Hello again; Today I want to talk about an important subject. I want to discuss the age old fear of are you good enough. This subject came to me as i was wrestling with another problem common to all bloggers and that is what to charge. I hope hearing my thoughts will help you with your own inner discussion.
When I first started blogging with the new website, I wasn’t sure people would want to read my posts much less hire me for coaching or speaking. I set the blog up on a free platform so i wouldn’t have to invest the time and money of choosing and filing for a domain name as well as creating a new site. I was pleasantly surprised to find out that not only do people like my posts but quite a few of my readers say they depend upon them and look forward to them. So, I moved over to word press and continue to be impressed by the response of my readers. But that brings me to the subject of coaching and what to charge for it.
I don’t have any formal training as a coach or mentor. I plan to draw on my own experiences to motivate and inspire clients. For this reason I decided not to charge for the service. I figured I can do it for free for a while and find out if I like it and if I am any good at it. I put it out there that I was available. I especially promoted it among the blind and visually impaired community. So far, I have had only one response, and he did not return for a second session.
Investing in yourself
I started thinking about the whole idea of offering a service for free, and it reminded me of a seminar I went to in 1984. I was in a college prep summer program in Austin, and they had someone from one of the guide dog organizations come around to give a talk. I decided against getting a dog. But the thing I remember from the talk was that anyone wanting a guide dog would have to raise $250 on their own to take part in the program. They said that people are far more likely to work the program and respect the dogs if they have to invest in them in the beginning.
Then, I thought back to the classes I had to take prior to having the gastric surgery. My insurance company told me I had to go, but then they refused to pay for them. Each class cost me $30 out of pocket. At that time any sum was difficult. But we always managed to come up with it along with the gas money for the trip to downtown Houston and the fees for parking. I knew I needed the surgery, and I had to take the classes to get the procedure done. At the end we also had a $100 consultation with a psychologist. The investment turned out to be a great one for my future health and well being.
How to set prices
So, with that in my mind, I thought about articles I have read where personal development experts say that a person has to be willing to invest in themselves if they truly want to grow as a person. I had already decided to start charging for coaching, but the question then becomes how much. I asked a few of my friends who do this how they came to their fees, and they told me to read blogs from coaches and see how they go about setting prices.
I did this, and I found posts that talked about income targets, billable hours, non billable hours, other expenses, etc. I found a few posts that talked about finding a number that speaks to you. I thought this sounded more like me, but it still didn’t answer the question.
I finally decided that it comes down to what am I worth. What I mean is do I believe I can help people. If I can help people, then what should that be worth to them. No matter what price I set some will say its too high and others will avoid me because its too low. Since there is no right answer, I finally decided to check out the rates of some of my blogging friends who do consulting or coaching.
Knowing I am worth it
It may have taken a lot of encouragement from my friends in the blogging world, but I now know that I am just as good as a lot of others out here. I may not have a fancy certificate or college degree, but I have life experience, a positive attitude, and a good story. So, I believe I am as good as my friends Adrienne Smith, Robin Hallett, Lorraine Reguly, and Ashley Faulkes to name a few. And I believe they would agree with me on this. They would probably also say that they were surprised to hear me say so myself.
The new rates
I have decided upon $50 per 30 minutes with a 30 minute minimum. I will offer a 30 minute free session to discuss what the potential client can expect from me during the process. A client can work with me as often or as rarely as they feel they need it. I will answer some questions by email, and I don’t plan to be obsessive about a few extra seconds or minutes unless I feel I am being abused. This will all take effect on September 1st, so people still have one week to get in a free session.
As things progress I hope to need to raise the fees. I am still working on an ebook, and when it comes out; I plan to offer it with email support and a certain number of coaching sessions. And from time to time I may offer a special to my email subscribers like when my friend Robin has her pay what you can days.
Are you worth it?
So, the question you have to ask yourself is do you help people. Because if you can say yes to that question, then you deserve to be rewarded for the time, effort, and courage it took to offer your help in the first place. If you provide a service such as website creation, online marketing, blog writing or editing, etc; then you have to decide you are worth what you charge. You probably won’t deep down because most of us have trouble with knowing our own worth. If you spend hours, weeks, or months developing an online course or writing an ebook, you have to decide that it is worth what you are charging for it. Its not easy. And most every single one of us will pick a number that is too low.
