Step 8: Negotiate
No business owner is immune to negotiations. That is the name of the game, and as a freelancer, you must come to expect it.
Here are some potential scenarios and how you can choose to react:
• If the client wants to negotiate about prices: Except for special cases, I strongly believe that you NEVER negotiate about prices, only on SCOPE. That means if your fee for a 5-page website is $ 3,000, but the client insists they can only afford to pay $ 2K, then maybe you cut it to a 3-page site.
• If the client wants to negotiate about scope: Open to this; It is okay! Remember to adjust your costs.
• If the client wants to negotiate on the timeline: You have the right to charge a rushed fee if the client wants something done quickly.
If clients are not sure they want to work with you: Site carefully. Uncertainty can sometimes be a sign of danger for troubled clients – people who constantly change your scope and make you revise and revise because they are not even sure what they want. However, sometimes, they are very good clients – they just need to be more confident that YOU are the right freelancer for them.
In that case, I offer a short-term paid trial period. Stop it from the park during the paid trial, and they will be excited to continue working with you. You can also offer a free trial or money back guarantee.
• If the client wants to take advantage of additional services beyond what you usually offer: Site carefully. If the additional service is something you really want to offer, I say just do it, but make sure to charge extra for it! If additional services are something you do NOT want to offer, then do it.
• Overall, open to negotiations. It’s natural; that is expected. Nothing is rigidly regulated, so have fun with it!
Step 9: Send your contract
• Even though you certainly don’t have to, I strongly recommend that you always work with a contract. I prefer to call it an “agreement letter” and make it short and sweet. My goal with a contract is not to sue my client if a problem arises, but only to have something in writing that I can show in case of a misunderstanding.
• No, you don’t need to hire an expensive lawyer to get a freelancer contract or an independent contractor agreement. In fact, you can get it for free from AND CO.
• If you want to invest in a contract template reviewed by a lawyer, try this one. • Step 10: Tie your new client!
• Onboarding is what happens after your client signs on a dashed line. This is what you do to put it in your system and make sure the job runs smoothly.
• For example, if you have been recruited to become their social media manager, you must manage clients on your social media management platform, such as Buffer or Hootsuite.
You also need to get access to passwords and their brand style guidelines. All of this is part of the orientation process A tool that you can use to facilitate orientation
• Trello
• Google Docs
• Dubsado
• Honey book
• Sharpness
