All posts with the ‘ strategy ’ Tag

If you find yourself in a contentious negotiation where you’re both digging into your positions and you’re pretty sure everything the other side says is either stupid, crazy or both: I have one, simple piece of advice to help turn things around and get you what you need.

Make friends with that stupid, crazy person sitting across from you.… 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

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

If you’ve ever had trouble getting much needed information from your clients, this week’s installment of the Ace Freelancer’s Guide to Asking Questions is for you!… Read More

Questions are some of the easiest, cheapest, and most time-efficient tools you can use to get better results from your negotiations.

But people don’t use them.

When I ask freelancers why they avoid asking questions in their negotiations, I get one of two responses: they don’t know how to ask questions effectively, or they worry they’ll come off as rude if they ask too many … Read More

When I talk to freelancers and artists about why they’re afraid of negotiating I often hear

“What if I don’t know what to say? What if they say something outrageous and I don’t know what to say and end up blurting out ‘yes’?”

It’s a perfectly rational thing to worry about. And you wouldn’t be the first one to do it if it happened.

There … Read More

You’ve been working merrily along with a client or collaborator. Things are going well and you’ve had good results so far.

Now you’ve reached a crossroads and you need them to make a decision, sign off on the work, or pay an invoice.

You, being a good reader of this blog, tackle the issue head on and ask for the other person’s input, approval or … Read More