Today, a visualization exercise.
You’ve been given a single employee who is absolutely perfect for your business. Visualize a trusty sidekick dressed in superhero tights. He or she is super-hot, super-efficient, and super-great at multitasking. Think Swiffering while accounting while answering clients’ emails.
This is a message from your super-brave sidekick:
Grow a pair.
Your sidekick also says:
Charge appropriately for your work. (Raise prices without consulting a forum.)
Choose the logo that’s best for your business instead of putting it to a vote.
Collect your session fee up front. And don’t refund it if someone cancels at the last minute.
Stick to your policies.
Better yet, refer to your policies as a contract.
Let clients know when they’ve violated your contract by Photoshopping their cat’s head onto one of the wedding photos you’ve captured.
Or when they’ve just uploaded everything to Facebook after screencapturing the goods from your blog.
Talk to that business owner about cross-promotion.
Say you’re a photographer and hand over your business card.
Above all, trust yourself.
It’s okay to ask yourself questions like what if I fail? What if I fall on my face? What if that promotion doesn’t work? WHAT IF NO ONE PAYS MY NEW PRICES?
But you’ve got to come up with the brave answer, says your sidekick. Fear-based decisions keep the $75 shoot-and-burn photographers hanging shingles, turning out crappy work, mucking up Craigslist, burning out, and closing their virtual doors within six months. Fear undercuts the industry, makes mere blog-stalkers of budding artists, and makes everyone look the same.
Be brave. Be bold. Make a footprint.
You may fail. You may fall flat on your face, that promotion may tank, you may have zero customers for six months. But ballsy sidekick wishes to remind you that this is part of the adventure. Going from broke to paying the bills to actually making an income is half the fun, and you’re never going to get to that final step (the one with dollar signs) by playing it safe. (Isn’t your sidekick super-smart?)
To aid you in overcoming your pricing woes, grab a copy of Easy as Pie. If you’re ready to move to in-person ordering sessions and projection instead of those paltry online sales, pick up a copy of the Projection & Sales Merit Badge. For marketing strategies that are applicable to any business, try Marketing School. And if you’d like a fire to be lit under your still-scared-but-moving-toward-empowered tushie, try Danielle LaPorte’s Firestarter Sessions. You can thank your super-fab sidekick later.
What a brisk sidekick. But you kwnow what Kristen? I’d like it if you sometime could consider the few of us that are below that expenses line where you can go and grab copies of Easy as Pie, the Merit Badge, etc… I mean, I’d love to, but when you’re where I am, you really can’t. In my case it’s due to a series of factors, like moving to a new town, living in an quake-struck country, whatever… but I’m strugglin from the really deep, deep bottom, and perhaps there are more like me among your readers.
Thanks a lot.
Fantastic post! Thanks!
I am just finishing up a candy bar consult with Easy as Pie (money well spent! Alicia is the best!) and next on my list is the Projection & Sales Merit Badge.
http://www.thelaunchcoach.com/why-worry-keeps-you-poor-and-how-to-fix-it
I was just reading that blog article last night and then this is your post for the morning. Sounds like everyone is in agreement that you should be afraid….and then do it anyway!
I’m a gatherer. I like to gather all sorts of info before moving forward but sometimes enough is enough and you just have to get out there. Make, do, write, create. The gathering helps make inaction not feel so bad. It gives the fear an excuse and creates a reason for “not being ready.” No more!
Thank you for this post! I agree that at some point, you need to put fear aside and do what you love. Thank you trusty sidekick!
Do you have any idea how much I needed to hear that today?
That was so good.
You have skillz (yes, with a z). I get that we are artists and sensitive and introspective but..let’s get analytical. If you really want to make a go of this, treat your biz like a biz and not just a hobby. Stop apologizing for running a business and just run a business. Case in point, Steve Jobs comes out and what does he do? Puts his vision for Apple before the popular opinion. Cheers to you and Steve Jobs and everyone else that encourages our community to feel the fear and do it anyway.
If I may, a quick message to Daniel. If I look past the “investing in your business” aspect of Easy as Pie, there is the simple matter that figuring out your pricing is something you can do YOURSELF without a manual; without a guide book. Yes, it’s infinitely easier with help but people for millions of years (ok…not millions) have been doing it on their own. Figure out your hard costs, figure out how many hours you put into each session and figure out what you want to make per hour. Viola. Pricing. Forgive the pun but…easy as pie.
You always remind me that what I’m doing is what I should be doing and inspire me to do it better. I am starting projection (already do in person ordering). Working toward going for the badge
your posts = perfect
Man…this sidekick is going to kick my butt! So looking forward to the “get up and go” whipping!!!
Had someone call to ask about my pricing over the phone. At first I was gonna tell her I’d just email it all to her. Then I asked, ‘have you visited my website? No? Well, session fee is X and prints start at X and there is a minimum purchase of X. She was really quiet. Said, ‘thank you, that’s really expensive.’ And I said, ‘I offer a premium service and a premium product that you won’t find anywhere here in our area.’ And she said she couldn’t afford it. I was dreading that answer but it was good practice for me and I was able to weed out that client that can’t afford my services. Phew. I have a pair. They are small but they will get better. YES.
Had someone call to ask about my pricing over the phone. At first I was gonna tell her I’d just email it all to her. Then I asked, ‘have you visited my website? No? Well, session fee is X and prints start at X and there is a minimum purchase of X. She was really quiet. Said, ‘thank you, that’s really expensive.’ And I said, ‘I offer a premium service and a premium product that you won’t find anywhere here in our area.’ And she said she couldn’t afford it. I was dreading that answer but it was good practice for me and I was able to weed out that client that can’t afford my services. Phew. I have a pair. They are small but they will get better. YES.
Ugh. I literally almost cried reading this. I keep telling myself that I will raise my wedding prices up when I book 1 more wedding.
Well ive been at a stand still, and havent booked any, and still keep telling myself that.
This. This post inspired me. Made me realize that if I want to raise my prices I need to just do it! I am worth it, and the next person who inquires will (hopefully) know that.