How do you negotiate a remote salary with a new or existing client as a freelancer or contractor?

1 Understand your client's context

Before you start negotiating your remote salary, you need to do some research on your client's context. This includes their industry, market, budget, goals, expectations, and culture. You want to understand what kind of value they are looking for, what kind of problems they are trying to solve, and what kind of constraints they are facing. You also want to know how they measure success, how they communicate, and how they handle feedback. By doing this, you will be able to tailor your proposal, pitch, and negotiation to their specific needs and preferences, and demonstrate how you can help them achieve their desired outcomes.

2 Establish your baseline and range

Once you have a clear idea of your client's context, you need to establish your baseline and range for your remote salary. Your baseline is the minimum amount you are willing to accept for your work, based on your skills, experience, expenses, and goals. Your range is the spectrum of possible salaries that you can negotiate within, based on your research, market rates, and value proposition. You should have a realistic and confident baseline and range that reflect your worth and your expectations, but also leave some room for flexibility and compromise. You should never reveal your baseline or range to your client, but use them as a guide for your negotiation.

3 Communicate your value and impact

The next step is to communicate your value and impact to your client. This means highlighting your skills, expertise, achievements, and testimonials that are relevant to their project and goals. You want to show them how you can solve their problems, meet their needs, and deliver results that exceed their expectations. You also want to emphasize the benefits of working with you remotely, such as saving time, money, and resources, increasing efficiency and productivity, and accessing a wider pool of talent and diversity. You should use concrete examples, data, and stories to back up your claims and showcase your value and impact.

4 Negotiate with confidence and respect

The final step is to negotiate your remote salary with confidence and respect. This means being prepared, professional, and polite throughout the process. You should avoid making assumptions, demands, or ultimatums, but rather ask open-ended questions, listen actively, and seek to understand your client's perspective and concerns. You should also avoid accepting or rejecting an offer right away, but rather take some time to evaluate it, compare it to your baseline and range, and counteroffer if necessary. You should aim for a win-win situation, where both you and your client are satisfied and comfortable with the agreement. You should also document the terms and conditions of the contract and confirm them in writing.

5 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?