Do You Have Trouble Asking for Money?

March 24, 2008

Do you have trouble asking for money?

I do… or did… or still do… kind of.

When I first got started in this business last year, the idea of me asking someone for $1,000 was a big deal.

The kind of big deal where your throat would dry up and you’d get that terrible feeling in the pit of your stomach.

Later in the year, asking for $4,000 was my new “big deal.”

Then it moved to $10,000…

Then it doubled to $20,000…

This year, I finally realized the real problem.

It wasn’t the size of the fee. It was the size of my confidence. And it was my (crazy) idea that I somehow to had to “feel the pain” and invest a lot of effort to charge a lot of money.

After all, if you’re not working hard, why should you be paid high fees?

Listen up…

Crazy Ideas Like This Are Too Expensive

Here’s the key:

If you’re using the talents you’ve been given to make money, it’s not supposed to feel like work. In fact, that’s a clue you’re doing what you’re on this earth to do.

So basing your fees on how much work it feels like you’re putting in is actually a little bit nuts.

Because what you’re actually doing is penalizing yourself for what comes naturally.

That’s bad for your self-image…

But it’s even worse for your bank account.

So what should you try instead?

Stop thinking about you and start thinking about your client.

They’re not hiring you to save their life. They’re not hiring you to “work hard.” They’re hiring you because they believe that you can help them take one step forward towards their goal.

If their goal is to have a business doing $10 million a year, how much do you think you should be paid to move them forward one step… or even three steps?

The point is this…

Your Fees Have Nothing To Do With You

They have everything to do with your client and what they want to achieve.

Think about that… because my hunch is that you deserve a pay raise.