Like most things we do in blogging this will be a learning experience for me. I may have done it wrong, but at least I did it. I picked a number and announced it to the public. I may get too many clients because my rates are too low. I may still not get any clients at all because people don’t see how someone offering services at these prices could possibly help them. I will reevaluate and adjust as I go. I’ll end this section with something my dad used to say. He always said you can always come down on a price, but its very hard to raise your prices once you have set them.
Something to think about
Do you struggle with self worth and setting prices? Like me, do you worry about your clients and customers or potential ones and their ability to pay? Do you have those times in the middle of the night when you wonder if you are really worth what you are charging. Wen you read about online courses and personal coaching sessions costing hundreds or thousands of dollars; do you think that’s insane. Do you think that could never be me? I recently won an hour with Ryan Levesque. He charges $500 an hour with a minimum of two or four sessions per month depending on the plan people choose. I’m not mentioning it to brag. I’m mentioning it because I wonder if you thought can anyone be worth that? Or did you think maybe I could charge that someday. Personal one on one coaching is your most involved service, so what I have read says it should be your most expensive offering.
The lesson here
If you have been reading my posts for a while now, you know I’ve just recently accepted my roll as an inspiration to others. Now that I have, I want to help as many people as i can. In order to do this successfully i do have to make a living from it at some point. This is the case for all of us. We can only do so much for so many for so long without earning a paycheck from it in some form or fashion. And in order to stay satisfied with the process we have to sell our products and services at prices that match the amount of time, effort, energy, passion, etc that we put into them.
So I encourage you to take a long look at yourself and your business. I hope you will decide you are at least worth what you are currently charging. Some of you are at the point where you should be charging more. Some of you are actually past that point and are reluctant to raise your prices out of fear of lost income or because you are concerned about existing clients ability to pay. But you have to respect yourself and your work enough to charge a fare price. People need you. But you can’t continue to help them if you don’t respect yourself enough to charge what you are worth. I know its hard. I am still learning myself. I hope we can learn together.
When I decided to write this post, I wondered what people would think. I imagine some who read it will be thinking what has he done to have a say on something like self worth and setting prices. And my answer is I am not an expert on this and don’t think I claimed to be. Like all my posts, I just thought it would help my readers for them to know that I struggle with the same things that keep them up at night. I don’t have all the answers especially in the area of what to charge. But I believe in taking whatever steps I can each day; and this is my way of setting an example for my readers.
Sharing is caring
I hope you got something positive out of reading this. If you did, then please share it with your friends, family, and coworkers. I am sure that you know at least one person who needs to be reminded that they are worthy and should be rewarded for their efforts to help others. I hope to see some of you posting it on social media. And if you do, please try to remember to tag me in the post. I know I don’t always do it or do it properly, but I am working on it. 🙂 I love getting those email alerts, and I imagine you do to; so I’ll do better. And email subscription or small contributions are also ways you could show your appreciation.
I am always happy to hear from my readers. Its by connecting with people through emails and blog commenting that I have learned a lot of what I am sharing. Its also how I have received opportunities to be interviewed or be a guest on another person’s site. I’m here for you. Let’s talk soon. Thanks and take care out there, Max
Join My Awesome Community!
Simply fill out your name and email today!
Max, I think that your willingness to help others is great. 🙂 And I think you should charge whatever you feel comfortable with. Danny Iny charges $347 for his hour-long “Borrow My Brain” session, which increased by about a hundred bucks from a year ago. So as you gain experience, get testimonials from clients, and learn your true worth, you will have to adjust your prices accordingly. I’m sure you’ll “find yourself” as you go, and I wish you much luck and success!
Lorraine Reguly recently posted…Capitalizing Nouns! #writingtips
Hi Lorraine; thanks for the encouragement. It must be something having to raise his price $100 or about 40 percent over his previous rate. And one of the driving forces behind my decision is my desire to spend more time helping people and less time doing the technical work of the website. I am at a point where I no longer get nauseous at the idea of turning over tasks to others especially when they are better trained and more experienced at it. and of course, a key ingredient is that these are people who I have come to trust. Many of them like yourself have done work for me pro bono. but I feel the need to pay my way especially as I plan to ask for more and more help. so, to do this, I need to generate more income either through donations, coaching or speaking fees; and hopefully an ebook or other products. I look forward to working with you more my friend. Take care, max
maxwell ivey recently posted…Knowing your worth and setting prices
Hi Max,
You are an inspiration to many and you know why I say that, don’t you? 🙂
So, though this question may be addressed to all of us about what you should charge and whether you are worth it or not, please know that you are! I can understand that it’s not easy to figure out exactly how much one should charge as one starts something new like this, especially when one’s been offering free advice all this while, but you have to start someday eventually. It’s a similar situation I would soon land up in, once I end my coaching lessons too, so one can relate.
