Too often freelancers take on the perceived burden of their prospective clients’ financial situation and they don’t need to.
It sounds like this…’I charge $1000 per track but let me know if that doesn’t work for you and I’ll drop the price’
You’re already assuming your client can’t afford you. You’re taking on the burden of their financial situation (assuming they don’t have enough money) before you even know their financial situation.
It’s disrespectful to make that assumption and you don’t need to do that to yourself.
Their financial situation is theirs. Your price is yours. If they bring the truth of their financial situation to you, have that conversation and adjust. But if not, give them the respect and dignity of simply quoting your price.
***I know. It scary for you. Because maybe they had $995 (so close!) and because you didn’t present any wiggle room in your pricing they walked away. You missed the sale because you were charging five bucks too much. And maybe it’s a tight month and you would have taken what they had.
So you add the ‘I’ll drop the price’ language back into your pitch next time.
But the next client passes on you because they came in wanting to spend $1000 per track and got weirded out when you were so quick to drop the price if needed. It cheapened their perceived value of you. They thought you were the thousand dollar guy and it turns out you’re the pay-what-you-want guy.
(And then there’s the client who doesn’t even want to talk to someone who only charges a thousand dollars per track.)
Decide what you’re going to charge and stand behind it. If someone asks you to wiggle, you can make that decision then.
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Drop me an email: gabe@gabethebassplayer.com