Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links, which means I earn a commission at no expense to you. Affiliate links are marked with the asterisks (*)

You want a raise, whether it’s with a private client or in your full-time job. Here are my four tips to get the raise you want and deserve.

You want a raise. In fact, you deserve a raise. It’s time to up your rates in your business or to talk to your boss about your salary increase. You’re not always going to get the top amount that you want.

When it comes to your salary or your business rates, there will be some people who simply cannot afford your skills. However, they still want you because they know how good you are. This is where negotiation comes in.

Now I don’t recommend negotiating with someone who is looking for the world on a small budget. I also don’t recommend negotiating with what I call PITA clients. You’ll be able to tell this most of the time based on the initial message in the email.

These negotiation tips are perfect for those who clearly want to pay more and understand quality means paying more, but aren’t in a position to quite afford you right now. Or they’re for the boss that you know is fighting for you but just can’t stretch the budget just yet.

Here are a few writing rate negotiation tips to make sure you get a rate that you deserve for your work. You’ll need to be ready to walk if you need to, though.

Have a range to get the raise

Don’t give away that you have a range that you want to gain. Start at the top and have the range that you want to get to in the back of your mind. You may want a 20% pay increase, but you’ll settle for a 10% one for the time being.

When you give the top amount, your boss or your clients will have their lower end in mind. You can both then work toward the middle so that you get somewhere within your range. Don’t go below the range that you have in mind.

You’ll want to make sure the other person is negotiating fairly. Many will decide to stick to the lowest rate. This is when you know they don’t value you for what you do and it’s time to look for other clients or jobs.

Find out their budget

Sometimes it’s best to find out the budget the client or your boss has first. I tend to do this as soon as I can, as it really helps to weed out those who just aren’t interested in paying decent rates for quality work.

This can also work to your advantage for those willing to pay more. You could end up finding out the client has a larger budget than you were initially going to quote. If you quote first, the client isn’t going to want to pay the higher end of his budget!

This doesn’t just work for when you want to get a raise. It works for when you’re starting out with a new client or in a new role, too.

Remain firm but polite

It’s important to find a line between being firm and polite. Think about how you would negotiate if you were in an Italian market stall, and I say that from experience. The seller isn’t going to laugh at your lower offer, but politely decline and share his offer. From there, you go between offers politely.

It’s also important to know when to stop. You don’t want to keep dragging this out. You will get to a point where you can both agree, as long as your stubbornness doesn’t get in the way.

Of course, this only works when both of you are negotiating fairly. If you do find that the other side is being stubborn and isn’t being fair, you will need to decide if you want to walk away.

There are fears that as women, we’ll be seen as being nags or unfair in what we want. We’re seen as stubborn and bossy instead of firm leaders. Don’t worry about what the patriarchal narrative says that we are. You deserve that raise, and it’s time to fight for it.

Break down your offer

Sometimes clients just don’t know how your job works. Let’s look at this from a writer perspective, which is my perspective. Clients think a writer will quickly throw together some words and make their blog post look amazing. Only other writers truly appreciate the amount of time and effort that go into pieces.

One writing rate negotiation tip that I’ve found works more often than not is breaking down my offer. I will go through what the client can expect, including the research and the rounds of drafts to make sure it is perfect.

I don’t do this all the time. It really does depend on the conversations I’m having via email, Skype or instant messaging (depending on the method of communication).

Hopefully, these negotiation tips will help you get a raise that you deserve. It will require some planning and patience, but it will all be worth it in the end. Good luck!

MORE: 5 ideas for a work at home business

What are you struggling with when it comes to money? What’s your problem with salary negotiations? Share in the comments below.