Brighten Your Career Prospects With An Online Degree In Communication

Freelance business gives you the luxury of being your own boss, but it also comes with its share of responsibilities. Unlike regular employment, where you are paid a monthly or weekly salary to concentrate on your work and deliver on your specific job responsibilities, freelancing requires you to handle all core and non-core aspects of the project, including quoting a price for the project.

Setting the price of your freelance services is a tough decision. Apart from determining the actual cost of performing the work, you also need to set a reasonable margin for your profit. Pricing both the costs and your profit is certainly not a very easy thing to do. What you may consider a reasonable sum for your work, may not always be as obvious to your client. This is then the start of negotiations with your client around pricing.

Refusing to meet your clients' bargaining pleas is always an option, but might result in your client walking away from you. After all, you may be one of many freelancers who can do the same or similar job. Nearly always, you will want to secure a particular project, and you will need to negotiate pricing or terms in order to get a contract with the client. Here are some tips that will help you negotiate in a professional manner with your client and secure a contract:

Let your Clients Make the First Move
Here's a trade secret - The party that asks for a change to standard terms has less leverage in the negotiation. Therefore, give your client your standard terms and pricing. Then let your clients make the first move and start the negotiation process if they don't like your terms or pricing. This will also give you a clear idea about the pricing they have in mind for the project.

Consider Other Factors apart from the Price
Remember... Price is not the only thing that you can negotiate upon. Rather, take a more holistic approach and consider other aspects of the project that you can make negotiate. If you think you cannot be flexible with your pricing, think of other aspects, such as payment terms, time frames, milestone payments, deliverables, number of hours you will dedicate to the project, altering the scope of the project, subcontracting part of the project etc



Identify the Reason for Negotiation
Spend some quality time researching about your prospective clients and try to find out what they will most want to negotiate. Don't always assume that price is the most important thing for them. More often than not, they may be okay with the price but skeptical about other aspects of the project, such as scope of the project, payment schedules, timelines etc. Try to identify these things upfront and address them in negotiations.

Dissect and Show
Don't expect your clients to immediately understand what they are paying for. One of the most common reasons clients want to negotiate is that they feel they might not get services worth the price you have quoted. So, follow the 'dissect and show' approach. When you quote your price, make it a point to break down the price into various slabs and explain to the client exactly what you are offering for that price. This will help you close to your initial quote.

Don't Try to Defeat the Client
Remember, the negotiation process is not a win-or-lose game where you need to beat the client or vice-versa. Rather, try to come to a mutually beneficial situation where both the parties are happy about the deal. This is what paves the way for more long-term relationships with your clients. If a client feels they have 'lost' in the negotiation, or that they're paying too much, this will not set a good tone for the rest of your working relationship.

Disclaimer Sabra Easterday is the owner and founder of MatchB2B. Sabra is also a lawyer with a special interest in business issues and e-marketplaces. Notwithstanding that Sabra Easterday is a lawyer, nothing in this article and no services of MatchB2B or its website are legal services and no attorney-client relationship exists between any reader of this article or user, customer or potential customer of MatchB2B, and MatchB2B, its website or Sabra Easterday.



Communication plays a major role in any industry. If you have superior communication skills and expertise, then there are greater chances for you to succeed in any profession. That is why you should seriously consider getting a communication degree. Fortunately, it is easy to find an online college today that confers an online degree in communication. It does not matter whether you are an employee or a business owner. Your superior knowledge in the art and science of communication will give you a definite edge over your competitors. In other words, the key to become successful is to know how a communication degree can advance your career.

There are numerous career paths open for you if you get an online degree in communication. A college degree in communication can bring you closer to the business sector which has a constant need for qualified communication specialist. You can also pursue a career in human relations and human resource development. If you have excellent knowledge of the science of communication, then you will be effective in sales, customer service, public relations, social and public services, and politics. Your skills will also be needed in advertising, publishing, mass media, and consulting services. These are some of the few options available for you if you have a college degree in communication science.

You may be surprised to know that there are so many famous and successful people who hold communication degrees. Celebrities, media moguls, many career executives and famous politicians started their careers as communication specialists. That is why you can brighten your prospects if you get a college online degree in communication. The good news is that online universities and colleges can offer highly specialized communication courses. For example, you can take a special course on media productions and advertising so you can get a career position in advertising agencies. You might also pursue a broadcasting career by earning a broadcast communication degree. There are lots of options available for you. The only thing you need to do is to choose which online course will give you the best benefit.


When you enroll in an online college, you will study the science of listening, creative thinking, public speaking, and communication management. You will get balanced education in general sciences, liberal arts, social sciences, and advanced communication courses. Normally, online colleges and universities offer four-year degree courses on communication. When you finish your first 2 years of education, you will earn an Associate degree in communication. After four years of study, you are now qualified to get your undergraduate online degree in communication science.

The good news is that online colleges and universities also offer advanced courses and degrees. After your undergraduate studies, you may want to pursue a Masters degree or a PhD in communication science. You can also take special certification courses or a post baccalaureate diploma for highly specialized studies. Online colleges and universities will give you greater educational opportunities so you can pursue higher education that will further boost your communication career.