When an old client messages you for a new job at old rates, the immediate temptation is to ask for the current high rate you are earning on newer jobs; after all it would be a trade-off of your limited amount of time. And even if you tend to have an available time slot to accommodate the client and are willing to work with the client out of sheer loyalty ( yes I believe that does exist), you wonder if you should wait to hear from some of the pending job proposals submitted, which would any day be better paying than what the old client is paying.
So is a bird in hand worth two in the bush or is it that the two birds in the bush are very rare birds and they come with a bush that needs to be searched through!
The last time I chose the ‘old bird’ it turned out to be the right choice. The assignment was fun (promotional material for a Dubai based ice cream van company) and a writing style that I had not done before. So despite my initial hesitations, I rather enjoyed working again with the client.
Am faced with this dilemma again as I write this post. My instinct tells me to sleep over it and assess the situation in the clear light of day! But then again I am tempted to take the risk and play the difficult ‘waiting game’.
Which bird shall I pick? 
For the sake of posterity…here’s what happened , I asked the old bird to give a slightly higher rate ( although lower than the current rate) and voila ! The client agreed promptly. Not only have I managed to retain an old client but also manged to up the project fee !
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Great solution!! It would be hard to turn down a client who apparently liked your work enough to want to hire you again! I can’t wait until I am at that point! On a different note, let me say that math, especially simple math is not my forte. I had commented back to you saying that I have submitted 996 applications. That is very wrong. It was more like 96. I am blushing as I write this in embarrassment, but that had to be cleared. I liked one of your comments so much, though, that I featured it in a piece of my most recent post, I hope you don’ t mind!
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Hahaha…..I think staring down at a screen all day long has the strangest of influences on us, including poor calculation skills! Thanks for letting me know….cheers!
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