People charge differently and to each their own. I think what you plan charging is very reasonable, which you can gradually increase later, as time goes by and you gain experience. I wish you the best with all that you plan and I am sure it’s going to work well with you.
Thanks for sharing. Have a nice week ahead 🙂
Harleena Singh recently posted…How Many Hours Should You Work Per Week
Hi Harleena; I do know why you see me as an inspiration, and its a blessing to be able to do that for such a capable intelligent confident woman like yourself. I did try offering for free for a while with no success, and I thought the fees sounded reasonable. But then I thought my idea of ten percent of a ride sale sounded reasonable too. 🙂 You don’t want to read some of the early replies I got to that idea. However, I did eventually find a comfort zone of ten points for a single item five for three or more and for a few respected clients I will add my fee to their asking price. I should have mentioned that in this post. and just like with the midway I will eventually find a number that works. The difference is with coaching I may at some point need to and be able to raise the prices. However, I am still hopeful that the ebook and a video course I have in mind will help a lot with that. I appreciate your faith in me, and the encouragement is always welcome. I look forward to us growing together. Take care my friend. xoxo max
maxwell ivey recently posted…Knowing your worth and setting prices
This is the most difficult of topics. I struggle with these same questions when it comes to my writing. I feel less than because I don’t have some fancy degree and then you hear how even people with those struggle to make something with their lives. I don’t know if all the time and effort is really worth it in the end sometimes. I am battling right now with the idea I have for travel writing/blogging. I started my HerHeadache blog when I knew I wanted to share my writing, but nothing else was figured out. Now I want to branch off, but don’t know how to go about it. It is all so frustrating. I hope we can, both of us, get these things figured out soon. 🙂 Have a good week and thanks for this post.
Hi Kerry; I hope the post did help you. Sometimes its enough to know other people have the same problem. I think you are doing a great job with gradually expanding into travel writing. I loved your posts on visiting the museum and can’t wait for part three. I am actually thinking of using your example and writing some posts about past travels because my plans to travel for my business aren’t going as well as I would like either. The problem is your posts need to get more readers and comments. for example did you send your posts about the museum to the museum and ask them to read them? perhaps they have a face book or other social media pages where you could post links to them. I’m sure they would like any post that makes them look good and yours do. I would also try the social media sites for your local and regional newspapers, radio stations, and television stations. they are often keen to do stories on local people whether or not you mention being blind when you ask. I even sent some of my posts to some of the national morning and talk shows. I didn’t get any replies, but i didn’t get any nasty emails telling me not to do it again. I don’t know if you have an email sign up form on your site, but if you don’t; then you should. and you can use feed burner to start if you like. its free. also mail chimp is free until you exceed 2000 readers but i couldn’t get past their sign up screen on my own. I would love to talk sometime. I know we are both going to be successful personally and financially. Its just a matter of time sweetie. take care, Max
Geez. A guy charges $500 for an hour session and you have to commit to two to four. I would never buy that. I wouldn’t pay over $200 for therapy from a trained professional. I think anything over $100 for a coaching session might be a little too much.
As a coach I don’t believe you have to worry about renting a space because you are probably doing it through skype or phone. You don’t have to pay a bunch of money to insurance in case you get sued. You probably don’t have to pay a lawyer to draft up legal documents for you. You didn’t have to go to school for multiple years to get a degree.
I agree that it is important to examine your self-worth and to believe in yourself. I hope it goes well for you and I send positive vibes your way.
Hi Sebastian; I about fell over when i first read that on his site. But then my friend Lorraine told me of one she knows who recently raised his rates from 250 to 350 for an increase of 40 percent. And I get what you are saying about a psychologist or psychiatrist having to have more formalized more expensive training as well as their requirements of having an office and some very expensive insurance. As I found many people charging much more, I’m hoping that the modest amount of $50 per hour if they take a whole hour will be attractive to people. If they pay for that first half hour so that they can take it with the 30 minute evaluation session they could say they got an hour for $25. 😉 thanks for your positive thoughts and encouragement. I know you are pulling for me. And I hope your book is doing well. Take care my friend, Max
maxwell ivey recently posted…Knowing your worth and setting prices
I think the 50 dollars an hour is reasonable. $350 is ridiculous. It makes me shake my head and I will keep an open mind in regards to them and not judge. To each their own. I know I would want people to keep an open mind to what I do so I try to do the same. : D
Goodluck Max!
