Building pricing confidence as a consultant

TL;DR: Why smart, accomplished women undercharge, and how the internal story changes. The in-the-moment version of the price question lives in cluster 2A; this cluster owns the story underneath it.

Why is it so hard to say your price out loud, and what changes that?

4 Questions About Building pricing confidence as a consultant

Why do I panic every time I say my price out loud?

The panic is about position, not price. Asking to be hired feels different from offering something valuable. Say the number, then stop talking.

What if no one will pay what I want to charge?

You don't know yet, because you haven't asked anyone. The fear is a prediction built from your old number, and one quote on new work settles it.

I feel like a fraud charging this much

The feeling is real and it isn't evidence. It shows up when your price moves ahead of your self-image, and delivering at the new number closes the gap.

Why do I keep discounting before the client even pushes back?

You're answering an objection nobody made. I call it negotiating against yourself, and it costs you the gap between what you wanted and what you said.

Related Clusters

Pillar 02 / Cluster 2A

Leading comfortable sales conversations with consulting clients

How to run sales conversations that feel like being a peer and an expert, never a salesperson.

Pillar 03 / Cluster 3A

How to price consulting services

How consulting work gets priced on value instead of hours. The head query "how do I price my consulting services?" stays with this hub, so no node competes with it.

Pillar 03 / Cluster 3C

Negotiating consulting fees and protecting your price

How to hold your price through pushback, procurement, and pressure.

Mary G, nonprofit consultant
I just secured a contract for 500% more than I was originally going to quote. I was ready to undervalue my bid and ask for $7,000 but I reached out to Leah and the team for a pep talk and I'm glad I did, because we are now going under contract for $37,500!! I'm stoked!
Denise F, marketing consultant
I was my reviewing my revenue dashboard and it showed that I earned $100K more in 2024 compared to the year before. I joined the Academy in May 2024 and it has transformed my sales approach entirely.
Sarah J, fundraising consultant
We used to book clients just in time to keep income flowing, and we now have a 6-month cushion!

Get more of the clients you want, and get paid more for your work

Leah writes to women running B2B consulting businesses every week, about getting clients on purpose and getting paid for the value of the work.

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