I never realized how important negotiation skills were when I started my business last year. Being able to determine the value you bring a client and then working with them to finalize a working contract takes skill, instinct and experience.
The first lesson I’ve learned is that no one has your interest in mind. Since my initial work was with Christian people I believed that they would easy to work with and that we would be able to easily find terms for agreement and to get the work started. This isn’t a slight on Christians, just a human observation that no one wants to pay what something is worth – and all of us will take a deal if we can work it out.
Whenever you have something to “sell” whether it is ice cream, cars or yourself you are going to have to learn the art of negotiation. I don’t have any great resources yet but I did come across this article today and thought that these questions would have seriously have helped me out in the beginning. I am also listening through “The Art of War” (Sun Tzu) which is really incredible.
In doing so, ask questions like:
1. How much time (if any) will this client be expecting in terms of meetings and/or phone calls?
2. Does this client seem needy?
3. How much (if any) travel will I have to do?
4. How reasonable are the deadlines and time commitments?
5. What kind of client is this in terms of size, philosophy, prestige, industry, influence, etc?
6. What kind of relationship do I have with this client so far, and what kind of relationship seems to be developing? What kind would I like?
7. Is this an ongoing thing or a one-off?
8. How do I feel about this client? Is this “just business” or do I have a more personal stake?[From How to Price Freelance Writing: It’s All About Value | Copyblogger]
