Equal Pay Day: Women Freelancers’ Guide for Getting PAID

“We work hard for the money, so hard for it, honey!”

In this episode we chat about Equal Pay Day and uncover the staggering truths behind the gender and race pay gap, with hard-hitting statistics that illustrate how women, particularly women of color, lose over hundreds of thousands of dollars over the course of their careers compared to men. 

Join us as we explore how freelancing can serve as a powerful tool to combat these inequalities, putting you in control of your rates, your work, and your worth. We explore strategies for understanding market rates, effectively communicating your value, and mastering the art of negotiation.

Listen, learn, and let's bridge the pay gap together! 

About Ashley Cisneros Mejia and Talk Freelance To Me

Talk Freelance to Me™ is a multimedia company that helps women writers monetize their gifts to live life on their own terms. Led by 20-year freelance writer, journalist, and entrepreneur Ashley Cisneros Mejia, the company achieves this through the Talk Freelance To Me™ Podcast featuring interviews with freelance writers and freelance creatives, online programs like the Freelance Success S.Y.S.T.E.M.™ Course, and other digital products.

The Talk Freelance To Me Podcast helps busy moms and caregivers start freelance writing and other freelance creative businesses, so they make money on their own terms in a way that accommodates their lives.

Resources Mentioned

Equal Pay Day Info & Wage Disparity Rates

Editorial Freelancers Association

All Things Freelance Writing Freelance Writers Survey Results

The Content Marketing Writer’s State of Freelance Writing Survey Results

Who Pays Writers

Real

Chapters

• 1:30 Introduction to Equal Pay Day and the gender wage gap
• 2:23 Wage disparity among women of color
• 3:25 Ashley’s reflections about the way conversations about pay disparity have changed over the years
• 4:57 Freelancing as a way to push against wage disparity
• 7:08 How to understand market rates as path toward equal pay
• 7:50 Advice on researching freelance rates by connecting with other freelancers
• 9:53 Websites to find baseline rates for freelance services
• 13:40 How to talk about the value you bring to your freelance clients
• 16:25 Pricing strategies for freelance work
• 19:17 How to position your services as investments, not expenses
• 20:16 How to negotiate with your freelance clients
• 25:00 How to deal with pushback from freelance clients
• 26:33 How to know when it’s time to walk away from a freelance negotiation

