Advice on how to price myself as a freelancer?

I respectfully disagree. Charging by the hour is the only way I can protect myself from a client who asks for endless iterations. I used to charge a flat rate on a per-project basis, but no more. My time is very important to me.

I agree based on my offline business (contractor services) for nearly 20 years.

Always command your price, and avoid people seeking to 'beat you down' or profess if you start low, you can charge more later.

That might work in theory, but im my experience, the people whom I did lower my pricing for generally 'expected' the same discounted price from there after.

The problem with thinking start low, charge more later... can be grossly examined under the US's current job market.

When any market becomes threatened, as were many industries (housing & construction being only one example) in the US over the past decade, we see a significant increase in costs, but a decrease in the wages paid to the 'workers'.

In short, as an independent sub-contractor, I have directly experienced companies who 'expect' my services & prices to be cheaper as a result of rising operating costs (i.e. fuel, building materials, tools, supplies, ins's, etc...) - but in reality, those same inflated costs cause a loss for subs like me.

To put an even lower price upon my services damages not only my own survival, and my businesses integrity... it hurts the whole of the competitor, and eventually the quality being provided.

I believe; this works on the same principles as selling any service... Writing or edgewise.

Lastly, concerning my dislike for the hourly option. People in my trade who worked by the hour (swimming pool construction) were lucky to earn $12 - $15 per hour. My average time to completion, based on a per job basis, was $75 - $100 per hour!

Also, companies did not have to pay 'lazy workers' to milk jobs, or pay all the other expenses of an employee (i.e. workmans comp, uniforms, vehicle costs & ins, or tool replacement and repair.)

Unfortunately, due to the overtones of 'FEAR' people took jobs for less pay...Oh, it'll get better..." right?

WRONG!

Desperation (the lie of wise) business owners convinced the 'work force' to inherit fear, a fear of losing more by not working, than that of working for less!

My industry now pays 1/2 of what it did 20 years ago, yet costs and inflation is now 3X higher! - and companies complain they can't find good help... No wonder why, duh!

Do not accept less than what your time is worth, command higher prices, and do not support the 'rouse' of desperation, it's a lie!

If you are good at what you do, and as Niche Man states; know your client is making money... Sell your service as a compliment to their continued success, as opposed to destroying both yoursel, and eventually an entire market/industry as I have witnessed offline!

I have the same desire to write, and make money writing, I personally write for my future audience, for lack of experience, and low paying gigs will not help my desired reputation, no matter "How bad I need money!"

Best of Luck!

I totally agree. You must position yourself as expert in writing in a particular industry to fully maximize your expertise and be able to set a decent asking price for your service.

I will admit Carlos here has got something figured out I don't...

...I did some work on freelance sites over the years, and was able to charge premium rates most of the time, but at the end it became a boring slog of applying for projects that were never awarded.

Again, Carlos seems to have figured out something I haven't, and it works for him.

"$3 an hour"?? You're kidding right?

Dee

no one asking that bro. Maybe we should based our response to his problem

Agreed. Start at a level closer to where you want to end up.

The problem with starting low is you get branded by it. Buyers who have been following you see the leap: "Well he started that low; why is he suddenly pricing his services so high? After all, I know they sold for just $X a few months ago..." And you created that problem yourself!

Customers do exist right now who will pay the higher rates. And by pricing yourself low, you're actually screening yourself off their list because they believe low prices mean low quality.

And I saw someone earlier say you have to provide samples. No, you don't. The quality of the questions you ask will demonstrate your knowledge and ability to solve the prospect's problem. And you can do this with your copy.

There are other ways to sell than the ONE way the majority uses (because they don't know any better.) Take job hunting. You use a resume and cover letter, horribly outdated job hunting technology, because you don't know any better--and where does that get you? Throwing a blizzard of paper into an uncaring universe, exhausted from the effort, and competing with thousands of other candidates for the same few jobs. Meanwhile, I get on the radar of a few targeted employers--who I don't care whether they have a current opening or not--and get a custom-made role without any competition.

Start thinking about how you can do the same thing with your freelancer profile. Add to that how can you arrive like no one else the way Carlos (focusedlife) talks about. Then you'll begin truly standing out. And standing out is the first step in getting hired--in any profession or marketplace.

Love how COMPLETELY contradictory advice follows from one post to another here.

Scaredy-cat pricing is the hallmark of someone who DOESN'T believe in themselves!

Why should quality clients value you, which you say is most important, if you don't value yourself?

Here is the flaw in everybody's thinking who believes you have to charge low to get clients:

You have a scarcity mindset.

You think there is only so much work out there, and you have to struggle to get it.

That's because you don't know how to position yourself.

There are whole other layers, like an onion, of buyers and marketplaces out there you can't see right now because you have no idea they exist!

Play in the little leagues and you'll stay there...the big leaguers won't let you near their stuff.

Start out at the level you feel you deserve. Immediately. Position yourself to be the obvious choice. The right level of buyer will see you.

Right. Then you should have two takeaways from your research:

1. People don't know much about pricing

and

2. There's a range because there are customers at every level.

Which level would you rather be working at?

The answer is entirely about your comfort zone--not the market, not the buyers. They already have a comfort zone. The question is: Where will you fit yourself in? They are not doing it to you. You're doing it to yourself.

If you really want to understand Price, start here.