Follow my advice and next time you hear “you’re too expensive,” you’ll close the deal AND get paid your full rate →
The problem:
Your potential clients can’t afford you.
The benefit of solving it:
You get more first time clients to nurture into lifetime clients (without lowering your rates).
Why what you’ve tried has failed:
Lowering your rate starts the relationship on the wrong foot and doesn’t help you grow.
Flat out saying “no” is also saying “no” to all future work you could have done together.
Here’s how to solve it:
Don’t assume you know what “too expensive” means.
You could just be too expensive right now…
If they push back on the value, go back to what outcome they're actually buying and whether you've made that case clearly enough.
If the answer is closer to "right now is just tough," that’s a cash-flow problem and has a completely different fix →
And having a “Buy Now Pay Later” installment option can save the deal.
Use a tool like FreshBooks and you get paid your full rate upfront even though the client pays over time.
It’s like a “have your cake and eat it too” solution for freelancers, removing the risk (and awkwardness) of trying to manage the setup yourself.
With FreshBooks you can set up Buy Now Pay Later directly on a client’s invoice and the installments are automatically managed for you.
Most freelancers don't offer this, and the clients who are genuinely just short on cash will close on the spot because the obstacle wasn't actually the price.
Start with FreshBooks Lite for $1/month for the first 12 months and use the Buy Now Pay Later option so clients can pay over time while you still get paid upfront in full.
Best,
Jamie
P.S. As we’ve all seen this year, budgets are tight and cashflow is changing for everyone. By giving clients the option of paying over time, you’re accommodating someone who couldn't afford you this month, but is the same client who might bring you their biggest project yet when things open up.
Make sure the budget conversation isn’t the last one you ever have with them.
Start with FreshBooks Lite for $1/month for the first 12 months and land more clients at full price.
For freelancers that want to fill their client pipeline & earn more consistently:
→ Build a $10K+/month freelancing business with my proven 3-pillar system inside The Freelancing Program ($59/month).
→ Get the competitive edge with daily templates, frameworks, and freelance market intel from Workforce 3.0 ($4.99/month).
→ Hit your freelancing goals this year with a customized, step-by-step game plan that we’ll create during a focused 1:1 coaching session ($750) with me.
