{"id":326,"date":"2021-04-11T14:30:31","date_gmt":"2021-04-11T14:30:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.radialhub.com\/blog\/?p=326"},"modified":"2024-02-12T05:14:57","modified_gmt":"2024-02-12T13:14:57","slug":"five-tips-to-help-you-defend-an-estimate-for-a-freelancing-job","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.radialhub.com\/blog\/five-tips-to-help-you-defend-an-estimate-for-a-freelancing-job\/","title":{"rendered":"Five Tips to Help You Defend an Estimate for a Freelancing Job"},"content":{"rendered":"

As a freelancer, estimating for a job while freelancing is a big part of your work, and it\u2019s important to get it right. If you quote an inaccurate price, you will end up working long hours for little money. When you prepare an estimate for a client, you need to be prepared for the fact that they may well challenge it and ask you to reduce your price. While negotiating is normal and is to be expected as a freelancer<\/a>, you also need to stand your ground and defend your pricing structure, as you don\u2019t want to take on work that isn\u2019t worth your while.<\/p>\n

We appreciate that estimating for jobs isn\u2019t the easiest thing in the world, and it will take you time and experience to get to know<\/a> what is fair and appropriate. As such, we want to share five useful tips that will boost your confidence and will help you defend your estimates for freelancing<\/a> jobs that you\u2019re hoping to take on. These tips will give you the confidence to stick to your guns and charge a price that is fair for your services. Let\u2019s dive in and take a look at how to defend your estimates as a freelancer<\/a>.<\/p>\n

1. Undertake some market research.\u00a0<\/strong><\/h5>\n

Before estimating for a freelancing<\/a> job, it\u2019s vital that you undertake some market research. You can\u2019t simply pluck a figure from the air and expect it to be accurate. While we all might like to earn $100 per hour for our work, it\u2019s not necessarily possible! You need to spend some time researching what other freelancers<\/a> charge for similar services to give you a clear idea of what your pricing structure should be. The trick here is not to be the cheapest or the most expensive. Compare as many freelancer<\/a> profiles as possible within your niche and position yourself somewhere in the middle to begin with.<\/p>\n

This is really important, as it gives you a starting point as an estimate. If you know what other freelancers<\/a> charge for similar services, you can easily justify your price to your potential clients and explain to them that your rate is fairly representative of the market value. Don\u2019t be tempted to undersell yourself just to get work, as this isn\u2019t sustainable in the long term.<\/p>\n

2. Know what your minimum price is for freelancing.\u00a0<\/strong><\/h5>\n

As a freelancer<\/a>, your hourly rate is likely to be negotiable. There will be some clients that pay more for your services, and some regular clients that you might offer a discount to as a thank you for their repeat custom<\/a>. Because your price will fluctuate slightly from client to client, it\u2019s important that you work out what your minimum price is to ensure you don\u2019t go below it when negotiating.<\/p>\n

For instance, you might need to make a minimum of $20 per hour for the work to be viable. If this is the case, you need to factor this into your estimate. If you justify this cost to your clients, they\u2019re likely to be understanding, as they will appreciate that everyone has a minimum price. It\u2019s not fair to expect you to work<\/a> for $5 per hour, even if they\u2019re on a limited budget. Knowing your minimum price<\/a> and sticking to it is a vital part of working out your estimates as a freelancer.\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

3. Articulate your worth.\u00a0<\/strong><\/h5>\n

Even though you might know that you\u2019re offering value for money to your clients, they don\u2019t necessarily see it that way. As such, when preparing an estimate, you need to articulate your worth to your client<\/a>. How do you do that? Well, you need to explain to them clearly why they should employ you and why your services are worth what you\u2019re quoting. The best way to do this is to be confident in your ability and be prepared to justify your pricing.<\/p>\n

Breaking your estimate down into clearly defined sections and milestones and explaining the specific costs associated with each will go a long way to convincing your client<\/a> that your service is worthwhile and appropriately quoted. Remember, you\u2019re responsible for winning your own business! As a freelancer<\/a>, you need to be a good salesperson, so practice working on your pitch and be prepared to articulate your worth to your clients when looking for new work opportunities.<\/p>\n

4. Explain the associated costs and clearly state any gig extras.<\/strong><\/h5>\n

Again, even though you might understand why certain things cost a specific amount of money, your clients might not know the intricacies of the market. As such, you need to be prepared to explain all of the associated costs you have included in your estimate. For instance, if you\u2019re building a website, you could break down the costs in the following way:<\/p>\n