Know your value in both your work and personal life. This post is about monetizing your skills. Whatever talent or expertise you possess, make it work for you. Let your abilities make money for you and build your reputation. Never undersell or give a discount. You will be tempted but you must fight the urge.
I write and create resumes, business plans, and speeches as a side gig and when I first started my business people accepted my stated fees and I was delightfully spoiled by those initial responses. Then I did a job for a client at a discounted rate because they were having a hard time financially; it was never requested of me I just did it. I completed the job got paid the discounted rate and moved along.
Then a few months later the person returned for another job and requested my fee, which I told them and they replied with a very curt thank you and hung up. I haven’t heard from them since then. I have to say I was shocked because I’d already done them a solid and they knew that I’d done them one. I guess they expected the same break. Nah not going to happen and why would they expect it? Then I said to myself: ‘Why wouldn’t they expect it? I’d lowered my price once.’
I promised myself that would never happen again. I would rather miss out on a job than underpay myself again. I do topnotch work and deserve to be paid what the market will bear.
Figure out your value, price it, stick with it and deliver the best possible product.
(c) Valerie Lee 2016
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