Sebastian Aiden Daniels recently posted…How to Live with Chronic Suicidal Thoughts and Urges
Hi Sebastian; It makes me feel better hearing that you think the fee is reasonable. and i love your philosophy. right if we want people to see us with an open mind and heart we have to do the same. take care, max
maxwell ivey recently posted…Good health makes me a better blogger part 1
Well I applaud your courage and getting out there to see what works! Personally, I don’t think many people really value things that they DON’T pay for! So this may work out very well for you Max! I’ll be interested to see your progress and wishing you the very best in this and all of your endeavors!
Jacqueline Gum (Jacquie) recently posted…Knowledge…Where’s The Justice?
Hi Jacqueline; I appreciate your positive thoughts. I think you are correct that most people don’t value anything they get if they didn’t pay for it in some way. I’ve been told I’m unusual about this. I am grateful and work hard to use everything I have received from wonderful friends like you who have shared knowledge, talents, and skills for free to help me get this far. Hoping to have some good news to share with you soon. Take care friend, Max
maxwell ivey recently posted…Knowing your worth and setting prices
Well Max I will be really interested to see how this new endeavor works out for you. I have little doubt you will pull it off as that seems to be your way; persistence. I am with you on self-evaluation. It is a difficult thing to estimate. Best of luck Max.
Tim recently posted…Trekking and Eating in Ubud
Hi Tim; well, I appreciate your confidence in me. I imagine I will need it. My dad used to say the reason we always made it to the next town was we didn’t know how to quit. He used to say that the ivy’s may not be winners but we aint quitters. He also used to say that we may not look pretty doing it, but we will get the rides there by opening. thanks again and take care, Max
maxwell ivey recently posted…Knowing your worth and setting prices
Hi Max, Thanks for sharing a valuable piece of self-reflection and personal growth. Knowing your worth is hugely important and is something that includes your customers. The value you bring to their lives is an important consideration that goes beyond your own perceptions of what your time is worth. You have made a great start. The rest will come as you fully embrace your new status as an inspirational leader.
Sue Hines recently posted…4 Small Steps to Radical Change
Hi Sue; thanks so much for these words. I respect you as someone who has a similar philosophy and who has been doing this for a long time. I feel it is just a matter of time before the seeds I am planting show fruit. I am a person who wants to help people. And as you say things will get easier as I continue to embrace this new roll. Thanks for the encouragement my friend. Take care, Max
maxwell ivey recently posted…Knowing your worth and setting prices
Hello Max,
I’ve learned one valuable lesson in my blogging days that people don’t value free consultation as they do in paid consultation.
Charging 25$ as consultation fee is very much okay, and as Lorraine said, with time you can increase the price if the turn up is going great.
Thanks. and do have a wonderful week ahead…
Babanature recently posted…My top 5 Plus 3 Antivirus Every Blogger Should Use
thanks for the vote of approval. It helps a lot. for some reason I am having trouble entering comments on your and adrienne smith’s blog. when i start typing in the field for my comment it goes away and i can’t get it back. have there been any changes to comment luv premium? thanks again for your support and encouragement, max
maxwell ivey recently posted…Knowing your worth and setting prices
Hello again Max,
i configured my commentluv not to accept comments from bloggers that does not have a gravatar enabled email. With that, it helps reduce the spam comments i receive 🙂
Babanature recently posted…My top 5 Plus 3 Antivirus Every Blogger Should Use
Hi; yes but i had a friend check and my gravitar is enabled for my email. I’ll try again to leave a comment. thanks, max
maxwell ivey recently posted…Knowing your worth and setting prices
Figuring out what to charge for a service can be a challenge, especially when you are starting out. It is true that many people don’t see value in something that is free and are suspicious of the value if price is perceived as too low. And yet you don’t want to set a price too high to drive people away. Good luck. I’m sure you’ll settle upon the appropriate pricing and can adjust as your practice grows.