Transcript

0:00

Women lose 400, 000 over the course of a 40 year career compared to men. These numbers are staggering and infuriating. The numbers represent real disparities in pay for the same work done by different people based solely on gender. Welcome to Talk Freelance To Me, the podcast for women freelance writers, 1099 independent contractors, and solopreneurs. I'm your host, Ashley Cisneros Mejia. For more than 20 years, I've worked as a journalist and freelance writer. Today, as a mom of three kids, I'm passionate about helping other women leverage their free time. Freedom that freelance offers on top freelance to me. We're all about the business of freelancing. If you want to learn how to monetize your talents, make money on your own terms and design a flexible work life that actually works for you. This show is for you before we get started. Don't forget to follow us on your favorite social media platforms. Review us on Apple podcasts or wherever you listen. And don't forget to share this episode with a friend. Visit our website at talkfreelancetome. com for free resources. Join our email list to be the first to know about our latest offers. Thanks for tuning in and let's get into the episode. Today's episode is an important one for all of our women freelancers out there, especially in light of equal pay day. So what is equal pay day? Well, this holiday was originated by the national committee on pay equity in 1996. as a public awareness event to illustrate the gap between men's and women's wages. It was originally called National Pay Inequity Awareness Day, and it changed to Equal Pay Day in 1998. The date was picked to represent how far into the year women needed to work. at that time over four months in order to be paid what men had made the prior year. According to the organization, Equal Rights Advocates, according to 2022 census data, the wage gap for all women compared to men is 0. 78 on the dollar for all earners in the United States, including full time, year round, and part time, part year workers. If we look at the stats for women of color, the organization also reported for Asian American, Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander women, the number is 0. 80. For black women, it's 0. 66. For moms, It's 62 cents for native Hawaiian women. Specifically it's 60 cents for native American women. It's 55 cents for Latinas. It's 52 cents. You can see more stats at equal pay today. org. Women lose 400, 000 over the course of a 40 year career compared to men. These numbers are staggering and infuriating. The numbers represent real disparities in pay for the same work done by different people based solely on gender. And race. It's really hard to digest the stark realities of the wage gap, especially when considering its impact on women and women of color reflecting early in my career. I remember how discussions about this were often shut down. Thankfully, there's more awareness, especially with initiatives like the equal pay day. But the struggle is far from over. I recall the messaging that I received from even mentors in my twenties. It was all about pull yourself up by your bootstraps. Don't play the victim. They would say, just work hard, keep your head down and you'll be recognized. But as I've grown, I've realized that these responses. were part of the problem. They perpetuate a system that underpays women, especially women of color. It's frustrating to hear arguments that attempt to minimize the issue or question why race needs to be brought up or gender needs to be brought up. But when we look at the cold, hard numbers backed by data from sources like the U. S. Census Bureau, Well, these numbers speak for themselves. This isn't about asking for handouts. Women aren't being entitled, emotional or hysterical. This is about equal pay for equal work. As I mentioned, over a 40 year career, the cumulative loss for women can be staggering. This can impact their retirement and overall financial wellbeing. In a society that values self sufficiency so much, it's ironic that those who are striving to work hard are often the ones who are most affected by these archaic unfair systems. And this is again, why I see freelancing as not just a path to flexibility and freedom, but as a way to take control of your financial destiny. There has been incremental progress made in corporate America, but significant change has been made. Is still required, and I don't know if we're going to see it in my lifetime. Entrepreneurship offers an alternative, and I do want to say that I recognize it's not a feasible solution for everybody. It does require a level of privilege as the initial stages. When you're building a business, they don't often. Yield immediate financial returns, but freelancing does put you in the driver's seat. You have the power to set your own rates and you get to choose the clients who you work with. Those who value and respect your work. You can negotiate your compensation. And if a client doesn't meet your expectations, you can find another one pretty easily, at least easier than. What it requires to navigate the traditional job market for someone like me, a mother, a woman of color, a Latina who statistically earns the least for the same work done, stepping outside the traditional workplace makes a lot of sense. While freelancing isn't without its challenges, and it's certainly not a one size fits all solution, it offers a unique opportunity for women, especially those who face the biggest pay disparities to take control of their own lives. We do need to keep pushing for change in corporate America and in the government. While we're continuing to push for change externally, there are things that we can do. Individually, like exploring our options when it comes to freelancing or side hustles. We can negotiate better in our jobs and openly discuss compensation with our peers. These are all steps that we actually can control and we can use in moving forward to bridge this pay gap. So in light of equal pay day today, I want to dive into strategies for negotiating equal pay as a women freelancer. Step one is to understand the market rates. Knowing the going rate for your work is really important. You want to make sure that you're aligned with industry standards while valuing your unique skills and expertise. The biggest thing you can do is to actually speak with other freelancers who offer similar services. That you do have these conversations alongside any online research that you'll do. Reach out to people in the same field, men and women talk to people who are more experienced than you and even less experienced than you. This diverse pool of insights will offer a realistic view of what's being charged for similar services and what's achievable in your niche. There's no rules to the freelance world. It's a wild, wild west. And so it's important to get a wide spectrum of data points. Remember, the only people who benefit from secrecy around money are people in power, large corporations. By not discussing rates, we play into their hands. But when we share this