Any time the question of freelance writer rates comes up, a heated discussion rapidly ensues. No doubt there are many different opinions about whether it is appropriate to post rates on your website for potential clients (and your competition) to see, or if you are better off inviting your clients to contact you for a quote instead. We’re going to examine different options so that you can decide which will work best for your business.
What Type of Freelance Writing Business are you Running?
Before you can make a decision about whether you should post your rates on your website, you need to think about who your clients are and the type of services you provide.
- Are you providing something that can be packaged and priced at a flat rate?
- Do you work on the types of projects where you need to consult with the client and there is a lot of back and forth communication?
- Are your clients small business owners and entrepreneurs?
- Do you work with large corporations or government agencies?
Option 1: Post Freelance Writer Rates on Your Website
There are a couple of arguments among freelancers for why it is a good idea to post rates on your website.
It helps to qualify potential clients before they contact you.
If your rates are clearly indicated, a client knows how much you charge before they call or e-mail looking for a quote. There is no need to have a conversation about a project only to have the discussion stop once you get to the money part. If you are working for small business owners and entrepreneurs, they may appreciate knowing up front how much you charge.
In a situation where you have decided that will only work on projects at a certain level, this can be a good move.
2. For freelance writers who are able to offer packages that can be ordered at a flat rate, this can be an ideal way to price their services. You may want to offer a single batch of articles or blog posts on a single topic at a certain rate to your clients. Some freelancers have writing a press release and post them on their website. They know how long this type of project will take and are prepared to offer a flat rate to their clients.
Option 2: Do Not Post Freelance Rates on Your Website
You can also choose not to post any rates on your website and invite potential clients to contact you for a quote on their project.
1. Large companies are looking for expertise, and you don’t want to appear cheap.
If you are looking to attract large corporations or government agencies, you will probably not want to post your rates on your website. Lawyers and other professions don’t post their rates online; they attract clients by gaining their confidence. You should be doing the same instead of pushing low prices.
2. If you post your rates on your website, you have less flexibility to work up a custom package for a client.
By keeping rates off your website, you can quote each one fairly but make sure that you include extra time for research, if necessary, and uploading blog posts to a client’s website, and other items that may be overlooked if you are simply going by a standard “menu” listed on your website. You also give yourself the option of giving a client a discount for long-term or bulk or orders if you want to; after all, it’s your business.
Option 3: Post General Pricing Information on Your Website
In case you aren’t comfortable with either of the first two options listed here, there is a third, middle-of-the road option to consider: you can post some general pricing information on your website and still invite potential clients to contact you for a custom quote. This way, you aren’t stuck having to choose between posting no rates at all and providing a full menu of services that you will have to update every time you decide to increase your rates.
Unless you are working exclusively with large corporations and government clients and you want to maintain an air of professionally that goes with that market, this approach can work very well. On your pricing page, you would list the writing services that you provide and how you charge for them (by the page, hour, etc.) and the rate. Let clients know that your prices “start at” this figure and that you will provide a detailed quote that the client will need to agree to before any work begins.
The decision about whether to post rates on your freelance writer website is a personal one. You’ll have to think about your clients and what is right for your business.
Image Credit: FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Image Credit: FreeDigitalPhotos.net
0
65k
6k
Leave a Reply