Hi Donna; It is great to hear my friends stopping by to encourage me on this issue. It is a hard one to sort out especially in the beginning as you say. so far everyone agrees setting a price was a good move. and most of them site the same reason that people just don’t respect anything they get for free. thanks so much, max
maxwell ivey recently posted…Knowing your worth and setting prices
I think there are two sides of the coin. Yes people will take you more seriously if you charge for your services, but throwing a bone here in there can’t hurt either. Now that you are charging for your services you need to move beyond your bloggers and reach more people through social media and SEO on your site. Best of luck to you.
Arleen recently posted…How to Make a Big Impression with a Small Promotion: Oreo Mini Delivery
Hi Arleen; You are so right. I need to take advantage of social media more to promote the service. Its just like everything else you have to promote, promote, promote; and then promote some more. 🙂 I think I may have read that on your blog. I have already made a special offer to anyone who commented on my guest post at aha now. and I am doing a podcast interview on sunday where i will make another special offer. They will be specific and time sensitive. and once I build up the email list for the new site i will throw a bone out there as you said. thanks for the support and encouragement, max
maxwell ivey recently posted…Knowing your worth and setting prices
I’m so happy for you Max for moving forward!
It’s a different kind of emotional investment when you pay someone for the help. The fact is, the more you’re ready to invest, the better results you actually get.
Eve Koivula recently posted…Business Basics: WTF, LOL and K.I.S.S.
Hi Eve; I can always count on my blogging friends to help me feel more confident. and this is one of those areas where I doubt there is anyone who doesn’t feel a bit nervous. I was hoping to at least get a couple clients during the free period so i would have a testimonial or two to include before starting to charge for my services. thanks again and take care, Max
maxwell ivey recently posted…Knowing your worth and setting prices
Well said, Max!
There needs to be an exchange, otherwise it is difficult for the one needing help and support to receive the help. Not always does it have to be money, still, there needs to be an exchange.
I applaud you, and trust this will be a valuable learning process.
Keep rocking it!
Robin
Robin Hallett recently posted…Here’s to the dark angels in our lives
Hi Robin; I have been following your posts for over two years now and have come to trust you so much. I agree that it is and will be an interesting learning experience. always something new to learn. blogging is rarely boring. Maybe that’s why more people don’t do it its too exciting and challenging. And I will have to remember your comment about an exchange not having to be money. thanks so much. You keep rocking it to my friend. xoxo max
Thank you Max! YES it can be an exchange like, you offer them your time in exchange for a testimonial about your coaching services… xo
Robin Hallett recently posted…Here’s to the dark angels in our lives
Hi robin; just like when an author gives a free copy of their book in exchange for a review. will definitely remember that one, max
maxwell ivey recently posted…Knowing your worth and setting prices
Max, your unpretentious, kind spirit combined with your gentle wisdom is priceless. The financial, very important for sure, is only one aspect of success. There is also the quiet gratification of knowing one is making a real difference in the lives of others. I wish you as much of both kinds of success as you would ever love to experience.
Hi Ramona; I appreciate your generous comment. And what you are saying agrees with what I have told people about myself for a while now. I believe I am a personal and professional success who is just waiting on the financial success to go along with that. And I know we have to make a living, but I think far too often new bloggers and business owners get discouraged because they don’t see the tangible rewards in the form of cash soon enough. I can tell from my comments that I have helped people and am helping them and this makes me feel good. thanks for the encouragement my friend, Max
I think your father was right!
Also, if we want others to value our services and believe that they are worth it, we have to start by believing it ourselves and pricing the services fairly but appropriately.
Farnoosh Brock produced a really good podcast on this topic – If you want to listen to it, I can hunt out the link and post it here.
Kirsty recently posted…English for Turkish speakers
Hi Kirsty; well my dad was right about a lot of things. However, he didn’t focus so much on the financial rewards. I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone who had a bad word to say about him though. and yes for others to believe in us we have to believe in ourselves first. would love to have the podcast. farnoosh is one of my favorites and an early influence on me. thanks my friend, max
maxwell ivey recently posted…Knowing your worth and setting prices
Hi Max,
Yes, Farnoosh talks a lot of sense 🙂
Here is the link to the episode of Prolific Living that I was telling you about:
http://www.prolificliving.com/communicating-pricing-offers-well/
Kirsty recently posted…English for Turkish speakers
hi kirsty; thanks for the link. farnoosh is in deed a wise woman. she is also incredibly active. She sent me part of her new affirmations audio series, and I can tell you its awesome. thanks again, max
maxwell ivey recently posted…Knowing your worth and setting prices
I have to agree with some of the other comments. If you offer something for free, people assume it isn’t worth anything. Best of luck in this endeavor. I hope it works out well for you and wish you much success!
