Note from Jennifer: One of the best things about my blog is that I can help writers celebrate their successes—which in turn helps others learn how to go after their own success stories. In the spirit of “Ask for It August,” my month-long challenge to ask clients for more work, more money, and better terms, Lisa Beach shares an inspiring success story today about doubling her rate on a content marketing assignment. This story shows how important it is to advocate for yourself and for your business, if you want to increase your income. Be sure to check out Lisa’s website after you read about her big win!

By Lisa Beach

Asking for what you want takes confidence, something I didn’t always have as a writer. But I learned to believe in myself, value what I bring to the table, and ask—for more money, a byline, reprint rights, a longer deadline, whatever I needed. Why? Because I’m worth it.

The quick backstory

I’ve been a freelance writer for 30 years, but I took time off (10 years!) to raise and homeschool my two boys. When I jumped back into freelance writing, it felt like I had awoken from a Rip Van Winkle-like sleep. So much had changed since my last byline, especially on the technology front. (In fact, if you want a chuckle, check out the blog post I wrote about it titled “11 Soul-Sucking Truths of Rebooting a Midlife Writing Career.”) But honestly, my shaky career re-entry made my knees buckle a little, which is when the self-doubt crept in.

Like the Little Engine That Could, I persevered. In just two years, I went from “experienced newbie” writing for pennies to “seasoned veteran” commanding $1-$2/word assignments, snagging bylines in national publications, and rebuilding my client roster. And that’s when the self-confidence kicked in.

This backstory lays the groundwork for how I doubled my fee with my first branded content assignment. My confidence played a key role. Now that I had landed solid bylines and a full roster of client work, I knew I had the pro writing chops all along. And that made all the difference in my attitude.

How I doubled my fee

When I saw a call for an Orlando freelance food writer in one of my writer’s groups, I took notice. I had crafted plenty of food-related copywriting and content marketing pieces for a previous client years ago. And I’ve lived in Central Florida for the last 20 years, with my finger on the pulse of O-town’s restaurant scene. The job sounded like a perfect fit.

Here’s how it all unfolded.

The editor posted this job in May, when I had space in my project calendar. I emailed her immediately, sending all the information she requested. I didn’t hear back from her after a week, so I followed up in early June. Again, crickets. I assumed she’d found her writer by then, so I simply moved on. (This is one of my key “career reboot” lessons learned. Don’t waste time pining for clients or jobs. Give it your all, follow up if it looks promising, nurture as needed, but be willing to let it go if a prospect/job looks like a dead-end.)

However, the editor finally did respond in late June—more than a month after her initial job posting. She offered me $1,000 for 1000 words to write a lifestyle article on 10 must-visit Orlando restaurants and incorporate one or two of the client’s accounts in the list. She wanted the copy turned around in one week, plus my availability over the next week for edits.

I was thrilled with the $1/word assignment! However, I was less thrilled with her deadline. While it wasn’t quite the typical rush job with a one- or two-day turnaround, it was sandwiched into the Fourth of July holiday week just days away. When I initially responded to the job, I had more free time. Now? Not so much.

I replied, “Can you bump up the fee for this piece since it’s a bit of a rush job right around the Fourth of July? I responded back in May, when I had more space on my project calendar. Now I’ve got a project deadline every day this week. While I’ll be able to complete this assignment for you, I’ll have to work over the weekend to get it done. I usually charge clients a rush-fee for last-minute assignments.”

She replied, “Happy to bump up the rate — what works best for you?”

Hmm, what works best? Well, one million dollars works best. (Cue the pinky-to-mouth Austin Powers image.)

In reality, I replied, “I always charge 50% more than my regular project fee for rush jobs, so I was thinking $1,500 total. Does this work for you?”

She didn’t even blink, replying, “No problem.”

I worked hard (over the weekend) and submitted a solid first draft.

I received an email a few days later. While the editor loved my work, the client had changed directions and needed a rewrite on about half the copy. (The client now wanted to include more of its accounts into the piece.)

Ugh. Scope creep. I was already renegotiating the fee in my head when I joyfully read her next sentence: “Since this is a new direction and more work, I can pay an extra $500 to receive the new write ups in one week.” Yes, please.

If the editor hadn’t offered more money, I would have asked. But I think because I set the stage early in our communication about the project, she respected and valued me, and thus initiated the extra compensation. (Side note: I negotiated the rights to own the scrapped copy I wrote so I can incorporate it into a different article to pitch elsewhere. Double win!)

And that’s how I turned my $1,000 assignment into a $2,000 assignment.

This I-know-my-value attitude now comes with me in every negotiation. And most importantly, I’ve got the confidence to walk away if the project/client/fee doesn’t mesh with what I’m looking for.

 

Do you have any tips to add for gaining the confidence to ask for what you’re worth?