negotiating a fair rate

I will honestly admit I am not a great negotiator. It is the part of the project that I like the least. Partially because I do not have a lot of experience negotiating and also because it seems like most clients think almost everything is "not within budget." On most freelance projects I know about how long the work should take and what I think is a fair price. I then take into account the client and their possible budget and set my minimum and ideal amount for the job. I ask for a partial payment upfront to help balance the risk for both a client and myself. All of that is normal, I start to fall apart when I get into the actual negotiation with the client.

The hard part seems to be getting the client to admit their budget. I use to think this was almost impossible. Some treat it like golden information, thinking if they share the budget the other party would set their price close to the highest number. In my case this is not at all true. I hate overpaying for things and would never expect anyone to pay me a insanely ridiculous amount for my work. I, and I am sure most of you, would just like to get a fair price for your time and the quality of your work.

For those needing help in the negotiation area you must read a article by Sean Blanda, author of "You Are Not So Smart," titled "How To Get Paid What You're Worth & Other Negotiation Tips"

In the article Sean explains why you never name the first price which I am guilty of doing. He also says "Separate the person from their position. This is one of the primary points of the popular negotiation book Getting to Yes. When we argue over positions, our egos are attached to what we are proposing. Instead, focus on the other party's underlying interests. Find where interests overlap and work to develop solutions with the other party as a partner not as a combatant"

Follow me for more awesome negotiation insights. I am actually excited to take on my next protect just to put my new knowledge to use.