Tag: tutorials

Want to turn a $3K-$5K client into a $20K-$30K one? Luckily, as a WordPress developer, you can do so relatively easily. It’s about your approach, communication, and what to offer. This article covers some tips on negotiating a higher price for your services.

We’ll cover how to ensure you get paid what you are worth when negotiating a price or pursuing a potential project.

And by the end of this article, you’ll be able to see how to negotiate a low-paying project or client into – cha-ching! – $20K-$30K!

I can’t even imagine quoting $5-8k on a job. Those kinds of numbers really flares up the imposter syndrome in me something fierce.

Lawrence – WPMU DEV Member

Hopefully, this quick article will help any WordPress developer realize it IS possible to earn more (and eliminate any imposter syndrome). All the tips are tried and tested – based on common industry practices you can implement.

We’ll be going over:

• Demonstrating Your Value From the Start
• Thinking Long-Term
• Making Sure They Know Your Worth
• Giving Your Price First
• Why Experience Matters
• Defending Your Price with Facts to Back Them Up
• Tips When Negotiating a Price

So, let’s begin!

Demonstrating Your Value From the Start

When you start working on a project with a new client, one way to eventually get to a much bigger payday is to actually offer a discount from the beginning.

You can make it clear that the rate you’re charging is discounted or an introductory rate. This ensures that they’ll know what they’re paying from the start is cheaper than usual, and you can raise the fees accordingly.

Show your value and what a deal they’re getting off the start. Also, make it clear that it WILL go up.

An example of this might be a simple web design for $3K with maintenance for three months. When they want to improve upon the design and want continued maintenance, charge accordingly (e.g. $10K and up) for design and maintenance.

Over time, with continued maintenance, this can easily exceed over $30K (and much more) instead of just a one-off simple web design.

Additionally, when you invoice, be sure to indicate what the normal fee is. That way, when the introductory period is over, there’s no sticker shock.

This offers the basis for negotiation on new work and flips the dynamic. Plus, since you started working with the client, there’s now a relationship. They’ll be less hesitant to pay more to someone they trust and work they like, and most importantly, understand the higher costs.

Thinking Long-Term

As just noted above, in demonstrating your value, you need to think long-term with your clients. Small, simple, and low-cost projects can eventually become major ones. Try not to look at a client as a one-off situation.

You can offer monthly maintenance packages after creating their WordPress site. Or, make suggestions to their current website that adds value for them (and ultimately for you, too).

Add-ons and additions to what they initially contacted for you is the point. Luckily, in WordPress, there are tons of opportunities. There aren’t many other jobs out there that have the road map to include more add-ons than web development.

Be sure to read our article about boosting your web development business with add-on services to get detailed information on including these in your workflow.

Making Sure They Know Your Worth

One way to get a client that originally wanted to pay $3K for a web design to pay $30K is to let them know your worth. Premium design deserves premium rates. Show them why you’re entitled to the costs.

It’s up to you to be clear on how these rates help the client compared to a cheap developer they’ll find on Fiverr for a fraction of the price.

Maybe it’s your experience – or your amazing web design skills. Whatever the case, demonstrate why your asking price is justified and even if it’s a stretch of the budget, serious clients will pay what you are worth.

A few ways to demonstrate value are with a good portfolio, reviews, or testimonials. Also, you can mention what the market is like, and the hours it will take to complete. Be sure to make it clear why you’re worth $150 an hour – or whatever premium rate you have set.

Giving Your Price First

Research shows that the final price is typically closer to the original price than the second. So, though you might want the project and feel like setting lower costs might get a client to work with you, often it’s not going to benefit you in the long run.

They can always come back with a counter offer, but ensure you don’t dip too low beyond what is acceptable on your terms.

All of this can come after an initial lower offer to get started (like we touched on earlier). In general, this puts the ball in your court and lets your client know whether they can work with your budget.

In a nutshell, it’s your move first to name the price – before the potential client. This leads to your asking price becoming more attainable at the end of the day.

Why Experience Matters

When it comes to reviews, testimonials, etc, obviously you’ll need some experience first before those roll in. It may take a while to build some credibility, but it has a snowball effect once you do. You can charge more and more for your services and justify every single penny.

