A recorded pricing workshop sat in my freelancer Slack for weeks before I finally watched the last chunk of it over lunch. The part that stuck: most people answer the rate question the second it’s asked, and that’s where they end up talking themselves down.
Tried it on a client inquiry a few days later — said my rate, then let the silence sit instead of jumping in with “but we can adjust that.” Counted to 10 in my head before adding anything else.
Didn’t change the clients who already push back on everything, still sorting invoices from a couple of them this week, but that one pause is sticking better than most things I try to pick up.