No matter their field of expertise, all freelancers dream of having a successful brand and dictating their own terms. Although you can never shake off the influence of your employers, in time you can grow big enough to afford certain sassiness, such as charging clients for meeting you face to face.
Your first instinct upon hearing this might be ‘Oh no, I would instantly scare away my employer with such a move’. However, believe it or not, this is a tactic pro freelancers constantly use.
Being Big Enough for Charging
There is a time and place for everything, so don’t even dream about asking a penny from your client when you are a small fish. But the question still remains: how do you know your status is imposing enough for pulling such a move?
We believe influence starts with having a well-established profile with lots of positive reviews and successfully completed jobs alongside several clients from known companies. In fact, if you are the one being approached by the company then it’s a clear indication of being influential enough – and asking for a small amount in exchange for sacrificing some of your time on the negotiation. However, remember that charging money is only acceptable when meeting face to face – although Skype calls and virtual meetings also count.
Additionally, it’s good to have a continuous stream of work flowing in as well; therefore, even if you get rejected for proposing a fee for meeting, you won’t lose food from the table.
The Rules of Sweetening the Deal
Assuming you meet the above mentioned criteria, the first thing to do is decide whether to ask for a traveling compensation or charge a fixed fee. If you choose the latter, be sure to set a max limit for the meeting time, which (ideally) should not be more than an hour. Especially in the event of an online meeting, during which participants may be distracted by incoming emails and other activities, it’s best to keep it short and sweet.
In case your (potential) client establishes an agenda for the meeting with topics that require additional preparatory work from your part, then this may be more of a consulting session rather than a meeting. If it requires works for which you normally charge, your client should understand that this requires additional input on your behalf. You may want to agree on charging an hourly rate for the preparatory work and the consulting session itself, or agree on a fixed rate.
We recommend offering a free 10-15 minute call. It’s beneficial for both of you: the employer has a chance to conduct a brief evaluation on your skills and personality, while you can gather further information on the job. However, don’t forget that in order to make a good impression you must appear well-prepared and collected.
Lastly, we have three more advices for you. One: accept the money before the meeting. Two: don’t charge a fee if the client is referred through a friend or a family member. And three: tell in advance that the meeting fee is part of the first contractual invoice if they choose to hire you. In fact, this little psychology trick melts the heart of even the biggest Scrooge McDucks…
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More FAQs
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