Writer needs help make word email message to man who pay money

April 9, 2021 10:32 AM

For a few months now, I've had a gig doing freelance writing for a music PR firm at $30/ hr (every assignment comes out to be $45 for an interview and press release). I had planned to ask about a raise after 6 months, which is now, but a couple other things have come up now money-wise. I'd like some help figuring out how to approach this in the most straightforward way.

I don't know much about this company--the owner found me on Upwork and we talked once on the phone. Mostly everything I do goes through the client services person. A few things have come up now, though, and I'm not sure how best to approach it. We do most of our communications through a project management system, and I'm not sure if I should contact him that way or via email. And I don't know how to work all this into one message, or if I should. I'm sure many of you have freelanced in similar situations and have ideas.

#1

I get paid for the time I'm doing the interview and writing it. Nothing else. So when a client recently stood me up four times for our half-hour interview slot, that was two hours I was unpaid and couldn't have scheduled anything else then. I wrote him to see if he'd approve some compensation but didn't hear back. I also kept the client services person apprised of the issue, but I don't know if she's reached out to the client, talked to the president, etc. I would like to follow up and arrange compensation or at least come up with a plan for it should this happen again.

#2
This company has been great at paying invoices. Like same day or next day at the very latest. I have one that's been out a week and a new one (from last night) that haven't been paid. The other day I asked the client services person about last week's invoice and she said something kind of vague about getting to it. This is definitely concerning because it's such a change and also because if the company is having problems and can't pay me, I don't want to go ahead with scheduled the work. I will follow up one more time with client services, but should my next step be to ask the owner? A week is not a long time to wait, but it's longer than usual and odd that client services was so vague about it.

#3
As mentioned, I was planning to ask for a bump in pay by now. I have very little experience with that. Should I make a case for myself and mention clients who've praised my work or just say "Hey this is my new rate?" Or something else?

Thank you all for your help with this. Freelancing can be so murky.

posted by mermaidcafe to Work & Money (7 answers total)

Should I make a case for myself and mention clients who've praised my work or just say "Hey this is my new rate?"

One of the benefits of freelancing is you set your own rate. You are a business, and businesses don't ask their customers what the business' price should be. You should simply state to your customer, "my new rate is $xx/hour, effective $DATE." Don't phrase it as a question, phrase it as a statement.

At the same time, you should change your agreement so that you are paid for no shows. "I need to change my policy for billing when clients are unavailable. Due to excessive time spent during no-shows, I will be now charging for time spent waiting for clients."

I would put both changes into an email, directed at the owner and anyone you may have ever contacted regarding billing or invoices. Keep it in an email so you have it for your records, as opposed to the project management system, where conceivably the company could disappear your request and claim you never made it.

If you are declined, you have learned the company is not the sort of company you want to work for.
posted by saeculorum at 10:55 AM on April 9, 2021 [12 favorites]

To add to what saeculorum, if you are declined, (and only after you are declined) and you don't want to lose them, you can always come back and say "I really value you as a client. If you can't afford my new rate, I would be open to a smaller increase at this time. What would work for you?" If you do that, once you agree on a number, be sure to put time limit - "this good client discount is valid for the next x months"
posted by metahawk at 11:03 AM on April 9, 2021 [6 favorites]

I'm a freelancer and I've always just announced to my clients "My new rate is X, starting month Y." I work in an industry with long lead times, so I give several months notice, but you don't have to. Just make it so the work that's currently booked gets paid at the current rate, but future work gets paid at the higher rate.
posted by BlahLaLa at 11:34 AM on April 9, 2021 [2 favorites]

In the future, you can always characterize whatever you charge new clients as an "Introductory Rate," perhaps with a time limit so they know to expect an increase after x months. You could even incorporate the eventual "Standard Rate" and its timing into your services agreement. An introductory rate makes sense for both parties because it recognizes that early assignments may take extra time as you learn the lay of the land but does not require you to forego compensation for that process beyond whatever you privately decide.
posted by carmicha at 11:39 AM on April 9, 2021

If I read you correctly, your communications with your client is all on Upwork, and any issues you have you deal with the client services person — not at the client company, but at Upwork, right?

I am decidedly not an Upwork expert, and I haven't explored that platform for more than a year, so maybe things have changed, but if I'm understanding you correctly you might google for best practice in terms of raising your rates on that platform.

Beyond that, I realize freelancing is hard, the economy is a wreck and we're in the middle of a pandemic but could I gently suggest you get off Upwork? When I looked into it, I was disgusted by how much money the platform takes; by the time and effort involved in having to redo your profile online; by the bidding process, which wastes so much time and mental energy; by the competition with people from very, very poor countries (which means their rate expectations/needs are going to be very different than yours, and often they will bid yours down), and, finally, by the customers themselves whose average payment levels were, from what I saw, well below average, as a result of the bidding process. Overall, I think they're an extremely exploitative platform and that it attracts really cheapskate clients. If you have specialty experience in music PR, I wonder if you couldn't research and contact other music PR firms, or advertise in a venue where your target audience is more likely to find you. That way, you could charge your target rate right from the start.

Apologies for the riff on Upwork, but I do think they're a hugely destructive force in the economics of freelance/gig work.
posted by Violet Blue at 12:30 PM on April 9, 2021

I just want to leave these links here for you to consider (given that I know nothing about your professional working situation or experience).
1.
2.
3.
posted by sardonyx at 1:14 PM on April 9, 2021 [1 favorite]

I would start by establishing a relationship with the client somehow. This can even be the beginning of your what's up with invoicing / raise-the-rate conversation.

Just ask if they are happy with your work, mention the aspects of your work that are individual to you / better than some new random person they might get through the gig site (e.g. "I've enjoyed doing these interviews because it lets me use my skill at quickly relating to people and finding which parts of their personality best connects to their musical style" or whatever's true for you), and make sure they know you as an individual writer in some way.

By giving them a chance to talk to you and give you their perspective, you move from a commodity to an ally.
posted by amtho at 1:49 PM on April 9, 2021