Pricing For Your Time

In a service based business, pricing for your time is very important. We never want to price too high or too low. If you price too high, people will want to go with a more affordable option, if there is one. If you price too low you may look cheap and people may think that your services are not valuable. Then there is the dilemma we all face when we work for ourselves and have to charge a friend or family member for service. I have made the mistake over and over again of not charging enough for my work, especially with people I know well.

Part of the reason people do not charge enough for their time is because they do not value their own skills. Sometime we may not feel as qualified as we really are and we sell ourselves too low. Being afraid of offending someone we care about if we charge them too much is a problem many of us deal with.

At the end of the day we go into business to support ourselves and our family. Your services are valuable and your time is as well. Even if you are working for people that you know. Many of my clients have became good friends over time and if I did not charge them a fair price I would not be able to do their service at all because I would have to go get a job somewhere else. People will pay for what they value and  those that know you well will pay you if they value you. There is nothing wrong with cutting people a deal sometimes if you can afford to but you have to take care of yourself and charge what is fair for you and your business to succeed.