30/10/2024
Okay, so I don't know where I should post this or document this but I want to share this very important lesson that's brewing my mind in the past week!
This is for all freelancers or service providers who lowball their self because they still think:
"I'm not good enough yet with my service"
"I can only charge premium if I have a massive result"
"I'm afraid that if I charge premium, clients will ask for my results and I might not be able to provide enough results"
This might not be your exact thoughts but I believe it's the "feeling of being afraid of charging premium" that stops you for asking the rate that your work truly deserves.
So here's what changed and shifted my mindset in the past days about this:
Treat your freelancing career as a "BUSINESS"
- yep, I heard it before but I haven't fully embraced it not until last week.
- as I post a content for my client's business, I just realized that I'm also a business owner and not just a service provider.
- my business is my skills which I offer to business owners to help them reach their goals.
- I am a business, so it's okay to market my service daily, weekly, or monthly!
- my personal brand which I continuously build on social media is my store front. (This is why I will iterate and will always reiterate to you that you need to build your own personal brand if you are a freelancer)
- if you want to charge premium and unapologetically charge for your work, have the confidence to charge and ask for it, then think of your work as a business.
- because look at those big brands, do they lowball their products? Nope! They charge for what it is unapologetically whether it's good or bad.
- can you ask for discounts to mcdo, to jollibee, to kfc, or other big fastfood chains? (Maybe if you're a senior citizen 😂) but no, right?
- so if you treat yourself as a business, and you set your rates at this amount, don't be apologetic. Have that confidence to charge because you know that you do and will deliver.
Because the downfall of lowballing yourself is this:
- taking clients who don't appreciate you
- taking clients who don't see the value of your skills and efforts
- taking clients who demand rather than appreciate
- taking clients who cannot see the value of what you do for their business
Which will lead you to the emotions and feeling of "I'm not satisfied with this, I'm working so much but not well compensated"
Isn't that the reason why you leave your corporate job?
And isn't it the reason why you go on freelancing because you want to live and work at your own terms, at your own rate, and have a better life for you and your family?
That's it! Let me leave that question to you and I hope that you'll think about this.
Plus, have that courage to charge premium and have that confidence in yourself that you will deliver. 💚
Have a good day! Share this if you think this is beneficial to others ☺️
PS. This writing might appear strong but I'm writing this with love, emphathy, grace, and confidence - Laiza 🌻