I see this ALL the time.
So much so, that I can’t believe it’s not something we talk about more.
In the whole “entrepreneur space,” those of us providing consulting or services are inundated with resources on marketing ourselves, finding our niche, attracting clients, setting up systems to run our businesses, perfect ways to write proposals…
Have you seen this too?
But then so many of us make the BIG misstep that frankly, takes all of that hard work on every other step… and throws it down the drain.
Here’s how it goes:
You get a lead. Maybe it’s a referral, or maybe it’s someone entirely cold.
You have a few calls, maybe a few meetings.
You put together a carefully crafted proposal.
….and then just before they say yes, it happens. You discount your price.
At this point you may be shaking your head, thinking I need to seriously chill out.
“What’s the big deal, Leah?”, you may be asking. “So I knocked my price down 20%. Maybe I took it down a few thousand dollars. At least I landed the client. Isn’t that the important thing?”
But it IS a big deal. It means you aren’t protecting your price.
Here’s why this is important: When I meet a client who isn’t protecting her price, I know I’m seeing a symptom of bigger problems.
I’m seeing someone who isn’t confident in communicating the value of what they deliver.
I’m seeing someone who has so few leads coming in, that they feel like they need to take on ANYONE who walks through their virtual door.
I’m seeing someone who is so unsure of her own worth that she’ll offer her valuable time, tremendous expertise, and her brilliant mind for far less than it’s worth.
I’m seeing a woman who is so afraid of pushing back, she’s willing to erode her business’s worth for the sake of a bit of work.
And I know I’m seeing a business that isn’t being build for growth…or even STABILITY for that matter.
Show me a woman who’s not protecting her price, and I’ll show you a business that will never rise above subsistence level.
Stop begging for scraps.
The next time you’re tempted to agree to a discount…or even offer one up before you’re asked, I want you to pause. And I want you to look at what’s REALLY behind that.
Do you need to work on how you communicate the value you’ll be providing so your pricing makes sense as part of your prospect’s investment?
Do you need to make sure you’re filling your sales pipeline so at any given time you feel you can let go of a prospect who won’t pay your rates in favor of one who will?
Do you need to work on your mindset so you feel confident when you stand by your pricing?
Do you need to get more comfortable with negotiating so you know the way to negotiate WHILE building your client relationships and getting paid?
All of these are fantastic places to examine and work on. And none of them involves cutting your prices.
If you’re ready to take a look at your sales process to find where you may be sabotaging yourself — and where you can make some simple changes to start landing the clients you really want, I’ve got a new training for you.
It’s walk you through my signature Leads to Clients System – and I’d love to invite you to attend for FREE.
Click here to select the training time that works best for you.
In the meantime, next time you’re tempted to discount your rates, check in with yourself. Remember that you’re great at what you do. You’re SMART. And you deserve to be PAID.
To your success,
Leah
