You asked 'what are your rates?' and lost the deal

You asked 'what are your rates?' and lost the deal

Real talk: open-ended price questions invite their fantasy number.

The trap:
— 'send me your rates' = they aim high, you negotiate down from their ceiling

The fix:
— anchor first: 'we run X creators at $Y per post, you a fit?'
— or offer a small paid test, then scale
— small creators often say yes to product + $50 flat

Anchor the number or pay the tax. Rewrite your pitch with a number in it tonight.