It’s Time To Increase Your Freelance Writing Rates — Part 2

By Dan Smith

Last week, I started this two part series on increasing your freelance writing rates by explaining the first two steps in my three step process — reviewing your existing rates and being able to justify an increase.

Today, I’m going to explain what I do after I’ve reviewed my existing rates to confirm I actually need to increase them and feel confident that I can justify a raise with both my existing clients and potential new clients.

3. Increase your rates confidently

Although this section of the three step process is one step overall, I’ve divided it up into three sub-sections, as I consider it important to fully understand each aspect individually.

3.a. Be confident. And stubborn.

I hated raising my freelance writing rates when I first started out, as I was never confident enough to challenge anyone who said they wouldn’t pay my new rates — I wanted clients and as long as I wasn’t working for peanuts, it was better to have the clients on a lower rate than no clients at all.

Now I have a strict rule — if I increase my rates and people don’t like it, I’ll walk away, unless a) we come to an agreement that is suited to both of us (i.e., additional benefits) or b) they’re an existing client with certain circumstances (discussed in point 3.b below).

There’s no need to be angrily stubborn if someone challenges your rates, but you need to be confident enough to say to a client, either current or potential, that they’re your rates and although you’re willing to negotiate slightly dependent upon the project size / volume / benefits, your rate card is applicable as it stands.

Freelancers have a hard time when it comes to rates and it’s not just freelance writers. My Better Half is a self-employed piano teacher and the number of people she gets questioning what is often a bi-annual increase of 50p (50p!) per lesson is incredible.

We may not work in a traditional 9 to 5 job that sees us pick up a pay cheque at the end of the month, but that doesn’t mean we don’t need to make a living.

3.b. Speak to your existing clients

I always speak to my existing clients first when raising my rates, as although it is unlikely to happen, there is always the chance that a client could look on my website, see my updated rate card and act on that information, whether that’s panicking that they can’t afford to pay me or they start looking for a new writer immediately.

Also, while I said above that it is worthwhile being stubborn, I just want to reiterate the fact that you should never approach clients forcefully or angrily — I always do so in the politest way possible, maybe even in a voice that is more formal than I’d normally speak to them in.

I usually approach the topic by e-mail first and simply follow the process that I’ve discussed so far — explain that my rates have remained the same for x amount of months, that the work I’ve carried out to date for the client has seen x, x and x improve and I’m therefore looking to increase my freelance writing rates across the board.

And one of the most important pieces of information I’ve ever taken in as a freelance writer is that you shouldn’t always expect your existing clients to roll over and say they’ll pay your new rates.

The reason behind this is you may have been working with a client since you first started writing several years ago and they’ve remained on your initial rate of, for instance, $15 per 400 word blog post.

As you’ve now realised you want to start charging $30 per 400 word blog post, while this figure might be acceptable to new clients, your existing client has been paying $15 for several years and jumping to $30 is a 100% increase.

It’s here where you need to use your own understanding of the client, as although you need to increase your rates, you need to determine whether a 100% increase is manageable — and justifiable in the client’s eyes — or whether you should approach them with a slightly lower figure, explaining it’s a reduced rate because of their loyalty.

In all honesty, I’ve done both and by working closely with my clients, I’ve managed to negotiate a rate that has been suited to both parties.

3.c. Update your new client rate card

Whether you display your rate card on your website / blog / portfolio or not, it’s imperative that you start using your new rate card from the moment you increase your rates.

If you attempt a phased approach, you’ll find that you continue to look for projects that fall within your old rate card range, as you know that market and feel comfortable within it.

However, although that’s the easy option, you’ll see much more financial benefit if you aim to move markets slightly, pitching for projects and providing quotes for clients that you haven’t spoken to previously, but who you believe will feel comfortable with your new rate card.

Confidence is key here, as increasing your freelance writing rates can be much more of a troublesome time than most first believe. I’m not saying that you should never work for less than what you state on your rate card or that you should turn your nose up at every customer who asks if you can write a piece for lower than what you normally charge — you just need to be willing to say no on occasion, something that I know all to well how difficult it can be.

Increasing your freelance writing rates should never be something you do on a whim and I hope that the information I’ve provided in this short series helps you to increase your freelance writing rates successfully.

Image: Ian Paterson (Geograph)