Hi susan; yes everyone agrees that this was the wrong way to go even in the beginning. I too hope it is successful for me. I think I can help people but know it will take time. thanks for your support, max
maxwell ivey recently posted…Knowing your worth and setting prices
Back when I worked for an aviation company as their chief flight instructor (before I started my own flight school) I gave the FAA written tests for pilots. I didn’t charge the company’s employees. I remember one bright young man who took the private pilot exam, always failing it. I knew he wasn’t putting in the studying effort that was required. So I told him that he had one more chance to take it for free and after that he would have to pay the fee. He passed. That’s when I became acutely aware that people often don’t value what is too cheap. Not all people, but some. Good luck with your venture.
Beth Niebuhr recently posted…Really? I have to have a blog?
Hi Beth; rarely have I written a post where the replies were this consistent. everyone has said if they don’t pay for it they won’t want it they won’t value it if they do get it and they won’t put in the work. We’ll see how well I do. Thanks for sharing your story, max
maxwell ivey recently posted…Knowing your worth and setting prices
Another great post, Max! I feel inspired and worthy, thanks to your encouraging words. You’re right, for any self employed person the hardest thing is setting your price. That gave me more anxiety when I was starting out than anything else. I’ve since raised my prices, so I think it’s good to start somewhere and figure it out as you go. You’ll know more after you do it awhile.
Meredith Wouters recently posted…Linocut Block Printing Part 2
Hi Meredith; thanks for the encouragement. I’m glad I can inspire others. with this post i figured it was something everyone has struggled with or is struggling with right now so why not share with my readers. Its scary but not doing it would have been even worse. and you know me I’m all about taking steps. We’ll find out how well I chose soon. I want to come play with you at your house sometime. Love your craft posts, max
maxwell ivey recently posted…Knowing your worth and setting prices
Hi Max,
This is a really great post to write. So many struggle with their own self worth and what they feel someone will pay for them.
I think the only way to get past that is to build the experience and trust in yourself. Prove to yourself that people want you and that you’re worth more than you’re getting.
Then raise your prices accordingly as your demand continues to increase.
It’s up to you to create the demand. I make more money consulting and coaching than I would have ever imagined just six months ago.
It will be fun watching your journey!!!!
I hope you have a wonderful holiday weekend.
~ Don Purdum
Don Purdum recently posted…Are You Flailing Around Trying To Build A Business Online Or Are You Actively Building a Community That Will Help You Do It?
Thanks don; I appreciate your taking the time to read the post and to share your wisdom with me. and its always good to know i have more friends watching and pulling for me. I have been surprised several times by this new site. I would be happy to be surprised once again by the number of clients I am able to help and the amount of income that will come from it. Now, I just need to find my first one. so, as we used to say on the midway step right up? whose next? because even if you just opened up for the day you didn’t want them thinking they were the first. In this case people will know I’m new. They should also know that I have a lot of life experience to draw on to help them take th steps they need to become the person they are meant to be. thanks again and have a great weekend, max
maxwell ivey recently posted…Knowing your worth and setting prices
Many freelancers just getting started seem to run into this issue. Setting a price point can be such a delicate process, especially when there are so many qualified people for potential clients to choose from. It seems you’re taking all the right steps, especially in putting yourself out there and making a lot of connections with other people.
Jeri recently posted…4 Invaluable Tips for Indie Authors
Thanks Jeri; I’m sure you know that it always helps to have friends who can confirm when you are doing it right. I have been doing my best to use my social media networks and email lists to spread the word. I hope this is the first of many steps forward on the journey. take care my friend, max
maxwell ivey recently posted…Knowing your worth and setting prices
Hi Max – another great post. It seems odd to me that people have a hard time accepting something for nothing – that’s my favourite past time. However, you are right – people are more likely to put in an effort if it costs them – I like your idea of setting the price and then offering a free consultation, something like a bonus. Good luck but I’m sure with your perseverance, luck will matter less than your get up and go.
