Should you work for free?
I remember when I had my business and just started that the hardest part (besides getting clients) was asking for decent money.
I started with asking way too little for my services and it haunted me for years because clients got accustomed to it.
I also vaguely remember some family members and friends of friends no longer asking for my free help now that I was charging for it.
Over years I slowly raised the price I would ask for jobs but I should have asked what I was worth straight away.
It could have saved me years of 'being fearful' for their reaction about a price rise every-time I would do so.
Asking what you are worth is hard and a life skill I needed to learn over time.
About 3-4 years ago ago Blockbrother @s3rg3 (Also a certified Apple consultant) sent me this schedule and after doing some jobs with him I realised I could charged way more for my services than I was doing. It was a good lesson.
This schedule he sent me is awesome btw. It might not teach you how to ask for what you are worth but it will prevent you from working for free. Especially when it's for a business.
I thought about this schedule when I read @blocktrades worker proposal here.
This is how you do it.
Steemit inc. is not a friend or charity. It's a business and he treats them as such.
It doesn't mean you can't be friends and have drink wether the answer is yes or no to your proposal but business = business.
It's always good to remember that.
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It is good to remember that. I was using you and your earlier experiences of not charging as much as you should have when convincing the wife to charge more for her business as she was thinking of charging less to start out with to get going. Fortunately not now!
O man! That is awesome! Thanks for letting me know!
It was very useful! Thank you!
I wish I would have had this about 10 years ago! I have some clients that I am kind of locked in to a certain rate with because I charged them way to little when I was first starting out. Now I don't really feel like I can charge them more. It is hard trying to be competitive enough that you want people to hire you without selling yourself short.
I have fallen into the same trap before. I agree charge what you are worth otherwise it is difficult to get to your proper worth and takes years to do so.
Yes Mark @exyle I agree and Steemit is a business and People should treat their account as a Business. a Great Piece of Advice........
true story
i used to have a heap of friends until i started charging, now not so many:(
Sure i complete understand you. As a yoga teacher people thinks that we can live without money in this world, but that is not possible, so i will think about your advice.
Thanks your for your advices.
Value needs to be exchanged imo when energy is shared. Sometimes the value can be in trade of a good meal or useful items. All relevant to the partied involved in the transaction. It sure is something to understand your value. Another thing to request that value. And, another to understand value to one is not the same as to another. In my area of work i would never deny my services to anyone who asked. If they didn't have access to the amount of dollars i request i'd be open to trade of value in another way but working for free i don't feel has value to either party and can also undermine the professionalism of the service provider as well as the industry. We live in such a crazy society, where there seems to be perceived value when things are exorbitantly overpriced! I mean when one thinks of it, if we are exchanging energy put out that is an extremely valuable offering. When in exchange we often get back paper or plastic tokens or digital numbers exchanged via the internet. Which only have a collective value offered to them because people have a common belief or thoughts towards the number they see on the bill or screen. In reality they are not much at all LOL. It's mind blowing! And, a strange world!
I love the chart! I can relate as I never jumped into business on my own for the same reasons however seeing how much value I have added to the businesses I have been in makes me wonder and want to get to the point that I could do so for myself and my family.
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this is great advise ive needed right now! im starting to akquire clients for my business and i set an absolute minimum price but i tend to drop it when i can feel they are about to escape... probably i should let go of those who don't accept the terms.
Steem price down look in thumbnail.
No hiding.
It's the same look when I watch in the mirror.