing forward. While more calls lead to more hang-ups, it also leads to more clients.
3. Keep track of who you call and what they say. This is important for many reasons. To start, you do not want to call the same person time and time again. To go along with this, some people will want you to call them back at a certain date and/or time. It is important to be as organized as possible to ensure that you maximize your time and never miss out on an opportunity.
When you finally get enough courage to make your first cold call, follow these three tips.
