Preview Mode Links will not work in preview mode

The 6-Figure Freelancer Podcast | Freelancing | Entrepreneurship | Clients | Finances | Motivation | Personal Development | Mindset


Mar 21, 2019

Katherine McDermott is back on the show! I was so excited to talk to her again, because she has so much great advice for freelancers.

Before striking out on her own, Katherine managed the brand of an Inc. 500 Fastest Growing Company while landing press in Buzzfeed, Forbes, Good Morning America, among others. She also served as the Director of Marketing and Communications for HGTV’s Property Brothers.

Katherine now runs Slightly Savvy, an influencer’s sneak peek behind the scenes of the PR world, built to deliver the most transparent PR insights to bloggers and influencers who want to transform their blog into a business.

Like many others, when Katherine was growing up, she was taught not to talk about religion, money, or politics with others. So most people just feel, from the beginning, that talking about money and pricing is tacky. However, she found that if you never bring it up with clients, you’re never going to get paid what you want, and sometimes even end up working for free (or close to it).

She wants to change that behavior for freelancers. We talked a lot about negotiation, pricing, when to say no, and other tips and tricks to get you the money you want to be making.

“If you’re not willing to negotiate, you’re 100% not going to get what you want. You’re never going to even get close. To get paid what you want, you have to build up to the practice of negotiating as a reflex.”

In this episode Katherine talks about:

  • How she learned to talk about money confidently
  • Her strategies for justifying price increases and talking about her fees
  • The benefits that clients receive by working with her and how you can replicate them

Main Takeaways

  • If you don’t talk about money, you end up avoiding conversations and you end up not getting paid what you want
  • Rely on the actual value that you’re providing to justify price increases. Show results and data if you can get them.
  • Be firm on a minimum amount and be upfront about your costs.
  • Just because a client can’t afford it doesn’t mean that it is a reflection on you as a person. Don’t take it personally.

Links