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Most freelance comms consultants have at least one client they’ve been charging the same rate to for two or three years. Possibly longer. The relationship is good, the work is interesting, the client is reliable. And the rate you agreed when you were less experienced, and when costs were lower, has not moved.
Raising rates feels uncomfortable partly because freelance relationships are personal in a way that employment isn’t. You’re not a supplier with a price list; you’re someone the client has worked with, trusts, and in some cases relies on. The prospect of that conversation feels like it risks something. In practice, it rarely does.
When to raise your rates
A few good prompts: you haven’t raised them in more than 12 months; your costs have increased; you’re charging new clients more than existing ones; your experience and track record are meaningfully better than when you set the rate; or you’re fully booked and turning work away. Any of these is a reasonable basis for a rate review.
The question to ask is not “can I justify raising my rates?”, you almost certainly can, but “what rate would I set if I were quoting this client for the first time today?” If that number is higher than your current rate, the current rate is too low.
How to tell existing clients
Do it by email, in advance, with a clear effective date. Not an apologetic email, and not a lengthy justification. A short, direct note that says your rate is changing, states the new rate, confirms the date it applies from, and thanks them for the ongoing work.
Avoid language that frames it as a reluctant decision you’ve agonised over. That makes the client feel they should negotiate. Frame it as a normal business matter, which it is.
Three months’ notice is appropriate for long-term clients. Less is fine for newer relationships. Give enough notice that it doesn’t feel like a surprise; don’t give so much that you’re delaying your own income for no reason.
What to do if a client says no
Some clients will ask to keep the current rate, at least temporarily. You can agree to that if the relationship warrants it, but agree to a specific date when the new rate will apply, and get it in writing. Indefinitely deferring a rate increase is not a compromise; it’s just a delayed version of the same conversation.
If a client says no and won’t agree to any increase, that’s useful information. It means the relationship is not commercially sustainable long-term, and you can make a clear-eyed decision about whether to continue it at the current rate or not.
A template to work from
The rate review template covers the rate assessment process, email templates for existing and new clients, and responses to common client objections. Comes as an editable Word document and a PDF reference version.
Rate Review Template
Editable Word document with rate assessment worksheet and email templates, plus a PDF reference version.