The Soloprenaur dilemma - you have an idea. It keeps you awake at night, dreaming, exploring and rehearsing in our mind, what it could be like to put this awesome idea to work and create a real business model that could give you the power to create income, a better standard of living and the ability to choose your own work pattern and who knows perhaps even change the life of others in the process. Sound familiar ?
Fast forward twelve months and after the long hours of preparation you say goodbye to the 9-5 and you are now a Soloprenaur. Your dream is your reality, or is it ? Everything runs smoothly you make offers, clients accept, they place orders and you are in Solopenaur heaven, except for one flaw - payments.
You have an agreed offer, you did incredible work, the client loved what you did, however now come to payment time and your client who you have loved working with, who has loved working with you is making you feel guilty. They question your quotation. They question cost over value, cost over delivery and somehow this in turn makes you question your own self worth.
Did I over charge? Should I give them a further discount? Did I over value my own work? Did my co workers over charge for their service ? The answer to all of this is NO. We must learn to take ourselves out of the equation.
When we charge for our work some things to remember, we are not simply charging for the work we are carrying out today,we are charging for our expertise, our qualifications, our many years of experience that has given us the ability to accumulate the knowledge we have, that permits us to be an expert in our chosen field.
Overcome the guilt of charging more
The first step in charging your worth without feeling guilty is shifting your mindset, Recognizing that-
Your expertise and time have value
Higher prices often attract more serious committed clients
Under pricing yourself can lead to burn out and resentment.
When you confidently acknowledge the value you bring you will feel more comfortable charging appropriately for your service and be less likely to feel guilty for accepting the payment .
Stop competing on price and focus on value
Many Soloprenaurs lower their prices to compete with others in their industry. However, competing on price often leads to under valuing your expertise. Differentiate yourself through unique value, such as specialized skills, premium service & a strong personal brand. What can you do that your competitors can't or are not offering. Work on skills that make you stand out from the crowd.
Use value based pricing
Consider value based pricing over an hourly rate. This model ensures you're compensated for the results you provide, not just the time you spend working, For example if your service helps businesses generate thousands of dollars in revenue, your pricing should reflect that impact.
Set clear boundaries and payment terms
To avoid clients under valuing your work, establish clear pricing structures and policies. this includes -
Up front payments
Setting payment deadlines
Outlining the scope of work in contracts
Implementing late payment fees
Additional call out fees
Transparent policies ensure you are paid fairly and help attract serious clients who respect your business.
Trust
Pricing based on your self worth is flawed. Pricing is not about you. It is not about value. It is not about product / service. It is about transformation. It is about results. No one pays based on what you will do or offer them. It is all about them. It is all about where they are currently and where you will take them on completion. What are you promising them ? How are you going to transform their lives ?
Your clients pay based on trust. 3 questions to ask yourself about your offer.
Does my client trust me?
Does my client trust my offer, am I going to provide the result they want ?
Does my client trust themselves, do they feel that this offer is right for them?
This is not about you or your worth, it is about their transformation, transformation of mindset, a room, their physical appearance, it is all about them.
Sell the result
It is important to rethink your business. This is not your hobby, nor your child even though you must nurture and feed it every day. It is time to stop making this personal. Your work is personal to you but not to your client. Begin to focus on the result that you are hoping to achieve. What is your purpose in this project? what is the end result? Create your offer based on the result not on your worth.
If your offer is accepted it is not due to your personality it is based on your promise of a result that your client wants.
If your client truly believes in the result the payment or charge becomes insignificant because no cost compares to the outcome. If they are not happy with the offer, do not negotiate because they are not your client, they do not understand the value of the result you are offering. Know your worth. your value is the transformation you are providing for your client.
Charging your worth without feeling guilty is about valuing yourself and your expertise, by implementing the right pricing strategies and leveraging social media to build credibility, you can grow a loyal community while running a profitable business with confidence.
Are you ready to start charging your worth - guilt free? Share your thoughts and experiences in the comments.
xx Lei
If you don't know your own value, somebody will tell you your value, and it will be less than your worth - Bernard Hopkins
My biggest challenge is how not to feel bad when charging a client… even though I know they’re getting much more than what I’m offering. Thank you for this, I think I’ll print it out and put it on my desk for every time I even think about not charging. Thank you.☺️