After lots of careful consideration over the past month, I decided to raise the rates of my older clients. See, I'd technically raised my rates quite some time ago after burning out on a couple of projects and being enlightened by Jennifer Mattern's guest post.
What was I thinking?
At first I thought it would be wrong to make those older clients start paying more; but then my husband looked at me like I was crazy and asked, "Aren't you running a business?" Oh yeah, that's right. I am!
Giving them a "head's up"
I sent the email out last week letting them know about the changes that would occur. Some responded in support for my decision, some didn't. You can't win 'em all, and that's why you should always be marketing your writing services anyway.
I believe the new rates are very reasonable – I've still managed to get new clients who don't bat an eye at the "new" rate quotes. So why was I so hesitant to get everyone on board all at once?
Okay, so here's the truth…
Honestly, I think deep down I was afraid of loosing them, even though I was trying to convince myself that I deserved better. It's kind of like being reluctant to let go of a bad relationship where you give much more than you get. I wouldn't stand for that, so why put up with it when it comes to my livelihood?
I prepared myself to loose all of those clients, so it was a pleasant surprise to see that a few have decided to stick with me. The best part of this story is that I know my worth as a writer and service based business. I know what I deliver, and I'm worth every penny.
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4 comments:
Hear hear. I think you've hit on exactly why we're afraid to raise rates, charge what we're worth or cut loose some awful ties. We're afraid of that empty space these things once filled. If we raise rates, there goes a mediocre client, a bad client, or a good client who wasn't paying us enough.
Good for you. Let us know how it goes in filling the void left by those who left. I'm sure it won't be tough. :)
Thanks, Lori.:-)
I just wanted to congratulate you on the decision and preparation you put into it (preparing to let go if you need to is one of the hardest parts of the battle). I hope others learn from your experience and follow suit! :)
Thanks for the encouragement, Jennifer. Your web writers ebook and listening to experienced writers like you and Lori have been a tremendous help.
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