And as you become more experienced, be sure to promote this. Let the client know of the benefits of your years of experience and how it works in their favor.

After all, experienced professionals get paid more – whether that be employment or on their own. Experience typically leads to a bigger paycheck.

Letting a client know about your experience is another way to get them to pay more and gives you leverage on why you charge what you do.

Defending Your Price with Facts to Back Them Up

Clients want to know what they’re paying for and why it costs what it does, so back all costs up with facts.

You can include competitive rates from top-notch agencies, market rates, other negotiations with other clients, ROI based on your web design, testimonials (like we just mentioned) – anything that you can show as proof your services are worth what they are.

This will help justify paying more for any project and help put any client at ease knowing their money is going to good use.

Factors to Keep in Mind When Negotiating a Price

Now that we have some essentials to negotiating a higher rate, here are a few additional pointers to keep in mind.

• Show them the estimate with an hourly rate when you give them the price.
• If they push back, say the estimate is right.
• Explain the reason for your rate (e.g. $150 an hour is the standard rate for a developer with this experience level).
• Budget check: Do they have $75K-$100K for major web development? Check this earlier than later to ensure they have the budget.
• Understand what is negotiable and what is not.
• Remember that it’s not all about negotiation. It’s about finding a win-win for both parties.
• Be sure to include payment terms. A good example is 40% up front, then 20% as time goes on.

With ways to make money in the WordPress industry, negotiating a substantial rate is easier than you think when you keep these factors in mind.

The Easy Way to $30K

As you can see, just a few approaches with your messaging, services, and negotiations can turn a $3K client into a $30K one. Even with little experience, you can get there relatively quickly by collecting testimonials, building your portfolio, and showing proof that you’re worth the costs.

For more, read our How To Offer Website Care & Maintenance Services To Your Web Development Clients article to build your web development business and increase your earnings.

With all of this in mind, getting paid $30K is just steps away.

Most clients are great to work with. However, beware! Lurking in the shadows can sometimes emerge an unsavory client that is difficult, demanding, unreliable – downright scary.

This article covers 10 different types of clients you may want to avoid.

Don’t Be Scared…

As a WordPress developer, new business is typically a good thing. After all, potential clients are what you want if your goal is to grow. But sometimes, the payday for a project from a client might not be worth it if you go through hell to work with them.

Luckily, there are some warning signs you can look out for regarding these terrifying clients and also ways to manage them. Plus, if you run across one of these monsters, there’s a lot you can learn from the experience.

This being said, you’re probably familiar with these types of clients. They’re the ones that don’t make life easy for you when all you want to do is your job.

For example, they’re the “can you get this done tomorrow, and I’m not paying you more for your speedy delivery” type. Or, the “I texted you an hour ago, and you haven’t responded!” client.

We’ll break down a few indications of “monsters” to be on the lookout for, so you might think twice before losing sleep after agreeing to develop a WordPress site for the boogeyman.

This article will cover the 10 terrifying clients, including:

1. Talker of Terror: Talks Negatively About Other WordPress Developers
2. The Time Sucker: Expects Responses 24/7
3. The Rabid Revisioner: Wants Unlimited Revisions (for free)
4. The Treatment Tormentor: Wants Special Treatment
5. The Grim Signer: Issues Signing a Contract
6. Silence of the Damned: Awful Communicator
7. The Lateness Monster: Doesn’t Pay On Time
8. The Delinquent Demon: Doesn’t Pay What You Want
9. The Threatener: Threatens Your Reputation
10. Demanding Dracula: Impossible Demands

Plus…

Tips When it Comes to Terrifying Clients

Frightened yet? Let’s begin!

10 Types of Terrifying Clients

1. Talker of Terror: Talks Negatively About Other WordPress Developers

If potential clients start talking negatively about other developers or services they have hired, some red flags should go up. It’s an indicator that this client will be hard to please and that they may turn their negativity on to you, too.

And having a bad-talking client can lead to awful reviews and a bad reputation.

One thing you can do is ask what happened in the past and determine whether their talking points are valid or not. After all, there can be some bad experiences that have left the client to be upset with past developers. Try to find out why and if they had a right to talk negatively about them after what happened.

