At some point in your career as a virtual assistant, you’re going to have to negotiate with a potential client regarding your Rate. It can be uncomfortable to talk about money though, even with an employer that you’ve worked with in the past.

Asking for too little makes you seem unsure of yourself, so people may doubt the quality of your work. But asking for too much can make you look greedy and/or overconfident, and may raise your client’s expectations to an unreasonable degree.

Worse, the employer might be put off from hiring you simply because they can’t afford you.

To successfully make a living as a remote worker, you must learn how to compromise so both you and your future employer will be happy.

How to Find a Middle Ground

Set your minimum rate

Think about the lowest hourly rate you’re willing to work for and, if possible, set this for different currencies so the figures are easy to refer to when negotiating with clients. For instance, an Australian client who works in Amazon affiliate marketing might want to pay you in US dollars.

When setting your minimum rate, consider the following factors:

• Your cost and standard of living.
• Your years of work experience.
• Your expertise in different areas.
• The amount of effort you’ll be putting in to meet the standards of the client.

When you’re new to remote work, understand that you won’t get the top rate immediately but this doesn’t mean you have to sell yourself short either.

Turn to previous jobs for guidance

If this isn’t your first time pursuing an online job, you can use the rate you’ve received in the past as a basis for your current pay grade. However, you’ll need to do some more research if you’re changing careers or when it’s your first time working online.

Seek input from the online community of VAs for a rough estimate on the market rates of both full-time and part-time positions, as well as specializations. Check out the profiles of other VAs to see their asking price. There are also salary calculators and other tools available to help you compute these.

Take a walk in their shoes

Ask prospective clients how much they’re willing to pay and for how much work you’ll put in per week or month. It’s safer to let them speak first so you’ll know if you need to negotiate higher or not.

Some may ask your current pay, but don’t disclose it. This will only make negotiations more difficult because it ties you to a specific amount. If they insist, say you’re not comfortable sharing the information, and that you’d rather focus on the value you can add to the company.

Still, make it a point to see where they’re coming from and figure out why they offered that particular rate. Look into their business and how they could be like as your future employer. If they seem like a spendthrift, you might get a high rate now and run into issues with your pay later.

Consider other benefits you might enjoy

Try looking at the bigger picture. Perhaps you won’t mind receiving a lower rate if it means you’ll have a flexible schedule and lots of time off. Or, they might offer to pay for a new computer or your monthly internet bill.

Interestingly, some clients might be willing to let you work only 6 hours a day instead of 8 if you agree to their rate.

Maybe the job is a great opportunity to work for a leading company, or learn skills you might not have access to elsewhere. In this case, it should be fine to accept a lower offer in exchange for the chance to build connections and boost your career.

Remember, there are many factors worth looking into in exchange for more money.

Be assertive without being aggressive

When negotiating your rate, remember to be polite even if you find the offer too low. Tell the potential client that you’re thankful for the opportunity, and that you’d be more comfortable with X amount. Prepare for some back and forth, but stand strong especially with the minimum you’ve set beforehand.

You have to realise that it’s beneficial for a business when they get to pay you less. However, many clients are willing to listen to reason as long as you explain your side. If you’ve done research in the past, you can say your asking price is also the going rate in your field. You’d be surprised how many employers will actually agree to the amount after that.

Now, do you know how to compromise?

Negotiating your rate isn’t about just you. You must consider mutual comfort with your employer as well. Insisting on the amount you want and actually getting hired can prompt the employer to be more particular about your output.

On the other hand, finding Middle Ground gives you space to impress your client, which may lead them to increase your rate in the future – so think about that too.