Playbooks
Practical guides on contracts, money, clients and ops, written for Indian freelancers who want fewer surprises and clearer handoffs. No fluff; just what we've learned in the club.
Ask in DiscordNew to freelancing?
Start here
Three guides worth reading before your next client.
GST registration for freelancers in India
The ₹20 lakh rule, why export income counts, when to register early, and the steps on the GST portal, including the LUT for foreign clients.
9 minUpdated
Discovery calls that close
A 30-minute agenda, the questions that get you the budget and the decider, how to ask for the work, and the email to send the same day.
7 minUpdated
Master services agreement for Indian freelancers
One umbrella agreement, signed once, with each project hanging off it as a short SOW. The clauses to include and sample wording you can adapt.
9 minUpdatedPitching & pricing
Setting your rates, writing proposals, and reaching out to clients without sounding desperate.
8 playbooks
- Finding out a client's budget before you quote"A website" can mean ₹15,000 or ₹5 lakh. Read the client before you put a number on paper.7 minUpdated
- Anchoring your priceThe first number in a pricing conversation sets the frame for every number after it. Make sure it is yours.7 minUpdated
- How to price freelance work in IndiaA worked ₹ example: from what you spend each month to a day rate, a project quote, and the amount that actually reaches your bank.9 minUpdated
- Hourly, fixed price or retainerEach billing model decides who carries the risk when work takes longer. Pick the one that matches how clear the brief is.7 minUpdated
- How to write a freelance proposalA short covering message, a proposal of three to five pages written in the client's words, and a clear way to say yes. Template included.9 minUpdated
- Following up after a proposalSilence after a proposal usually means "busy", not "no". Four short emails and one WhatsApp message, then a clean stop.6 minUpdated
Negotiation & closing
Calls, pushback on price, and knowing when a client is not worth it.
3 playbooks
- When a client says your price is too highTrade, don't discount. Word-for-word replies to the three most common kinds of pushback, and the extras that cost you little.7 minUpdated
- Discovery calls that closeA 30-minute agenda, the questions that get you the budget and the decider, how to ask for the work, and the email to send the same day.7 minUpdated
- Client red flags and when to walk awayThe signs that a client will be slow to pay or impossible to please, what to do about each, and how to say no without a scene.6 minUpdated
Contracts & payments
The paperwork that gets you paid on time: agreements, scope and deposits.
4 playbooks
- Statement of work template for freelancersA full statement of work you can copy, with fees in rupees, the GST and TDS lines Indian clients expect, and the acceptance clause that gets you paid.8 minUpdated
- NDA review checklist for freelancersMost NDAs are boilerplate, a few hide a non-compete or an IP grab. A checklist, sample redlines and the email to send back.6 minUpdated
- Master services agreement for Indian freelancersOne umbrella agreement, signed once, with each project hanging off it as a short SOW. The clauses to include and sample wording you can adapt.9 minUpdated
- Deposits, milestones and payment termsAdvances that hold up, milestone splits, sensible due dates, and the 45-day rule that helps Udyam-registered freelancers get paid by Indian businesses.9 minUpdated
Client delivery
Running the work from kickoff to handover, and turning one project into the next.
11 playbooks
- How to stop scope creep without upsetting the clientPut every new ask through a short change request, and use these replies when a client says "we thought that was included".7 minUpdated
- How to package a freelance retainer and response timesRetainer tiers, a response-time promise, rules for unused hours and overflow, and a proposal for turning a trial project into monthly work.8 minUpdated
- How to turn one-time clients into repeat clientsCheck-in messages for past clients, how to ask for referrals, and how to build referral partnerships with freelancers and agencies.8 minUpdated
- How to run a remote kickoff meeting with a clientAn agenda you can paste into the invite, how to pick a slot across time zones, and the summary email that becomes your record.7 minUpdated
- How to manage a freelance project from proposal to handoverThe stages of a freelance project, what you owe the client at each one, and where most projects go sideways.7 minUpdated
- Running your freelance work in Notion and LoomOne Notion workspace for clients, projects and invoices, short Loom videos instead of long messages, and when to pick something else.8 minUpdated
Tax & money
Income tax, TDS, GST, invoices and getting paid from abroad, checked by a CA.
10 playbooks
- When a freelancer should hire a CAMany freelancers can file their own ITR-4. These are the signs you need a CA, what one costs, and what to ask first.6 minUpdated
- Udyam registration for freelancersFree and quick. What Udyam does for a freelancer (mainly faster payment from Indian businesses), and how to register without paying an agent.7 minUpdated
- TDS for freelancers in IndiaWhy your client paid ₹90,000 on a ₹1 lakh invoice, how to check the TDS reached your PAN, and how to claim it back.7 minUpdated
- Sole proprietorship, OPC or LLP for freelancersMost freelancers should stay sole proprietors. Here is how OPCs and LLPs are taxed and run, and the signs it is time to switch.7 minUpdated
- Separating your freelance money from personal moneySavings or current account, a separate UPI ID, a tax pot, a 30-minute monthly routine and a fixed transfer to yourself. The setup that makes tax time easy.8 minUpdated
- GST registration for freelancers in IndiaThe ₹20 lakh rule, why export income counts, when to register early, and the steps on the GST portal, including the LUT for foreign clients.9 minUpdated
Stay in the loop
Want new playbooks in your inbox?
We're rolling out templates and checklists for members. Get notified when we publish, or jump into Discord for drafts and discussion.