information openly with each other, we empower each other. Sharing is caring. And I know it can be uncomfortable to talk about money. I know it can still feel taboo. It does for me. But when we do this, we can help establish better standards for everybody. And these conversations that you're having with fellow writers shouldn't just stop when you're done discussing rates. You want to build a community with other freelancers in general. This is invaluable when it comes to sharing Ideas and resources, referrals, leads, and even overflow work. Also, don't restrict your inquiries to just people that you know locally. Expand your horizon. Talk to freelancers in different geographic areas, even other countries. Again, this gives you a broad spectrum of rates where you can see the influence of factors like location, experience level, and specific niches. You might be surprised at the range that you'll find, but it's all valuable data. And if you're new and you don't know a lot of other writers, this is the time to start building those connections. You can look for associations and groups tailored to freelancers, whether you're a writer, a graphic designer, or another creative professional. Many of these groups have active online communities like on Facebook and LinkedIn and different forums, and you can engage with people there. Don't worry if they're not in your city. You can meet people on apps, uh, have phone calls, have zoom chats, Google Hangouts as a way to connect. Now, Now that you've talked to other people, other writers that you might know, next it's time to look online. You want to check out industry specific websites and forums. Many fields, whether it's writing, graphic design, or digital marketing, have dedicated online spaces where professionals can talk about rates and leads. Different freelance thought leaders, organizations, and associations, Host periodic surveys to capture rate information from their members, and often they release this data through special reports and even databases. The Editorial Freelancers Association has long had a chart on their website available to anybody with rates for writing. And some writers say that these rates are too low, but again, it's a baseline that you can use in your research. If you go to their website, you can find information on the median pay for copy editing, marketing, project management, writing, proofreading, research, even fact checking, and a lot more. I'm going to include all of the links in the show notes to the websites that I share with you during this episode, but this one is the hyphen E F a. org forward slash rates. You can find that chart there. In addition, websites like Upwork, Zip Recruiter, and Peak Freelance have all gathered and released different data about freelance rates. In addition, our friend Jessica Walrack, who we interviewed before on the podcast, that's a great episode and you should go back and listen if you haven't. She and her team at All Things Freelance Writing surveyed writers last fall, and she released the compensation info on her website. Another person that I really admire, Jennifer Goforth Gregory, also regularly surveys writers in her State of Freelance Writing team. And you can find that information on her website. She actually, just a side note, runs one of my most favorite freelance writing Facebook groups. It's called the Freelance Content Marketing Writer. She's got 9, 000 members in there and it's well moderated. She keeps it valuable and it's just a great place to connect with other writers. In 2012, the website whopayswriters. com was created as a database where you can search for different publication titles and see how much they pay per word. And about how long it takes to get paid once your work is complete. That's at whopayswriters. com. In 2019, some journalists got together and created a Google spreadsheet called Real Media Salaries, where journalists and writers anywhere in the world could anonymously input what they make per hour or annually for different jobs in the creative space. I checked it today and there were new additions as of today. Freelance job boards and platforms can also be great places to check as well. You can look at the range of rates offered for projects that are similar to yours. This will give you a ballpark figure. And remember, these rates can be lower because of the competitive nature of these platforms, but again, it gives you another data point. Connecting with other writers and doing online research are two really great ways to get a baseline for rates for the types of freelancing services that you're offering. But it's not enough to do this research once and forget about it. The freelance market, just like the economy, is dynamic and your rates can change. Regularly updating your knowledge about current rates is really important. You can subscribe to industry newsletters, follow thought leaders and influencers in your field, and stay active in professional communities. This will help you stay on top of rate changes and trends. Also think about the broader economic factors that might influence your rates. For example, if there's an increased demand for certain skills or shift in the industry you specialize in, This could be a good time to adjust your rates. Now let's talk about the value of what you're offering to your client. You're going to start with yourself. Take some time to really reflect on your skills, your experience, and unique aspects of your work. Ask yourself some key questions. What specific skills do I have that set me apart? What unique experiences have I had that add value to my work? It could be Uh, unique writing style or special understanding of an industry or client base. Also consider any additional services that you offer that might not be typical in your field. You want to identify the things that make you, well, you and you want to own them, but don't just reflect. on and rely on yourself. Seek feedback from past clients, colleagues, and even mentors. These insights can help you see the value and areas that you might have overlooked. This is where testimonials and case studies can really come in handy. Now, you're going to consider the impact of your work that you're going to perform for the client. When you're starting these conversations, you're with your client, get used to asking them what they want to achieve with this service or product. You want to drill down to see what they really want because they might think they need one thing, but you might have another idea on how they should really move forward to achieve the outcome they need. This part of the conversation is really important for managing expectations. So think about will your services save them time or money? Can it help them generate revenue? For instance, say you're writing for a personal injury attorney and you want to think about the longterm value of your work. Say this downloadable resource, maybe it's a PDF for what happens when you get injured. It's going to live on their website forever and continually generate leads for them. These leads could