Lenie
Lenie recently posted…Back-to-School…Ready, Set, GO
Hi Lenie; I love reading your comments even more than I enjoy reading your posts. They always remind me to just keep doing it and good things will come. I have been told by several online friends who have helped me in one way or another that I am rare in that I seem to truly appreciate services I have gotten for free. I guess its just that I was raised to be thankful for what you have. And to me it would be disrespectful not to take full advantage of teaching even when free. 🙂 Of course, I also have a harder time investing cash money. but that is another subject and one I am working on. thanks again my friend, Max
maxwell ivey recently posted…Knowing your worth and setting prices
Time is money. I don’t think there is anything wrong with charging. People should definitely know their worth. Sometimes we short change ourselves.
Jason B recently posted…My Go Fund Me Experiment Results
Hi Jason; thanks for the comment. I think part of this was also an earlier lack of confidence in my ability to perform the service. the more comments I have gotten telling me how I have inspired or motivated someone to do this or start that has improved my faith in my own ability. the price is reasonable now we’ll see if anyone has the good sense to take me up on it. 🙂 thanks again and take care, Max
maxwell ivey recently posted…Knowing your worth and setting prices
Max, I’m glad you figured out how to get what you deserve. Sometimes it is hard to take those steps but they are necessary and they will pay off.
hi Miekka; thanks for your kind encouraging thoughts. It is all part of our journey. each lesson comes in its own time and learning about setting my rate was finally time. now we’ll see who will be my first client. thanks so much for your support my friend. xoxo max
maxwell ivey recently posted…Knowing your worth and setting prices
Max – People don’t seem to appreciate anything that is free these days. The general perception is that anyone who can command such a high rate must be good!! It is difficult setting a price on your services but I am sure you will work it out.
Mina Joshi recently posted…Quick Chocolate Barfi with condensed milk (in MW)
Hi Mina; It is so true. People are more likely to believe in the ability of and pay for the services of someone charging higher rates. I will consider it a blessing to have to raise mine a year or so from now. but then to me all experiences are a blessing. take care my friend, max
maxwell ivey recently posted…Knowing your worth and setting prices
Hi Max,
My first time on your blog – having read your comment on Enstine’s blog.
That’s an interesting topic you raise and one I struggle with too. I think you are right to charge “something” and the level you have chosen is extremely reasonable.
When I need to justify my own fees to myself I compare them to the money I pay my hair-dresser – which is by no means intended to devalue hair-dressers:-)
I felt an immediate connection with you because MY Dad also makes the same comment about it being hard to raise your prices once you have set them.
Have a good weekend, Joy
Joy Healey recently posted…Essential WordPress Plugin: P3 Plugin Performance Profiler
Hi Joy; so glad to see you here on my blog. That is how we get to know new bloggers and make new friends. adrienne was one of my first teachers and she can’t stress enough the value of leaving quality comments. I love what you said about comparing your rates to those of your hair dresser. I got a good laugh out of it. but it makes perfect sense. think of something you value that costs quite a bit of money on a regular basis. My brother patrick says max you have to stop thinking of things in terms of your money. he said think of it in terms of their money. this conversation usually takes place after someone has submitted a new or used thrill ride to my other site the midway marketplace where i help people sell amusement equipment. a new carousel can cost well over half a million dollars for portable and over a million for a stationary one. Patrick also tells me I should go to the movies more often because then i wouldn’t worry about 50 bucks for an hour when it costs more than that for a family of four to go to one. he says i should also go to more concerts or sporting events or at least check their prices. well, I want to help people, so I won’t be using the price of a NFL football ticket as a guide. 🙂 And I learned a lot of good lessons from my dad. Just wish he were still around in person sharing his wisdom. thanks again for the wonderful comment. I hope to see you here more often, Max
Hey Max, I see you are pulling on even stronger. Well done on all your achievements mate. I like the post above on the issue of “worth” my pastor spoke on it a week back saying “if you do not like what your boss is paying, increase your worth”. And as you say, one needs to know their worth first, or they will continue accepting what they are not worth. All the best Max.
Welli recently posted…For whom the bell TORs
Thanks welli; Its nice when you right a post and then hear that someone’s paster or boss or other leader spoke on the same subject. I do believe I can help people and that is something I couldn’t have said or wouldn’t have just a few short months ago. take care my friend, Max
maxwell ivey recently posted…Good health makes me a better blogger part 1
Hi Max.
You are an inspiration. Sometimes we can under estimate our self worth, but we must remember that so much time and effort has been put into what we do. Thanks for this insight!
Hi Bola; So glad that I can inspire you and so many others. You are right it is hard to put a value on all the time and effort we put into getting to this point in our lives or our abilities. I realized my mistake by not setting a price. Now, I just need to get my first paying client. I appreciate your support. take care, Max p
Very informative article, Max. I am sure that there are people who are willing to engage your services, because you seem very knowledgeable, and passionate about helping others.
