img src='http://rss.buysellads.com/img.php?z=1259904k=f7b7931ec28da9e4ff2580bfd4eddb18a=31203c=879724803' border='0' alt='' //a/pbr /pimg src="http://freelanceswitch.s3.amazonaws.com/previewimages/2012/4-Ways-to-Beat-the-Walmart-Effect-on-Pricing.jpg" width="200" height="200" alt="Beat the Walmart Effect on Pricing" class="imageborder alignright"/p
pFreelancers face more competition than ever. Competition doesn#8217;t just come from other freelancers, but also from a slew of D-I-Y software and templates that allow people to produce their own websites, newsletters, publications, and logos. The result of this is that many clients view freelance services as just another commodity (the #8220;Walmart effect#8221;), which makes them think that the only difference between you and other alternatives is price./p
pWhether you#8217;re prepared or not, the business landscape for independent work from web design to writing is vulnerable to commoditization. How you respond to these trends can impact how your business grows and attracts prospective clients. Will you be stuck working for rock-bottom prices? Or, will you be able to charge a a href="http://freelanceswitch.com/the-business-of-freelancing/price-freelance-rates/"fair freelance rate/a that reflects your expertise and experience?/p
pFreelancers can differentiate themselves from the bargain-basement players by exploring four effective strategies.br /
span id="more-31203"/span/p
h31. Impress your clients with a professional first-impression./h3
pClients who get a budget, no-frills impression will expect budget prices. If you#8217;re just starting out, you#8217;ll need to overcome a credibility deficit and pay particular attention to the impressions you give. Project an ability to understand client needs and work hand-in-hand on the development and pre-planning processes with clients. Finally, show them the value of working with you through something like a #8220;a href="http://freelanceswitch.com/clients/monthly-value-report/"Monthly Value Report/a#8220;. /p
h32. Define an efficient, easy-to-understand work process./h3
pDon#8217;t forget that for many clients, it#8217;s not what you#8217;ve done in the past for previous clients (though samples do matter), but emhow /emyou have worked with them. Define your work process in a way that projects professionalism in how you make decisions. /p
pTelling your client, #8220;Here#8217;s how it works?#8221; projects confidence and an image that you know what you#8217;re doing beyond just the creative aspect. It shows that you are truly a business with a clear understanding of client relations. Create a one page #8220;What to Expect When You Work with Us#8221; document or describe the process on your website. /p
h33. Play up the #8220;soft benefits#8221; and intangibles of working with you./h3
pShow prospective clients that there are #8220;soft benefits#8221; that are reflected in your pricing. Better service, efficient procedures, and experience make hiring you worth the extra cost. For example, explain how you handle scope changes or unexpected incidences that may threaten a project. Show clients how you handle these contingencies and emphasize that working with you saves them the inconvenience of mismanaged projects and fumbles. /p
pGetting it right the first time saves clients potential grief down the road. When handling challenges, less experienced and #8220;cheaper#8221; providers will only cause delays. In contrast, your experience and expertise are assets for them. This provides an implicit justification for the rates you charge. If you#8217;re charging industry-standard rates (which is in your best interest), the case should be much easier to make./p
h34. Brand your services well?/h3
pHave you noticed that no-name brands are often cheaper, while branded products usually cost more? a href="http://freelanceswitch.com/freelance-marketing/strategic-branding/"Strategic branding/a will help you evoke the image of quality offerings and help you compete on areas that give you an edge (such as expertise, niche, vision) rather than on price, which will usually prompt you into a bidding war with competitors in a race to the bottom. If you had to choose between more projects/lower margins and less projects/higher margins, go for the latter#8211;and keep marketing./p
pIncreased, continuous marketing makes your freelance firm look more significant. You#8217;ll draw more traffic over time. The more choices you have, the less susceptible you#8217;ll be to Walmart-pricing and getting trapped doing bargain-basement work./p
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