Do you have boundaries? I do. But it’s taken me years to have the courage to
- Say “No.”
- Say “I won’t do that.”
- Say “You need to pay me if I do that.”
Three recent examples of each:
Say No
I had this phone call exchange recently
Natasha: Hi, Olivia, I got your name off ProCopywriters. I’d like you to write my son’s A level essays.
Me: You’d like me to help your son to write his essays…you know, improve his grammar and spelling etc?
Natasha: No, I’d like you to write his essays for him. Small pause. Is that a no?
Me: Yes, I guess it is.
Natasha: Well, thanks Olivia. (Phone goes dead)
Say I won’t do that
Email ping pong exchange where I’d asked to have a (complimentary) Zoom call.
Me: I need to know exactly what services you want to offer if you want me to quote, so a quick chat would be great.
Potential client: Did you read the brief?
Me: Of course I did, it’s just I’m not sure exactly what services you are offering. I’m sure a quick chat would sort things out.
PC: Did you see our website?
Me: Yes, I did and it confused me even more, I’m afraid.
PC: So, can you give me a quote?
Say you need to pay me if I do that
This week, a food business has been in touch. Long list of copywriting tasks they want on a monthly basis – all fine. Then could I just do a small test: two emails, some ideas for future newsletters, that sort of thing. Delighted to do it. But I will charge. I have over twelve years’ professional writing experience. My work if not all over the web, is on my website. A client paid me £300 for a test menu last week; that is roughly what I charge.
Do you charge for samples or tests? Do you say No? Let me know in the comments.