Know Your Worth

I think it’s safe to say we’ve all experienced some kind of imposter syndrome, and might have ended up charging less than what our services are worth because of it. I definitely had this experience when I first started freelancing.

I used to price my services based on what I felt the person could afford or what they wanted to pay. This was a HUGE mistake! Firstly, you can’t tell what someone is willing to pay before you discuss their budget (duh - I feel silly even thinking that I did this), and you shouldn’t ask someone what they think your time and expertise is worth. A lot of people are down to pay less if they can and will take that opportunity to do so OR they simply aren’t aware of the time, energy and knowledge that goes into a project.

When I charged less than what I was worth - I burnt out REALLY quickly, my work and my motivation suffered. So, I started to spend some time looking into what other creatives with similar experience were charging. It helped to see those numbers to determine what pricing is fair and realistic. Remember, you’re charging for the years of education and experience you have under your belt, as well as your time and expertise.

Once you start charging what you truly deserve and standing firm on that price - you’ll also develop great working relationships based on mutual respect. Don’t waver in the face of someone who isn’t willing to pay for your services - you should not be working for free or at a low price just to please someone else.

It’s also SUPER important that all creatives are looking out for one another by charging what we’re worth. If we’re constantly lowballing our services, it’s hurting other artists by lowering the bar for what they’re able to charge. We don’t have to live that stereotypical ‘starving artist’ lifestyle - creativity is a valuable asset and should be treated as such.