Freelance writers: should rates be transparent?
When you shop for a book, an article of clothing, or a car, you know exactly what you’ll pay before you order the product. The retailer displays the price clearly on the website or on the store shelf so you can evaluate both quality and price before you buy. With freelance writers, however, it’s not always a given that prices are stated up front. There are reasons both for and against publishing your rates in advance. What do you need to consider to make this decision?
Setting Your Freelance Writing Rates
Before you can decide whether to make your rates public, you’ll need to determine how you’ll structure your pricing. Copywriter Brian Scott outlines two separate ways to establish your freelance writing rates: by the project or by the word. You can also charge by the hour, though that pricing structure is less common among writers.
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Deciding on your freelance writing rates might help you address the issue of transparency. If you issue per-word rates, you can publish a strict pricing schedule. Charging by the project, however, might involve more complex variables.
The Case for Publishing Your Rates
Scott recommends letting potential customers know what you charge right off the bat. He suggests creating a page on your website where you list your per-word or per-project rates for different types of jobs. For instance, you might have a different rate when you write press releases than when you write product descriptions.
When you publish your rates publicly, your potential clients know exactly what to expect when they call or email to initiate a project. You don’t have to waste time issuing a custom quote because you’ve made your expectations clear.
Not only does this allow you to qualify your leads in advance — if customers know they can’t pay your rates, they won’t bother to get in touch — but it also eliminates the need to discuss pricing in person or over the phone. You can jump right to work with everyone on the same page.
The Case for Keeping Your Rates Concealed
There’s another side of this coin, however, that might make you decide to keep your rates concealed until a potential customer contacts you for a custom quote. If you don’t publish your rates, you can issue estimates based on the customer’s specific needs.
For instance, you might charge less for a blog post that requires minimal research and time investment, but increase your rates for in-depth research or stringent requirements. It can be difficult to quantify these qualities in a strict pricing schedule, so offering custom quotes allows you to command the rates you need based on your time and energy investment.
Additionally, Jodee Redmond of Freelance Writing Gigs asserts that keeping your prices off your website will allow you to attract business by your personality, expertise, writing samples, and other qualities rather than just your price. Redmond opines that this strategy is ideal for freelance writers who want to work for major corporations.
And if you’re just starting out and building your portfolio, you may want to price your work so that you can attract specific projects that will solidify your standing in the marketplace.
There is no right or wrong answer to the issue of transparency in freelance writer rates. Choose the solution that fits your business model and personal preferences.
