RATE NEGOTIATION SCRIPT

OPENING (establish anchor)
Your line: "For this scope of work, my rate is $250/hour. That reflects 8 years of experience in your exact domain plus our 3-week turnaround guarantee."
Why this works: Anchor first, value-back, specific number (not a range)

BUDGET PUSH (most common objection)
Client: "That's higher than our last vendor."
Your response: "I understand. My last three clients each said the same thing initially. The difference is I deliver on timeline 95% of the time, and you avoid the rework costs that slower vendors create. Last project saved a client $40K because they didn't have to rehire halfway through."
→ Don't drop price immediately
→ Show data (timeline, cost avoidance)
→ Ask clarifying question: "What was the price you paid, and what did you wish had been different?"

SCOPE NEGOTIATION (if budget is real constraint)
If they say: "We only have $15K total budget." (calc: 60 hours at your rate)
Your response: "I can scope this into Phase 1 ($15K) for the core dashboard, then Phase 2 ($8K) adds reporting. Do Phase 1 in weeks 1-3, then we reassess based on the results."
→ Don't undercut yourself; offer scope reduction
→ Create a future upsell path

CLOSING MOVE
"I want to work with you. My rate is $250/hour. If that doesn't fit your budget, let's see if we can scope the project differently so both sides feel good. What would make this work for you?"

IF THEY PUSH AGAIN
• Walk away option: "Let's revisit this in 6 months when you've approved the increased budget."
• Minimum rate floor: Your absolute lowest, non-negotiable ($200/hour in this case)
• Don't provide three tiers — confuses decision, implies first was inflated