Not all revenue is equal.
Some clients pay less per hour of total work than they appear to on paper. Here is how to identify them before they consume your time.
The Real Hourly Rate
Calculate the real hourly rate for each client by dividing what they paid by all the time you spent on their work.
Not just the billable hours. All the time. The revision calls. The scope clarification emails. The admin. The invoice chasing.
For most freelancers, one or two clients are significantly less profitable than they appear in the invoice total.
The Warning Signs Before Signing
They negotiate on price before they know your scope. This suggests the budget is the primary filter, not the outcome.
They ask for significant free work during the pitch process. Spec work, lengthy discovery without a fee, detailed proposals before any commitment.
They are vague about what they want but specific about what they will not pay.
They reference cheaper alternatives frequently.
The Uncomfortable Calculation
For each of these warning signs, the probability of a difficult working relationship goes up.
A client who starts by pushing on your rate rarely stops when the project begins. The same energy goes into scope discussions, revision counts, and payment timelines.
A Better Filter
Charge enough that working with you requires a decision from the client. At very low rates, clients take on work speculatively. At rates that require commitment, clients self-select toward ones who have thought carefully about whether to proceed.
Raise Your Rates includes a framework for identifying which clients are worth keeping at a higher rate and language for the rate increase conversation. EUR 9.
Top comments (0)