potentially translate into clients who are going to bring in substantial revenue from different settlements or verdicts. We're talking hundreds of thousands of dollars to even millions of dollars. So you're offering more than just a well written piece of content. You're providing a tool with lasting ROI. Think about your project fee and include Not just the time that it's going to take for you to do the project or even just the going market rate that you researched. You want to think about what this service will do for the client. Now, when it comes to figuring out a project rate, this is really a blend of art and science. You've already done your homework on market rates and you've understood the client's goals. You've thought about the impact of whatever you're producing to his business, but you also want to think a little deeper. You want to consider various factors that contribute to a fair and profitable project fee. First, jot down all of the tasks or steps involved in the project. For a writing project, this could include initial research, say you're reviewing materials for a client. Maybe they give you a bunch of, um, surveys from customers to review, or they want you to listen to a bunch of podcasts that their CEO has participated in. You'll need some time to get oriented. You want to also factor in, of course, the actual time to write to do internal edits and proofing. Don't forget to account for client communication, phone calls, zoom meetings, all of those types of things. You want to charge for those things. You want to think about revisions. Say you're offering two rounds of edits. Well, think about the time that these might take. Maybe you'll need some calls for those to talk through those. You want to think about those in the time that That it's going to take for you to do this entire project. This foresight can help set a rate that covers your effort in a comprehensive way. Remember to set aside a portion of your fee for taxes. I would recommend, although this is not financial advice, I'm not a CPA, but I typically will do 25 to 30 percent because I know that as a freelancer, we're responsible for our own taxes and it looks different than a W 2 employee. You also want to consider your overhead expenses. So what does it take for you to be in business? Your subscription software and other tools essential to your business. These are all costs of goods sold. So when you're determining your fee, reflect on the complexity and niche of the service, the turnaround time that's required, the number of people involved in the project's approval. Since you're running a business, when you're coming up with your fee, you need to factor in costs that you bear independently. For example, we don't get paid time off. We don't get sick days, health insurance, or disability benefits. So these elements, you really need to think about them when you're coming up with your project fees. You also want to be realistic about the time that you need to complete a task. It's easy to underestimate the time that something will take. It's easy to not think of all of the things that might cause a project to overrun due to unexpected meetings or change requests. So you need a project fee that not only covers your cost and time, but leaves wiggle room and leaves room for profit. After all, Business isn't sustainable without profit. Use these elements to calculate a project fee that fairly compensates your expertise, your effort, and the impact your work will have on a client's business. Now, how do we talk about this to the client? Well, it's important to really shift the narrative from simply selling a service to highlighting the benefits and the impact that your work will bring. You want to talk about the potential outcomes of your work. For example, if we're thinking about the personal injury attorney. Illustration, you would say things like this lead magnet can continuously attract new clients from your firm, even while you sleep, potentially resulting in significant revenue gains. It's all about framing your service, not as a cost, but as an investment for the client. Again, you're not just selling your time or a specific task. You're offering a solution that adds value to your client's business. When you can demonstrate how your work translates into tangible benefits, whether it's saving money or generating revenue or providing a competitive advantage, you're positioning yourself as an invaluable asset as a consultant, not just a service provider. Now let's talk about negotiation. One of the biggest pieces of negotiation that not a lot of people talk about is the homework element. And a lot of the activities that we've spoken about. So thus far, like looking at the market rates and considering the time that it's going to take for you to do the project and the impact the project is going to have on your client's bottom line. All of these points are things that you can include in your negotiations to show that you've done your homework. You can even provide the client some of this information because sometimes the client doesn't They don't really know what the going rate is for different freelance projects. They may not understand all of the steps that it takes to get to that final product. So if you just give them the price, they're going to have probably some sticker shock and you want to. Have your information ready to go so you can walk them through the process so that they can have confidence that you know what you're doing and they can understand clearly everything that goes into the project and what it's going to do for them. Remember, negotiation and freelancing is not just about price. You can also negotiate, say the deadline. You want to think about the scope of work. It's really important to clearly define what the project entails and equally what it doesn't entail. This can help you prevent scope creep and ensure that you're compensated for any additional work that goes beyond the initial agreement. Another key aspect is the terms, the rights for the piece. For example, with some writing pieces, you can negotiate to be able to do reprints later after a specific time. You want to determine who holds the copyright. Whether it's transferred to the client upon payment, or if you retain certain rights, these can have substantial implications for your future use of the work. Negotiating the payment terms is also really important. So you want to think about the payment schedule, including the upfront deposit, whether Which I definitely recommend getting a deposit, any interim payments at specific milestones, as well as the final payment. Think about the due dates, about late fees, about your payment policies, have a cancellation policy as well, or a kill fee for articles. It's vital to have terms in place just in case something happens. These elements are all negotiable and they shape the overall value in terms of a freelance project. When you negotiate these terms, again, you protect yourself. Of course, you protect the client and you also foster clear and mutual understanding, and this can lead to