As service professionals, what we charge often feels
highly personal and intimately tied to our sense of value and self-worth.
So it's no surprise that the thought of raising our fees often causes
our stomach to do a quick somersault.
But raising our fees also gives us the opportunity
to create greater self-confidence and experience an increased sense
of contribution and purpose in serving our clients. It's simple really,
by doing the "internal" work required to decide on our new
fees and actually speak them out loud, we automatically acknowledge
our sense of value. It's as if we know that in the past we weren't
playing fair with ourselves (by undercharging) and now we are.
Here are 3 quick tips to make raising your
fees a simple, "no big deal", natural step you take in creating
more success in your business.
Tip #1 Write an emotionally snappy benefit list
that speaks directly to your prospective clients' view of their world,
not yours!
If you're listing what your program or service includes then you're
not listing benefits. Benefits tell WHY the reader (or listener) should
care. Great benefits also describe a client's situation and/or result
they will achieve with your service.
Example of a weanie benefit: "You
receive 3 coaching sessions a month."
Example of an emotionally rich benefit (excerpted
from one of my client's benefit list given to her clients): "Learn
how to powerfully command and hold peoples' attention without saying
a word."
Tip #2 Create a Bold Claim that distinguishes your
work
I just finished a coaching call with one of my Platinum Inner Circle
clients, Elizabeth Hagen. Her brand is Fearless Organizing and her
new Bold Claim is
"Double your revenue in 12 months by organizing
your business with my proven step-by-step systems."
You can hear how a Bold Claim like this one will
set her apart from any other organizer AND naturally get entrepreneurs
to pay attention to what she offers.
Tip #3 Clients rarely say "no" to your
new prices
Despite our tremendous concerns to the contrary, in actuality clients
rarely balk at our new fees. Now, what does THAT tell you???!
Yes, raising your fees can seem scary at first but
after coaching hundreds of clients in my coaching programs to raise
their fees (and seeing the incredible results they've achieved by
being just a wee bit courageous) I can promise you that once you raise
your fees you'll experience a feeling of confidence that is priceless!
