I saw a question a few days ago from a freelancer who NEEDS some money coming in.
Trouble is, she’s thinking of applying for a job, but the client’s budget for this job is less than the freelancer’s normal hourly rate.
(This whole story is happening on Upwork, but I think it applies just as well even if you’re dealing with clients in any other situation.)
And so the freelancer is wondering whether she should apply for the job at her preferred rate…
Or whether she should drop her rate and apply so she’s within the client’s budget.
In the first case, she might not be considered for the job.
In the second case, she might be selling herself short.
So what to do?
Personally, I would take the great white shark approach.
I read somewhere that most shark bites come down to curiosity.
Sharks don’t have hands or any other good way of interacting with random objects they come across in the sea.
Their only real way to figure out what that floating thing is, is to take a bite.
If it’s not according to the shark’s taste, the shark will simply spit it out and move on.
But if it fits the shark’s current appetite, the shark will go to town.
And so with lowering your freelance rates.
My advice is to stick your rates, even when applying for a job that clearly has a lower budget.
Depending on the client, you might get the job, even at your higher asking price.
Or maybe you won’t. Maybe the client will say, “Boy you’re great! And we would love to hire you, but you’re just out of our budget.”
At that point, you can decide, based on your own principles, whether this makes sense for you or not.
Do you want to spit this client out?
Or does it make sense to bite into this job — because you really need the money, or you want the experience, or you want that client relationship?
If you do, then, then go to town, just like a great white shark that’s found a tasty seal.
But don’t just jump in and start making compromises right up front because a client put an arbitrary number as their preferred budget.
That’s my public service announcement for freelance copywriters for the day. In case you have more questions about the business of copy, you might be able to find some answers here: