How to respond when someone wants you to work for free.
Overview
Never work for free. Don’t prove your worth by delivering value for free. We value work that has a cost associated with it. Doing work for free sets a bad precedent with any client. It demonstrates you’re junior and unsure about your expertise. If you have a skill, charge for it.
Hi <Prospect>,
Thanks for thinking of me for this project. I’d love to help you out, but I’m not able to work for free.
If there’s no budget for this work, I’ll have to pass.
Please feel free to reach out in the future if there is another project you think would be a good fit and for which there is appropriate compensation.
Thank’s for your understanding.
<You>
Notes & Strategy
We value the things we pay for.
Doing work for free sets a bad precedent.
If a client sees you’re willing to work without compensation, it sets an expectation that you’ll do work in the future for little payment.
Clients will see you as an easy target—someone who can be manipulated and told what to do.
If the client dictates the terms—you lose all control.
Your job is to make potential clients understand your worth and pay you accordingly.
This is a skill that takes practice and refinement.
It’s better to lose a few jobs than to establish the toxic habit of working for free—hoping a client chooses you.
Create a mindset where you decide who to work with and you set the parameters.