All posts with the ‘ Negotiation ’ Tag

I get questions from freelancers about contracts and how to use them All. The. Time.

Which is great! Because I love contracts and I love answering questions.

I picked three questions that I get fairly often from freelancers, artists and folks trying to DIY their business. I hope the answers help you in pursuit of professional success and, you know, dollaz.… Read More

Every day, freelancers and independent artists negotiate deals and make sure they’re treated fairly by clients and collaborators alike. I want to share those stories with you because I think they’re inspiring and important to hear.

This week I talk to author Jodi McIsaac about her experience negotiating her first publishing contract.… Read More

One of the lessons about negotiating that was easy for me to understand, but that I still have a hard time incorporating into my practice, is that it’s a waste of time to get caught up in what I think of the person I’m negotiating with.

For instance, if I’m negotiating with someone that I think is a real jerk, it’s not helpful to the … Read More

Many a freelancer has slaved over a proposal trying to make it perfect. Figuring and guessing and measuring, trying to find the right balance of WOW and profit.

After hours of penciling out the budget six ways from Sunday, the freelancer presents her proposal. The client reviews it, smiles and says, “This looks great! How about a 20% discount?”

The freelancer is deflated; hurt. A … Read More

If you want to be a better negotiator, you need to train.

You need to exercise your negotiation muscles regularly, executing each exercise with proper form and control. When you first start you can improve very quickly, but you shouldn’t expect mind-blowing results overnight.

Here’s one exercise you can try at home to build muscle and fight the dreaded anxiety of conflict.… Read More

People waste a ridiculous amount of time worrying about power in negotiations.

They worry about having it, or getting it or stopping others from taking it. They invest precious time trying to figure out how best to prove their power, like where to sit in the room or who gets to talk first.

The problem with wasting your time like this is that you put … Read More

You can’t control a number of things in a negotiation. You can’t control if a negotiation will happen. You can’t control what the other side will want from you. And you can’t control how you’ll feel about a negotiation.

But there is a lot you can control and influence in the negotiation.

If you only focus on what you can’t control you will have frustrating … Read More

It’s nice when you spot all the problems with a contract well before the job is supposed to start, but that doesn’t always happen.

What should you do when you spot issues with the contract right before you’re supposed to sign?… Read More