If they’re talking negatively about a previous developer because of costs, quality of work, or something that might just be an opinion of theirs and not based on facts, then beware. Every story has two sides, and they may turn on you quicker than a werewolf during a full moon.

2. The Time Sucker: Expects Responses 24/7

While it’s okay for a client to communicate via email 24/7 (after all, in this business, clients are worldwide and in different time zones), it’s not okay for them to expect you to get back to them immediately (unless you are okay with it).

Responses can take time. Sure, you want to get back to your client promptly, but they can’t expect you to get back instantaneously.

The worst-case scenario is if they text and expect responses around the clock. Yikes!

You probably work hours that you set (or your agency implements), so ensure that your client is aware of this. You can mention that emails are responded to within two business days, not on weekends. Also, if they have your direct number, make clear that phone calls and texts are not answered outside 9-5 in your time zone.

It’s up to you to decide your hours, but feeling like you’re on the clock 24/7 is a nightmare. Make sure you lay out your guidelines before working with a client. After doing this, if a client expects you to be on beck and call – it might be time to cut them loose, and they can call upon someone else.

If there is a scenario for this, it might be a tight deadline or something urgent. It’s up to you to allow 24/7 calls; if you do, be sure to upcharge accordingly.

3. The Rabid Revisioner: Wants Unlimited Revisions (for free)

“Can you add a bigger logo? Wait… it’s too big. Can you change it back? Now, can you put the logo at the bottom of the page? Actually, move it in the middle.”

From the depths of hell comes the Rabid Revisioner. A client that wants constant revisions and also doesn’t want to pay you for them.

Normally, these are the type of clients that feel like they know what’s best for the project, despite your expertise.

The best way to avoid the catastrophe is to lay the groundwork before getting started. Make sure you and the client are on the same page. Ask many questions and make sure it’s clear for both of you – in writing.

Also, define how many revisions you’ll do when signing on with a new client. That way, they know that there are no “unlimited” revisions and will be satisfied with the results.

4. The Treatment Tormentor: Wants Special Treatment

When a new (or existing) client wants special treatment, that’s a situation to avoid. This client wants you to perform tasks outside your norm, wants special discounts, and expects you to accommodate them at every level – which can be tormenting.

Of course, it’s important to treat clients special – because they are! But this is about the ones that go way beyond that…

With your WordPress development business, you have criteria and specifications for what you do. Of course, you can say “no” to all these requests (and it’s important to do). Be careful, though: this can lead to bad reviews. Just be courteous and mention that you stick to the book.

If you have the resources, you can also help them by referring specific tasks to someone else if it’s something out of your wheelhouse.

As mentioned before, this is why it’s important to state all that you will be doing and can do before starting work. It will help deter this type of behavior.

5. The Grim Signer: Issues Signing Contract

As we just touched on with The Treatment Tormenter, it’s important to lay out what you will perform with the client. The best way to do this is in the form of a contract that breaks down each party’s responsibilities.

For you, it details the project’s scope, timeline, costs, etc. For the client, it lays out the payment plans, how to communicate, etc – all in one spot.

Getting a client that doesn’t want to sign a contract is a huge warning sign. Basically, they’re not abiding by the agreement, and it can become hearsay on what was supposed to be included in the job.

It’s okay to negotiate a contract, make tweaks, and more. It’s NOT okay to not want to sign anything once the guidelines have been established.

A client that doesn’t want to sign a contract is best to avoid. It’s a bad sign of other things to come and can be a mess when completing a WordPress project – which is the stuff of nightmares.

6. Silence of the Damned: Awful Communicator

A good indicator of whether to work with a potential client is their initial communication. Is their email full of typos? Do they not respond to messages? Can they not answer basic questions?

Good communication is key to completing a project to the best of your ability and a client’s standards. Without it, there can be delays, wrong designs, unclear texts on the homepage – you name it!

The good news is that you can quickly determine how good a communicator is from their initial contact. Is the message unclear on what they want to be done immediately? That might be a good reason not to take on the project.

Another good test can be arranging a Zoom meeting and seeing how well they are in person. Some people do communicate better than others face-to-face rather than by email. It might work if it’s okay with you to talk in person rather than by message.

In general, it’s a team effort regarding WordPress development. Sure, you’re the expert, but it takes good communication to get the job done right.

