What To Do if a Client Says Your Rates Are Too High

Sharing your rates with a prospective client can be a bit anxiety-inducing, especially if you’re just getting started as a freelancer. What if they say your price is too high? Here are three things to do if that happens to you. (Spoiler alert: I’m not going to tell you to lower your rates!)

What To Do if a Client Says Your Rates Are Too High

Pause & Reframe

First, take a breath. If you’re talking to the client live, get clear on their budget and let them know you’ll look at options and circle back. Before you make any decisions, do a quick mental reframe - this is about their budget, not your rates. This is also a good time to take a step back and consider whether the client and work are truly a fit for your business. If they are…

Focus on Value

Show the value your work will bring to their business. Share relevant case studies or examples from your portfolio that show how you’ve delivered results on similar projects in the past. If you have metrics to share, even better. Can you design a landing page that increases conversion rate or average order value? Or maybe you’ve written ad copy that’s sent click-through rate through the roof. Or you know how to manage marketing channels to drive down customer acquisition costs. These are all great ways of showing prospective clients the return on investment they’ll get from working with you.

Present an Alternate Option

Finally, consider presenting an alternate option, whether that’s a reduced scope that fits within your prospective client’s budget or a fee structure they’re more comfortable with. For example, maybe they’re more comfortable with the predictability of a flat monthly fee rather than the flexibility you could offer with an hourly rate - or vice versa.

What if your rates are still a sticking point after all that? If you feel strongly that the client is a fit and the work would help you move in a direction you’re excited about (say, give you experience with a different type of work or in a different industry), you could consider negotiating - but make sure that doing so won’t leave you feeling under-valued. Otherwise, feel confident in walking away from the opportunity and know that by doing so, you are conserving your time and energy for clients whose budget aligns with your rates.