One of the biggest challenges new entrepreneurs face is recognizing their true value, putting a figure on that, and articulating it (with confidence) to others.
In this final part of the series “The Secret to Keeping Your Client Load Full,” our partner, Kristine Carey, talks about how to own your own value, so that clients will value you as well.
Entrepreneurs: Own Your Value
By Kristine Carey | Original Post Date: Nov 11, 2015
Part 3 of The Secret to Keeping Your Client Load Full
If you’re in business for yourself, you need paying clients; that’s what makes your business profitable. I know that’s stating the obvious, yet there are many in business, and I used to be one of them, who love what they’re offering, yet don’t love getting clients. If that’s you, there’s hope! You can find a way to get paying clients, without too much effort, in a way that works for you.
How?
- Recognize what you’re offering is worth; charge a reasonable rate for your goods and services. Don’t overcharge or undercharge.
- Believe in the price you’re charging. If you don’t believe it, neither will your client.
- Know there are clients who will pay for your goods and services, who want to work with you rather than a competitor.
- Understand the value you’re providing for your client. You’re helping them with something they need and want, something that will make a difference for them.
- Let go of the “supposed to’s” in terms of marketing, such as “I’m supposed to go to networking events” or “I’m supposed to mail out flyers.”
- Realize that the things you’re interested in doing could be something that you turn into a marketing activity to attract clients.
- Make sure these vectors intersect:
- What you like and are interested in: If you don’t like it, you won’t be as successful.
- What you’re good at: Just because you like something doesn’t mean you’re good at it. Conversely, just because you’re good at something doesn’t mean you like it.
- What the client needs: You may have a great thing to offer, yet if no one needs it, you may not be able to make a business out of it.
- What the client will pay for: Just because the client needs something doesn’t mean they’ll pay for it.
Recently, I was speaking with a woman who has been in business for several years. She was having trouble attracting clients, trouble with her clients paying what she was charging, and trouble retaining her clients. To make matters worse, she was not enjoying working with many of the clients she was attracting.
As we talked, it became apparent that:
- Although she was good at her craft, she was not conveying that confidence and skill to her clients when she talked with them: she hadn’t taken a stand for her value.
- She had a belief that no one would pay the rates she was charging, so she changed her pricing with each client, afraid that if she didn’t, she wouldn’t have anyone to work with: she hadn’t owned the fact that clients will pay a reasonable rate for the services they want and need.
- She hadn’t found a way to attract clients that she liked, was fun and easy, and was effective: she hadn’t let go of the “supposed to’s.”
At the end of our conversation she understood how much her beliefs and actions were affecting her ability to attract and retain clients. She chose a price that she knew was a good value for her and for clients, refined who she enjoyed working with, and acknowledged that her work had value. She owned the fact that she’s not a fit for everyone, which is a good thing. She’s now on her way to a much more profitable, and enjoyable, business.
How about you? What do you need to let go of in order to attract paying clients with ease? Have you owned your value? The more you value yourself, the more clients will value you, too.
And, with that, we conclude the series The Secret to Keeping Your Client Load Full from Kristine Carey.
We hope you found this series of articles helpful, and we’d love it if you’d let us know by sending us a message!
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About the Author of “Entrepreneurs: Own Your Value”
Kristine Carey is a Reinvention Expert, helping solo entrepreneurs and small and mighty businesses to revisit the work they do, and how they do it, so they can produce more of the results they’re looking for.
She’s been coaching and catalyzing since 2002 with her business, Moxie, Inc. She muses often in her own blog about business, life, the universe and everything, and is a regular contributor to the Get Clients Now! blog, where she also serves as the Director of Training.
You can learn more about the work that Kris does on her website.
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The author of this blog is not an attorney or financial advisor and the information contained in these blogs should not be considered legal or financial advice. Please do not hesitate to seek the advice of an attorney or financial advisor if you have any legal or financial questions.
