Love this topic. I've been thinking a lot about services and workshops that are a combination of services wrapped up as a product. Pricing is hard. I think Michelle hit the nail on the head (for me anyway) when she said that if she's working a day job that sucks her time and energy, she can't do what she loves - helping people. Makes perfect sense.

Looking forward to final installment on this topic!

xo & belief in you,
Carmen

Totally agree, Carmen, PRICING IS HARD! Michelle's statement about helping people vs. working a day job that sucks her time and energy is so powerful. AND we've got 2 more installments on this topic so stay tuned :).

Thanks for sharing this girls :)
You all made some very good points. I can totally relate to Jess, I do web design and its just the hardest thing to charge someone. But I guess after getting more experience in my field, I can finally be firm about my rates rather than feel guilty about it.

I'm new to this game so all your info is invaluable and thank you soooooo much for sharing your experience! The necklaces would be sweet inspiration to keep me going too ;)

Pricing is definitely challenging...I think I lot of folks lower prices when things don't go...but I wonder if the cause is really pricing or just getting eyes on your product, etc...I suppose the bigger issue is getting the message to the people who feel the price is right?

thanks for all your words of wisdom! Keep them coming....

Cheers!

Great topic ladies. I've struggled with this..trying to feel confident about my rates. Make sure I'm not shortchanging myself.
I'm getting better at it. I practice saying my rates out loud and in the mirror..so when I have to talk to people
about my services I can do it with confidence. Or at least appear that way.

Wow, this is perfectly timed. I am just starting to think about selling which of course means pricing. This has been the biggest difficulty. That and getting up the courage to try selling! Glad I'm not alone!

This video was so helpful! Jessica, I especially enjoyed listening to what you had to say. Products do seem to be a little bit easier to price than services. As a beginning graphic designer/copy editor (I've been doing some freelance projects in addition to my full-time job since 2008), I charge by the hour. The truth is, though, I'm a fast worker, and my work is getting better. Recently, I made changes to a document I'd worked DAYS on. The changes truthfully, were in an inconvenience to complete, but they only took me about 30 minutes. I felt completlely taken advantage of, and it's my own fault. Because I still consider myself a beginner, I don't intend to raise my rates by huge margins, but this video definitely has inspired me to rethink my hourly rate and to give credit where credit is due. THANK YOU!

I noticed I misspelled "completely" in the comment above! Since I'm announcing myself to the world as a copy editor, I figured that was something I should fix! :)

This was a great topic! Thanks so much for the insight. I'm just now starting to dream about the possibility of working for myself, so I really appreciate you sharing your experience & advice.

What a great site y'all have created here! Just seeing how much careful thought you've put into worth and value is important and inspiring, I think. Maybe it'll give me the kick to just decide something and do it!

This is a great topic girls! Pricing is so hard. I have offered both products and services at one time or another, and it's still the hardest thing for me (besides anything that feels like "selling" to me). I look forward to next weeks video :) And thanks for the lovely giveaway!

As I'm about to leap into a new venture, this topic was perfectly timed. Thank you!!

i have discovered this site very new! i love it, this is inspiring like spring...Nice to meet you!

I'm so glad I found this site (first through Kind Over Matter then Jess L.C.)! I have been wallowing a bit since my divorce and it is nice to find some inspiring things to lift my spirits and remind me that there is a whole world out there and I should remember that kid's book Miss Rumphius and get off my duff and do something worthwhile! Thanks for the sunshine in my day today!

Susan
drawerfullofdreams.blogspot.com

I just watched this video today thanks to Jessica tweeting about how Spring is feed cursed. That's when I realized there was probably new stuff that hadn't shown up in my google reader! Anyway, so glad I got to watch this. As always, you ladies are inspiring and giving me stuff to think about. Thanks for all the work you put in to this! xo Jadyn

Some really great thinking and sharing about a tough topics. I kind of like that, even with objects/products, you've got me thinking beyond what it is. For example, with a painting, do you price it based on supply costs? Your time put in? What about all that unaccounted for time--learning how to make the painting, gathering all the found objects that make it unique, dreaming up the painting? It becomes a bit complex...but, having said that, I like the idea of adding some present/future security into the mix. How much do I *need* to charge to keep doing what I love, to make it feasible? I think a lot of the basic arts/crafts pricing models of supplies+time don't factor in that last step...which means there's a lot of cheap, cute stuff out there, but ultimately it's not sustainable for the maker!
I think I'm also helped by background in fundraising here. I was taught to always make asks that had a logic behind them--not just for the charity, but for the individual you're soliciting, too. Doing that allowed you, to steal Michelle's phrase, state your case and end on a period, not a question mark. Having a logic behind your pricing model and believing in it allows you to do the same, too.

love it, simple, & strong

You guys are so fantastic. This is what I talked about with my coach this week, so it's great to hear that everybody else struggles with pricing, too. Thanks for being so very timely!

Love your wisdom! Thank you!

We have deadlines, overhead, competition, unsteady pay, we are expected to be the repair person, the receptionist, the negotiator, etc....And my pay last year after expenses was less than if I had worked at McDonalds part time. Do I sound stressed?