Why Do Freelancers Feel Guilty About Their Pricing?
As a freelancer, every client, or potential client, is precious. Your income often fluctuates considerably and a bumper month of big projects can easily be followed by a month of drought (cue tumbleweed). To ensure you can cover rent, bills, taxes, pension, holiday pay and other basic living costs for the whole year, pricing has to be carefully calculated, and any freelancer worth their salt wouldn’t just pull a random price out of thin air. So why do we, as freelancers, feel so guilty charging the prices we have spent so long getting just right?
Having recently made the transition from full-time employment to freelance life, I’m no stranger to this feeling of guilt when sending out a quote or talking price on the phone. In fact, months later, I still get butterflies when I hit send on those emails and feel the need to close my laptop/do a quick lap/immediately engage my flatmate in conversation - anything to distract myself in those initial moments whilst waiting to gauge the client’s reaction.
If I had to pinpoint that guilt to just one blame factor, it would be imposter syndrome. The human brain can be cruel sometimes, kicking us while we’re down by amplifying any small feelings of doubt, undermining the confidence of even the best of us. Many freelancers I’ve spoken to struggle with imposter syndrome whether they have 10 years of experience in their chosen field or 10 weeks. If you have a moment of self-doubt then how can you believe in your own prices and how can you justify them to others?
Of course the problem is more complex than that. If you look at big brands for comparison, they have combined experience and a combined reputation to back them up, and often the results of the work are associated with the brand rather than the individual person carrying out the service. This can make it much easier to ignore any personal feelings of doubt you may have. You can go in confidently with a quote and start a project, hiding behind your brand’s reputation and your brand’s responsibility for charging the prices they do. Any work you produce as a freelancer is usually in your name, which makes you feel much more exposed on many levels.
Although many people are increasingly keen to support individuals and independent businesses, ultimately people will only put money down when they trust a person or company. In general, consumers are much more comfortable buying products or services from a brand name they know, rather than an individual person who they have to learn to trust. Having testimonials or word of mouth recommendations can be instrumental in gaining that trust but, regardless of that, you still need to demonstrate the value you can bring to the table with your service so that it justifies the price. The first impression is so important and I for one often worry whether I’ve done enough to inspire confidence to back up my pricing. I know I’ll do a good job, but do they? Did I pitch myself correctly and did my ideas impress them?
Even knowing that the pricing is in line with competition, I’ve come up against potential clients who genuinely have no idea how much they should expect to pay for certain services, which can be tricky to navigate. Without a ballpark in mind, anything you throw at them, however reasonable, is sure to seem expensive. In situations like this it always feels like the start of a negotiation rather than you stating a fixed price, especially without having a big brand name to back you up.
The closest analogy I can think of for comparison is shopping at a market stall. You’re having a one on one conversation with the stall owner. You see a shirt that you want to buy as you rifle through racks of clothing but you don’t want to pay the full price for it. You’ve built up a rapport with the stall holder and you can see they want you to buy the shirt - chances are you’ll try and haggle them down and you’ll probably be quite successful. Then imagine having that same conversation at the tills in Urban Outfitters or Selfridges for example. You probably wouldn’t even try it, unless the goods were damaged.
This same psychology applies to buying a service. People don’t always expect to be able to negotiate with big brands and take a price at face value but are more comfortable trying their luck with an individual - this can raise the question, do you go in with a higher quote, knowing that it might put people off but expecting to be negotiated down? Or do you go in at what you need to be paid to cover costs and stand firm? Most clients don’t want a huge negotiating battle to ensue but would rather make a quick decision so their chosen partner can crack on with the job. And you can hardly blame them. This means that it’s so important to get it right the first time.
When there is so much resting on pricing to reel in new customers and retain old faithfuls, it’s understandable why it becomes the biggest sticking point for both consumers and service providers. To make it that little more stressful, there is serious competition in every industry these days and so many channels to use for promotion that it’s easy to find an alternative. Many consumers are hyper-aware that if the first person they speak to seems expensive, they’ll probably be able to find something similar in their budget, sometimes with little regard for the difference in quality.
I’ve noticed a huge shift in mindset of potential consumers as we navigate the pandemic - competition is fierce for most freelance jobs and many businesses or individuals don’t have the same budgets they once did for additional services. As unemployment rates rise and the UK furlough scheme is extended until March 2021, we can only predict that this trend will continue and we’ll be haggling our way through the year to come.
Knowing that so much rides on the price, it’s easy to see why it becomes such a point of worry for most freelancers and I definitely feel a sense of solidarity with my peers and competitors. Seeing most people go through the same thing is enough to help ease the pain, even just a little bit. The freelance community is generally lovely whatever your field and if you’re feeling any doubt about what you’re doing then building a community of people in the same situation as yourself can be so rewarding in combating any feelings of doubt. I honestly believe that if we help to keep boosting each other and supporting our allies then we’ll all be stronger for it and ready to show those big names who’s boss.
Written by Nikki Trailor
Nikki is a London-based, freelance copywriter who focuses on helping small businesses and travel companies. When not glued to her keyboard, writing for work or pleasure, Nikki is a keen dancer, climber and outdoor enthusiast who loves to escape the city crowds.