Having been in the freelance circle for a while now, I’m always happy to share my experience with those toying with the whole gig economy thing.  Now’s a good time to return to this as we close out 2022 in case there’s anyone out there planning to use the new year as a clean break from corporate.

I wrote a little reflection on the big picture stuff earlier this year, so this series is more technical in nature.  It’s based on two common questions I get when it comes to the contract side:  how do you write a proposal and how do you know what to charge?

We’ll start with the scope of work (SOW)—i.e., what you’re specifically proposing to do for your lucky soon-to-be client.

The single most important thing when it comes to writing an SOW is, quite simply, asking questions.  How in the world will you know what to put in a proposal if you don’t ask your prospects, in great detail, what they want?  (Which, btw, will help you decide if you want them.)

These are five of the questions I pose before every single project involving a tangible marketing or copywriting deliverable.  They can be tweaked to apply to other fields as well.

1. Why now? What inspired their project in the first place could impact your approach.  Are existing materials not working?  Sounds like a scrap-and-start-over job.  Is the company rebranding?  Then maybe it’s just a matter of repositioning their messaging to reflect the new direction.
2. Is there a model you like? The easiest way to understand their vision for the end game is to ask if there’s something they’ve seen that they want to emulate.  It could be as basic as a framework template or as finished as another brand’s version.  Not only is this is important for lockstep alignment up front, but it may impact your pricing.
3. Will you be providing most/all source material? Research is frequently involved, but the degree to which you dig can vary depending on how much info the client provides.  Research takes time, and time equals money.  If you’re on your own here, you may want to account for that.
4. Will this be brand new or more of an update? This may be clear from the “why now,” but if it’s not, then ask.  For example, a startup may have no sales or marketing materials and needs you to create them from scratch.  Your role, therefore, is to help set the direction for this entire side of their operation.  That’s a much bigger task than creating an email campaign or set of slides with existing info to reference.
5. What’s your timeline? I’ve walked away from otherwise-interesting—and lucrative—jobs because the deadlines were completely unrealistic.  Why a company would wait to develop a 20-page website two weeks before it wants to go live is beyond me.  Plus, there’s an even more practical reason to ask:  your scope needs to include it.

You’ll notice that none of these questions involves project content.  That’s what a brief is for once you’re hired.  Instead, spend your time confirming the assignment’s parameters so you can turn that information into a formal SOW.

This should include:

• Services: Outline exactly what you’ll do for them based on their stated needs.  Never, ever presume something is tacitly understood.  That just paves the way for potential confusion, scope creep, or other types of fun later on.
• Term (duration): Your timeline could have a firm due date or something more flexible depending on when you launch (e.g., one month after signature, etc.).  Maybe there are phases.  Again, just be clear so there’s no room for (mis)interpretation.
• Fee: Indicate cost and how it will be invoiced.  Is there a down payment?  Are there multiple installments?  Establish this now so that contract stage is a mere formality.

Speaking of contract, feel free to submit your proposed scope as a formal agreement to save a step.  I include a few pages of “standard terms and conditions” with the business term sheet.  This is the legalese—waivers, indemnifications, acts-of-God type rigmarole.  Is it necessary?  I think it’s a good idea, but I also know incredibly successful freelancers who submit just the three items above and a few disclaimers.  Very basic.  Consult a lawyer if you have questions and/or know you want bulletproof T&Cs.

And now we come to it.  Everything’s ready to roll….almost.  If you’re like I was early on, the last thing you fill in is that number next to the dollar sign.  Pricing can be agonizing when you’re just getting started.  But, while I can’t advise on what you should be charging, what I can do is lay out key considerations for constructing your own rate chart.

That’s what Part 2 is all about.  Read on to learn more about the proposal pricing game.

Go to Part 2.