Base a Quote on your Rate, Project Details
When giving a quote for a freelance writing project you should consider two things: your rate and the details of the job. With these two details in mind you will be able to offer a fair quote that should suit both you and the buyer. If it doesn’t, you need to decide whether or not to renegotiate. Some freelance writers will drop their price a bit to land a gig, but others stick to their guns no matter what. Which group do you belong to?
Obviously, your freelance writing rates are the most important detail when giving a quote. No matter the client or the project, if you follow your rates it should not take you long to give a quote. For instance, if you have a set rate of $500 for a 500 word sales letter you can pretty much tell the buyer right away what you charge.
I don’t want you to think that the project details aren’t important, though. Sometimes the details of a given project may change your rate. As I have said many times before, one keyword article, for example, is not the same as the next. Just because you have a base rate does not mean that you will use it for every quote. The difference from one keyword article to the next can be huge. Length, subject matter, and research time should all be considered. For me, a 500 word article on the game of basketball would come much easier than one on landscaping tips. For this reason my quote would be different for each article.
When giving a quote consider your rate first. From there, let the project details guide you when customizing the quote. You may be able to offer a slightly lower price if the topic is right. But on the other hand, you may want to charge a bit more if you know you will be spending extra time on the project. Remember, you don’t have to rush to give a quote. You can take your time to ensure that you quote the right price.
November 14th, 2008 at 12:10 pm
I just started freelancing, and setting my rate has been the most frustrating experience. I always seem to be either too high or too low. Too high and they don’t want to hire you . . . and too low and they suspect you aren’t a quality provider.
How do you know where to start?
November 14th, 2008 at 12:35 pm
Deborah - Thanks for the comment. This is often times a trial and error process. To get started search the web to see what other writers are charging. You may make mistakes early on, but over time you will become more comfortable with setting your rates, etc. If you have any other questions feel free to leave a comment or email me direct.
November 14th, 2008 at 5:49 pm
Setting the rate was difficult for me as well. I did, as I am a large nerd with a tingly feeling inside for anything resembling practicality, find a mathematical way to set my freelance writing rates and promptly wrote an eHow about it. (http://www.ehow.com/how_4541985_hourly-rates-freelance-writing-business.html) It isn’t foolproof but it works to give you an estimate of what you should be charging to get where you want to be. Thanks for more quality content, Chris. I named you the “I-Believe-All-This-Content Blog” in my “Blogs I Read” list on mine…never once have I said, after reading any part of your blog, “Wow, that was useless.” You always provide quality content.