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Is it as simple as that?
Well, I’ve decided it is.
I don’t work for free or cheap, because making money is such an essential part of running a business. Actually… if you aren’t making money, you aren’t running a business.
You get paid for the work you do in a job, so why would the work you do in your business be any different? Before talking about how to price your products, services or any other money fundamentals you have to get comfortable with being paid. That also means being paid fairly.
This is something that I admit has taken me a while to learn. Now I am comfortable with it.
I would like you to get comfortable with it too.
Being paid doesn’t negate the other reasons I do what I do, and nor should it for you. I want to create beautiful things and I want to support other creative business owners, but I also want to be paid for doing those things.
You can love what you do (and I hope you do) and make money too.
Love and money can sit very nicely together – thank you!
Ask yourself if you are working for free, or not charging enough, because you don’t fully value what you do?
I have found If you truly value what you do you will find it a lot easier to charge good money for it. I know for myself that was really hard at the beginning, and honestly for a long time afterwards.
I felt like I was in the learning phase (not that that ever ends) and would often compare myself to others who were further along in their businesses. In addition, I would also compare myself with others that were less experienced and sold work cheaper than mine. Now I don’t do any of that.
There are many things that are unique and special about all of us.
When pricing, or just asking to be paid, I consider my own unique experiences, training, skills, personal attributes, vision and the value I am creating for others. I know this can sometimes take a while to work out in business.
If you aren’t quite there yet take some time now to think about those things. I do believe that once we can charge fairly for what we do, this will not only be good for us as individuals, but also as a community and an industry.
