Communication

Freelancing: 3 Reasons why Assertiveness is Important

erfeThe modern economy has led to opportunities for freelancers working in a variety of different industries to work from anywhere in the world. This opportunity for people to essentially own their own businesses while providing their services for a variety of different clients is something that offers an intriguing amount of benefits.

However, while there are plenty of benefits, that doesn’t mean that freelancing doesn’t come without its fair share of challenges. In order to beat these challenges, freelancers must be assertive in what they want and need from their clients before, during, and after a project is completed. Here are three of the main reasons why assertiveness is essential for freelancers.

It Shows Confidence

As with any relationship, whether it is personal or business based, you become more intriguing as an individual when you show a high level of confidence in your abilities. When you are dealing with a client, being assertive makes others feel good about themselves knowing they are talking to someone that is confident they can get the job done at a high level.

While it is important to note that assertiveness does not mean arrogance, there will undoubtedly be times when the confidence you show will have some splashes of arrogance mixed in. This is sometimes necessary in order to make it clear to your client that your work is worth even more than what they are paying for.

It Makes You Comfortable When Discussing Rates

How many times have you decided what your rates are or listed them on your website or profile, and then, when the client asks if you can reduce your rate, told them yes, that would be fine? Most businesses understand that they can get away with this and use it frequently to negotiate lower rates with their freelancers.

What needs to happen in these scenarios, instead of backing off the rates that you’ve set, is to let your clients know that reducing your prices is simply not an option. Be confident enough to talk to them about it. Don’t be afraid to ask them what they would do if you asked them to reduce their prices in exchange for their products or services.

By being assertive and using this guide about assertiveness, you make it clear to them that your rates are your rates and that you will not be reducing them for anyone.

Leg Up On the Competition

It should be noted that a large number of the freelancers that a client deals with will likely not be very assertive. While you may think that this would be a disadvantage if you are one of the few that is assertive and confident, it actually serves as a benefit as it gives you a way to separate yourself from the competition.

After all, wouldn’t you feel much more comfortable working with someone that is clearly confident in their own abilities, and runs their freelancing business just as a small business owner runs theirs?

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