It might seem obvious that when your client says “pay is negotiable” it means that they have a range in mind that they are going to pay for a certain job. The trick is, how do you as the freelancer get paid the most that you can?

Ask Questions to Get an Idea of the Scope of the Job

Recently I talked about questions you can ask to find out what the scope of the job will be, and these are the same questions you’ll want to ask in order to deal with a “pay is negotiable” situation. Find out what the job entails, so you can give an accurate pay range.

Ask Them for a Range

It’s never a good sign if a client has no idea what they are going to pay. When “pay is negotiable” it should mean that they have a range in mind, and they are waiting to see what the writer can bring to the table. Some writers have more experience, a stronger voice, a better network… and these traits would likely push the pay upward.

A good way to negotiate for pay is to ask what the client’s range is. If they can’t give you any number, that’s an issue because they have no idea what the job is worth.

Sometimes a client refuses to give you a range at all. This either means they have something in mind and are afraid it’s low, or they subscribe to the old adage that “whoever quotes a figure first loses.” I can understand why they do this. Once I asked for a range for a marketing job (years ago, in my previous life) and their range was $20-$29 per hour. When they asked what I thought I should be paid, naturally I said I’d take the $29 per hour! (Why ask for the lower range?)

If they refuse to give you a range, you can give a range yourself. When you do, make sure you have an idea of the full scope of the job and what you think is a fair price for this. Then, give them a range for the least amount you’d work for at the low end and your ideal number at the high end.

Can You Change What You Quoted?

It’s normally bad form to change the amount you quoted unless you find that the scope of the job is different. Then you can say, “I gave you my previous quote when I believed the job entailed X, but now that I see it will also require X, my quote would be X.”

Negotiating Isn’t a Bad Thing

In many cases, negotiating your pay rate doesn’t have to be painful. Sometimes clients are new to hiring freelancers and by negotiating you help them figure out what the position should be paid. Negotiating should give the freelancer and the client the number they are looking for. It might take you a couple times going back and forth before you come to an agreement.

More on freelancing:

• Get a Freelance Life: mediabistro.com’s Insider Guide to Freelance Writing
• The Freelance Success Book: Insider Secrets for Selling Every Word You Write (Write It, Sell It)
• How to Make Money on Elance – 7 Elance Bidding Strategies that Work!

 

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