Jennetta Younge recently posted…Reading time! Teachers, what’s on your shelf?
Hi Jennett; Thanks for the wonderful comment. I’m glad to hear my knowledge and passion come through. Passion I am sure I have, knowledge is something that being reminded I have it is always a good thing. Thanks for your encouragement my friend. Take care, Max
Hey Max,
Great post. I don’t currently have a coaching/consulting section or offer services on my blog, but I would imagine that it would be quite a difficulty trying to figure out exactly WHAT to charge. I think many bloggers do struggle with this problem.
“And in order to stay satisfied with the process we have to sell our products and services at prices that match the amount of time, effort, energy, passion, etc that we put into them.”
You do have to account for your valuable time into the equation of what you choose to charge. But I think that when you’re passionate about helping people and they know that and see that, then they ‘ll be willing to pay almost anything .
I understand that you decided to choose $25 per 30 minutes, but I would suggest that you test various price points to see what people would be willing to pay. Maybe they’ll be willing to pay way more than that … look at that Ryan Levesque as an example. $500 an hour. Just something to consider.
– Andrew
Andrew M. Warner recently posted…A Unique Challenge To Encourage Each Of You Today
Hi Andrew; I hadn’t thought about your idea of testing the fees. How would i go about that? I’d love to hear more about it. My friend lorraine reguly who edited the coaching page told me to go with 30 per half hour because it would be simpler. thanks for the comment, Max
Hey Max,
Well I study alot about Copywriting and that’s really one technique they teach when your trying to provide a product or service. Perfect example of this right now is http://www.leadpages.net/choices .
They offer three different price ranges and within each set of prices the customer gets what’s in that package. Of course the higher the price, the more value and stuff they would get in that price range.
Now, statistics have shown that if you offer three price ranges to someone, there’s a higher chance the majority of them will choose the second one. Same as if you’re writing a sales letter and you include a P.S., and then a P.P.S. and finally a P.P.P.S … people will take action more on what that middle P.P.S. says.
Just a suggestion. Your per 30 minutes sounds good and it is simpler but perhaps when you start getting alot more clients and people to work with, you may consider testing out different prices.
– Andrew
P.S. This method I shared here is a great method to gauge the real price that people would be willing to pay for your time. The worst thing you can do is undercut yourself on the value you’re providing.
Hi andrew; thanks for sharing what you have been learning. i knew about the people choosing the middle out of three prices. think i heard it on an episode of numbers. 🙂 but i’ve been surprised by the research on post scripts. I used to think of them as unprofessional. Now, i keep trying to remind myself to use them because they do seem to work. as i understand it most people raise their coaching rates after they have automated products like ebooks audio courses video tutorials etc. I am still working on my first ebook and the plan would be to release it with a package of coaching. the one idea I’d like your opinion on is email support. the way the book is going the readers are encouraged to take certain actions and report on them via email. so i’m thinking of offering the book for one price with no support, a second with email only and a third with limited phone or Skype support. look forward to hearing your thoughts. thanks, max
maxwell ivey recently posted…Good health makes me a better blogger part 2
Very inspiring! I do think people value and learn more from the things they pay for. It’s more incentive.
Krystle Cook recently posted…Your Essential Checklist for Moving
Hi Krystle; It seems everyone agrees with you on this. and i have taken all of your helpful advice. for now its 30 bucks a half hour or a dollar a minute. I’m told that is easier to understand than the 25 per half hour i had planned on. thanks again, max
When you are giving your time .. a part of your life to others then you must get something out of it.
I feel that it is hard to do but once you take the initiative then you move up this ladder. Now you are offering your help, surely many will get it and you can collect feed back and that will help you boost your strength and also your links and price.
I wish you all the best in your future endeavor.
andleeb recently posted…VIP Culture in Pakistan.
Hi Andrew,
I am new here and I love reading your posts especially this one. I know my worth when I cause a big positive impact to others be it through my experiences or my knowledge. I believe that we can offer others our unique talents and skills, we just need to believe in our self-worth. Believing is like creating oneself anew from the inside out, living our lives with full wattage. Through sharing our talents, we would know how much we are valued.
Thanks for sharing this great post!
Patricia Anderson recently posted…9 Tips to Alleviate Pubic Speaking Jitters