Latest / Freelance Careers with Fexingo: Independent Work, Consulting, and Self-Employment / Raising Freelance Rates by Offering a Project Retrospective
Transcript
- Lucas: So, Luna, you know how we're always talking about raising rates, and usually it's about pricing models or firing bad clients. Luna: Yeah, we've covered a lot of ground there. Lucas: Right. But there's one tool I keep seeing in the wild that doesn't get enough attention, and it's almost free to implement. It's the project retrospective. Luna: Like a debrief after the work's done? Lucas: Exactly. And not just for your own learning. I'm talking about sending the client a written recap of the project — what went well, what you'd do differently, what you'd recommend for their next phase. One consultant I've been following started doing this after every engagement, and within six months, she'd raised her rate by 20 percent on a repeat contract with a client who'd read her recap. Luna: That's a big jump. So the retrospective is the hook? Lucas: Yeah. The consultant's name is Maya. She's a branding consultant, works with small B2B companies. She told me the retrospective started as a way to organize her own thoughts before she moved on to the next project. But then a client forwarded it to a colleague, and that colleague reached out for a quote. Luna: So it doubled as a referral tool without her even pitching. Lucas: Exactly. And when she realized that, she started being more deliberate about it. She added a short section on what she'd recommend the client focus on next — not as a sales pitch, just as a genuine forward-looking suggestion. Luna: That's smart because it shows you're thinking about their business, not just your invoice. Lucas: Right. And that's the psychological shift. Most freelancers disappear after they get paid. Sending a retrospective signals that you care about outcomes. It reinforces the value you delivered. And it gives the client a reason to think of you again. Luna: I've had clients tell me they appreciated a post-project email I sent once, but I never made it a habit. What's the structure Maya uses? Lucas: She keeps it to one page, three sections. First, what we accomplished — she lists the key deliverables and the business impact, like 'new website traffic up 40 percent' or 'onboarding time cut by two weeks.' Second, what I'd do differently — that's the honest part, where she owns a misstep or a lesson learned. And third, what I'd recommend you tackle next — that's the forward-looking bit. Luna: I love that she includes the mistakes. A lot of people would skip that for fear of looking bad. Lucas: But it's actually what makes it credible. If everything's sunshine, it reads like marketing. The self-aware stuff is what builds trust. Maya told me that one client specifically mentioned the 'what I'd do differently' part when she proposed a follow-up project at a higher rate. Luna: She used her own retrospective as the justification for the rate increase? Lucas: Kind of. She said it made the conversation easier because the client already saw her as a partner who was invested in their success. When she quoted the higher rate, the client didn't push back — he just said, 'After reading that recap, I know you're worth it.' Luna: That's the dream, right? No awkward negotiation. Lucas: Exactly. And part of why it works is timing. She sends it within 48 hours of the final invoice. The project is fresh, the client's still thinking about the outcome, and the invoice is already paid, so it doesn't feel like a ploy to get more money. Luna: That's a good point. If you send it before they've paid, it might seem like you're holding the recap hostage. After the invoice, it's a gift. Lucas: And that's what makes it a genuine relationship-builder. You're not asking for anything. You're just delivering one last piece of value. And that's why people remember you. Luna: So do you think this works for any kind of freelance work, or is it more for consultants? Lucas: I think it adapts. A graphic designer could send a summary of the design rationale and how it performed. A copywriter could send a short report on engagement metrics. A developer could summarize what they built and why they made certain technical choices. Luna: So it's really about documenting your value in a way the client can understand and share. Lucas: Right. And it doesn't have to be long. Maya's is about four hundred words. The key is that it's specific and honest. Luna: I'm going to try this on my next project. Do you have any tips on the 'what I'd recommend next' section without making it sound like a sales pitch? Lucas: Frame it as an observation, not an offer. Like, 'If you decide to tackle X, I think Y would be a good starting point.' You're not saying 'I can do that for you.' You're just giving them a thought. Luna: That makes it feel generous. Lucas: Exactly. And sometimes that generosity is what turns a one-off client into a repeat buyer. Maya says roughly half of her repeat clients mention the retrospective as a reason they came back. Luna: Half? That's a big number. Lucas: Yeah. And she's not a special case. I've read other freelancers online who've had similar experiences. It's one of those habits that feels like extra work but pays off disproportionately. Luna: Before we get into how to actually write one, Lucas, I want to say something. This show is ad-free, and that's because of listeners like us — I mean, like them. A couple of dollars a month genuinely keeps these episodes going. If you've gotten something out of Freelance Careers, you can support us at buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo. Lucas: Yeah, we appreciate that. It's a small way to help us keep doing this. Now, back to the retrospective. The first thing to nail is the tone. You want to be professional but not stiff. Write like you'd talk to a smart colleague. Luna: Not too casual, but not corporate-speak either. Lucas: Right. And avoid any blame or defensiveness, especially in the 'what I'd do differently' section. It's not about apologizing; it's about showing you're reflective. Luna: So, like, 'I'd have started user testing a week earlier' instead of 'I'm sorry the timeline slipped.' Lucas: Exactly. And the 'what we accomplished' section should include numbers whenever possible. If you can quantify the impact, do it. Percentages, time saved, revenue generated — those are the details that stick. Luna: What about the 'recommend next' part? Should you ever mention your own services explicitly? Lucas: I'd say no. Keep it as a genuine recommendation. If they want to hire you, they'll ask. Maya has a rule: never pitch in the retrospective. It's the one place where you're purely giving. Luna: That's counterintuitive, but I get it. It's like the more you give, the more they want to work with you. Lucas: And that's the underlying principle. When you're trying to raise rates, you're not just asking for more money. You're building a case for why you're worth more. A retrospective is evidence. It shows you're a strategic partner, not just a pair of hands. Luna: So, for anyone listening who's about to finish a project, what's the one action you'd suggest? Lucas: Before you move on to the next thing, set aside thirty minutes and write a one-page retrospective. Send it to your client within two days. Even if you don't plan to raise rates, it's a habit that will pay off in referrals and repeat business. Luna: And if you're worried about the time, think of it as part of the project deliverable — it's the final touch that makes your work memorable. Lucas: Exactly. It's the last thing they see, and it's the thing they'll remember when they think of you. Luna: I'm looking forward to trying this. I'll let you know how it goes. Lucas: Please do. And next time, we'll dig into how to handle it when a client asks for a discount after reading your retrospective.