How do you ask freelance clients for more money – or a higher rate/pay – without pressing the wrong button? The best freelancers do not remain at the same wage level for eons. With time, they improve their services, products, skills, and prices too.
The work quote template offers a strategic avenue for asking that without losing face or annoying your clients. However, you have to know how to use the template to your advantage. With a bit of subtlety, clients can assent to your request for better rates.
Remember this, though; nobody is born knowing how to approach such a delicate matter. It takes making repeated requests and mistakes to get it right. The following tips should set you on your way to doing just that.
1. Proving your worth
If you forget everything else, then you must remember this – you must prove your worth! To do this, you have to demonstrate that you understand what clients want you to do. Go through the information they provide.
Internalize everything and repeat it to yourself before proceeding to fill the work quote template. On top of that, deliver more than what you promised. Give clients the kind of results they were expecting, and more!
Eventually, you would encounter clients who not only pay you what you asked or charged but also add a tip on top! As you make this a habit, you would not have a difficult time trying to convince clients to pay you more.
Let all your freelance clients know that you are different from the run-of-the-mill freelancers by going the extra mile! Do this by delivering exceptional work that would leave them drooling over you. Other ways of going the extra mile include:
- Helping clients attain their goals
- Guiding clients to reach their milestones
- Doing whatever it takes to see your clients successful
- Apply the best SEO techniques if you are a freelance writer or web designer
Do not forget that successful clients have more money to pay you what you are worth!
2. Stat your reasons for the increase
More importantly, develop a habit of stating your reasons for asking for the increase. Failure to do this could force clients to think that you are trying to take advantage of them. Stating your reasons is an excellent way of justifying the rates!
Mostly, you should study the instructions and the project closely before you rush to fill the work quote template. That way, you would not under-quote before understanding the amount of work you have to put in first.
Alternatively, you could start the work with the rate that you already agreed with the client. However, when sending the invoice, remember to inform the client that you would be raising the rates for similar projects in future.
Do not just leave things there. Instead, provide clients with a breakdown of the whole process – including how you arrived at the new figure. The point is to do everything in your ability to provide clients with as much information as they need to either agree or disagree with you.
Additionally, do not forget to mention all the extra work you did on the work quote template. You stand a better chance of convincing clients to agree to your demand for higher pay by delivering topnotch work. Make their life easy, and they will reciprocate!
3. Learn to tell about rather than ask for increased rates
In today’s business world, boldness occupies a central place. Boldness takes freelancers a long way! For example, you do not have to keep asking for permission to raise your rates. You could just as easily tell clients that you would be raising your rates.
Clients with whom you have worked a long time could be a bit hesitant to agree to the rates, especially if you have not delivered the much-hyped value for money! Therefore, in your work quote template, promise them results, and strive to deliver just that!
Boldness in freelancing is an important ingredient for achieving the success you crave. Do not forget that you are your own boss. Consequently, nobody will make the kind of moves your freelancing career needs to take off and be truly rewarding.
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