by: Jenna Glatzer
Those who are new to freelancing are often too afraid to ask for more than a client offers. Thrilled to be making any money at all, new freelancers typically agree to whatever figure is proposed. I was no exception to this rule, but once I’d built up my credits, I realized clients weren’t about to offer me a raise if I continued to play the role of doormat.
Once a freelancer has some experience, the bottom line becomes more important. “Trivial issues” like prompt and appropriate payment start to matter when you depend on your home-business income to pay the bills.
Until you’ve tried negotiating, you may not realize how much you’ve been undercut. A client’s first offer is rarely the maximum amount he or she can actually afford to pay you