How To Pitch Higher Rates As A Freelancer

The fear with raising your rates is that your clients might stop hiring you. They might not be willing to pay your higher rates. Then you’ll be out of work. 

This is a legitimate fear. If you mismanage the conversation with your current clients, it could lead to bad blood. That’s the last thing you want. But the second to last thing you want is to be stuck working on increasingly difficult projects without seeing any financial return in-kind. 

Here’s a 3-step process to help you pitch higher rates. 

1. Make sure you’re bringing real value

If you’re going to pitch higher rates, make sure you’re bringing real value to your clients. Create “wow” moments for them. Deliver a little extra beyond contract, and come through in the clutch a few times. If you’re doing this for a specific client, start thinking about a rate increase. 

Remember, you aren’t entitled to a rate increase as a freelancer just because you’ve been working with someone for a long time–there’s no loyalty to freelancers for merely showing up. The market determines your worth in real time. If it would be more expensive for your client to lose you than to pay more, you’re in a great spot to pitch a higher rate. 

2. Let them know in advance

Letting your clients know a few months in advance that you’re going to pitch them a rate increase is a respectful, strategic move. If you ask for a rate increase with no warning, your client may need to let you go because they don’t have any budget left. Then you’ll have to walk when no one involved really wants that. 

New years and work anniversaries are great times to prepare a rate increase. A few months before that date, approach your client and let them know you’ll need to increase your rate. Let them know what you plan to increase it to, when you plan to do it, and ask if they’ll be willing to do that for you. It helps to give your clients two options: either a rate increase or a deliverables decrease. If they don’t have the money to pay, maybe you can do a little less for the same rate.

3. Let them know you want to work with them

Recently, a freelance client reached out to me asking to manage production on a set for ESPN. They asked me the day before the shoot. I pitched a pretty high rate for the gig because it was the day before. But when I sent my rates, I also said, “Let me know what kind of budget you have, I’m happy to work with what you have.”

Some might call this a weak move, letting them know that I was willing to be flexible. I think it’s a strategic move if you really do want the gig. In this case, I really wanted to work with the client and I wanted to get on set with ESPN, so I let them know I could be flexible. They talked me down a little bit, and we were off to the races. I told them my high rates first just in case they had it, and also to set a precedent as to what I was worth. 

Closing

For years I struggled with believing in myself and valuing my work at a decent rate. I told myself I wanted to make more, but every time a pitch came around I sent over a really low rate because I was afraid. Here’s my strategy now: write down my rates when I’m feeling really confident. Don’t change those rates even when I’m feeling unconfident. Let the client know I’m willing to be flexible. 

Good luck out there!