7. The Lateness Monster: Doesn’t Pay On Time

The Lateness Monster can put you in the perils of debt. It can cause you to be late on rent or scrambling to pay that electricity bill.

This is the client type that doesn’t pay on time. Payments are still delayed even when you give them ample time (60-day invoice, anyone).

Having delayed payments can put you in a financial crunch, so it’s best to drop a client that is habitually late with their payment. Not only is it hard financially for you, but it’s also inconsiderate.

A good client knows that you depend on income, and they need to comply and pay on time.

8. The Delinquent Demon: Doesn’t Pay What You Want

This client type believes you charge too much, doesn’t think your service is worth it, and wants to negotiate waaaay down below your worth.

Speaking of worth, this client isn’t worth your time. They’ll continue to lowball you, and if you get them to pay what you want, they’ll probably be disappointed and upset that they paid so much.

The reality is that your prices may be high to them, and it’s outside their budget. If that’s the case, you’re probably not a good fit as a developer for this specific client – and that’s okay. You can always recommend some budget-friendly resources (Fiverr is a good example), but you can also let them know that you get what you pay for.

9. The Threatener: Threatens Your Reputation

You have probably heard it before, but you can’t please everyone. Not everyone will be satisfied no matter how much you bend backward for someone. Or, maybe you actually did mess something up, and it needs to be fixed.

Instead of them coming to you for a solution to improve things, sometimes they’ll just trash your reputation on review sites or elsewhere.

Getting publicly smeared is never pleasant. If this hellish scenario happens, comment on forums and let readers know your perspective.

Or, if there’s a way to get with the client smearing you and offering to make it right so they can take down the negative review, that’s even better.

On the opposite side of this, if you have an unpleasant experience with a client, be careful not to shame them publicly. It can hurt your reputation as a developer just as much as a client can.

10. Demanding Dracula: Impossible Demands

There’s nothing like getting the life sucked out of you by a Demanding Dracula. These are the types of clients that are demanding and have unrealistic expectations.

You may be expected to drop everything else you’re doing to focus solely on them and the project you’re working on.

To avoid this, on a contract, you give guidelines on your hours, responsibilities, and what the project consists of. If they start acting this way, you can refer them back to the original agreement.

Now that we’ve covered some spooky individuals, here’s some…

Tips When it Comes to Terrifying Clients

As you can see, working with any of these 10 terrifying client types can be a nightmare. There are tips included in each category above on how to avoid each situation, but to help you out further, here’s a few more:

• Never begin a project without asking for at least 30-50% of the project fee. Having a downpayment puts skin in the game on the client’s part and ensures that you’ve been paid at least partial payment to begin.
• Always sign a contract, and include a cancellation clause before starting work on any project. Layout the scope of the project, timeline, costs – every vital detail. Make sure you and your client agree and sign on both ends.
• Try never to take on a project if the client has no vision. It’s best if the client has some groundwork (what needs to be included, some copywriting, etc); otherwise, it might be a lot of back-and-forths determining what exactly it is you’re creating.
• Set strict deadlines, work incrementally, and deliver everything promptly (by outlines laid out in the contract). Basically, live up to the agreement on your end. This should keep terrifying clients somewhat happy, even if they’re hard to work with, and discourage them from writing bad reviews.
• Go with your gut! Often your instinct is right whether to work with someone or not. If it feels “off”, it probably is.
• Breathe. Do yoga. Meditate. Whatever it takes to keep it together when dealing with a bad client. Look at it as a learning opportunity, and know that you can move on.

These simple tips can help you avoid or handle terrifying well. The last point is especially important: you can move on from a bad client and learn from them. That’s how you avoid working with a particular client type in the future.

Don’t Be Scared When it Comes to Clients

Now that we’ve covered these terrifying clients, you can rest easy knowing there’s nothing to be afraid of. Unlike a monster under your bed, scary clients can be real. However, there’s nothing to worry about if you handle them a certain way or avoid them in the first place.

It’s all part of being a web developer. Not every client and circumstance is the same. But as frightening as that is, you don’t have to spend all your time with a bad client and have them haunt you for the rest of your career.

Just remember that they are out there in the shadows looking for their next developer, so beware, avoid, or handle them accordingly. And try not to lose any sleep over it.