Set your annual freelance rate increase with a data-backed strategy in 10 minutes

Beginner
10 min
English

Calculate a justified new hourly rate and draft a client communication plan based on your improved skills and market inflation.

Steps

  1. Open ChatGPT or Claude in your browser.
  2. Copy the prompt template below.
  3. Fill in the {variables} in curly braces with your specific freelance details.
  4. Paste the completed prompt into the AI chat and press enter.
  5. Review the proposed rates and the communication strategy.
  6. If the increase feels too high or low, reply to the AI: 'Adjust the increase to X% and rewrite the client communication.'
  7. Copy the final client communication bullet points into an email draft to send to your clients.

Prompts to Use

You are an expert freelance business consultant. I need to set my annual rate increase and structure my pricing for the upcoming year. Context: I am a {profession}. My current hourly rate is {current_rate}. I currently work about {hours_per_week} hours per week. My main skill that has improved over the past year is {improved_skill}. Constraints: Factor in an inflation rate of {inflation_rate} and a market demand increase for {improved_skill}. Output format: Provide a brief rationale (3 sentences), a new proposed hourly rate, a new project-based rate formula, and 3 bullet points on how to communicate this increase to existing clients.

Tools Used

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