a healthier working relationship. Now you're ready to present your proposal to the client. Well, for very significant projects that are more longterm, like a white paper or a website overhaul, I really suggest having a meeting with the client. This can be via zoom or Google Hangouts, but during this meeting I would walk the client through the proposal, highlighting key points and the value you bring. This face to face interaction, even if it's virtual. Provides an opportunity for immediate feedback and questions. You can clarify things for your client and build rapport. Also little things like using words like investment instead of price or cost. They're little, but they do make an impact. They can help you shift the client's perspective and help them see your services as a value add to their business rather than just an expense. Also, when you're presenting your proposal, you want to be clear and concise about what's included, like I mentioned with the scope. Emphasize any unique aspects or benefits of your service. If there are different package options, this is a great time to explain them and to make sure that You answer any questions, outline the value that each brings, visual aids, examples of past work, testimonials, all that is super impactful and they especially are valuable if they illustrate successful outcomes that are similar to what the client's looking for. Now, after you've had the meeting, that's when I think you should email your proposal or your quote. A quote typically is for something that's more one off like a blog, whereas your proposal might be for a package., services or retainer, it gives them something concrete to refer back to something in writing and it solidifies the discussion points that you had from your meeting. Remember, the way that you present your proposal is as much a part of the negotiation as the actual numbers. It's about selling the experience and expertise that you bring to the table. Not just the deliverables. What if they push you back? What if they tried to get you to come down on price? Dealing with client pushback is common during negotiations, and it's a natural part of the business process. It's really important to understand that it's not Always a reflection of your work as a person or how they value you as a professional. Remember, just like us, clients are looking to maximize their value at the minimal cost they can get it. This is a basic principle of business. So Keep this perspective in mind and try to remove the emotion from the equation so that you can approach negotiations more objectively. First, you want to listen to the feedback. It shows respect, of course, for their viewpoint, but it also gives you vital information that you need in your response. Remember, negotiation is not a confrontation. It's a dialogue. It's a conversation. Maintaining your composure is key. If you feel your emotions rising, take a moment to pause and breathe. This simple act can help you feel calm and collected. Approach the situation with the understanding that you're negotiating a specific project or service, not your personal worth. You can reassert your value in a respectful, kind, and professional manner. Highlight the unique benefits and results your work will bring to their project. Use facts and examples to reinforce your points. Be flexible when you can to find a middle ground that respects your worth and the client's budget. Now, there are certain times when it makes sense to walk away. If a client's budget truly does not align with the value that you provide, it's okay to politely decline. There's a fine line between negotiating and straight up undervaluing your work. Just because this specific client is not in a position to compensate you for the work that you're offering. It doesn't mean that other clients won't. Sometimes it's just about the budget, but other times you might have a spidey sense when you're negotiating with a client that could represent that you're seeing some red flags. These are things like unrealistic demands, such as expecting a reasonable turnaround time for complex projects or a scope of work that far exceeds the compensation offered. Straight up disrespect towards your time and expertise, such as repeatedly missing meetings or disregarding your recommendations. These can be other red flags and a general lack of clarity, especially in terms of project goals and expectations can also signal potential difficulties down the road. If a client doesn't know what they want. You're really set up to fail. There's no way that you can give them what they want because they don't know what they want. Understanding how to gracefully walk away from such situations is really important. Remember, every interaction is a reflection on your brand. You want to maintain your professionalism and approach the situation with courtesy. You can say things like, I appreciate your interest, but I feel that my services may not align well with the needs of this project. Or given the scope of this project, I believe you might benefit from a different type of service provider. The key is to leave the door open for future opportunities while firmly declining the current proposal. You always want to thank them for their consideration and leave the conversation on a positive note. This way you protect your brand and professional reputation. And Well, also respecting what the client needs. So we've talked about a whole lot today. Remember, freelancing isn't just about flexibility and freedom. It's about empowering you to take control of your financial destiny, especially in a world where wage disparities remain a significant challenge. While freelancing isn't a universal solution, it offers unique opportunities, especially for those most affected by the pay gaps. As we continue to push change. Forward in both the corporate world and government sectors, it's important to remember that our own actions like negotiating our worth and openly discussing compensation can help us bridge the gap by empowering ourselves and each other. We're not only fostering individual success, but we're also contributing to a broader movement toward equality and fairness in the workplace. Thank you so much for joining. Me today, remember that every step that you take toward asserting your value and seeking fair compensation is a step toward a more equitable and professional world. Keep pushing forward, keep advocating your worth, and let's continue to support one another. And with that, we've come to the end of another episode. Please make sure you hit subscribe and give me a five star review on Apple. Check out the show notes and grab my free Niches Get Riches freelance writing worksheet to brainstorm the best niches for your writing business. Until next time, this is Ashley Cisneros Mejia. Don't forget, we all get this one, Don't constrain yourself to a box that you were never meant to fit in. It is your right to profit from your own creative gifts. Our music was composed by Donna Raphael of World Instrumentals. Talk Freelance to Me is a product of Phoenix Creative Studio.