You know when people say ‘People value things they pay more for’ do you think that’s true? Personally, I love a bargain! I don’t think I value it any less. So here’s a bit of history. I used to work for donations. Once they equaled out, that became my rate. As my work grew, I got a book contract with Hay House, I had a radio show on LBC, and I got an incredible reputation, people were always telling me that I needed to put my prices up. Even my clients said it. Other people in the same profession said I needed to go for a long swim into my navel and look at why I was so cheap, they felt it was because I didn’t value myself.
Well, I found a lot of truth in that, so I put my prices up until I winced.
You see the culture of charging a lot for services originates from America. When I lived in America people even thought my wince prices where too low. In the US your health is connected to your income. In the UK, that means you get to buy green juice and not frozen pizza. In the US, low income = no health insurance. You have no idea how much easier business is because of the NHS. You just don’t have the same kind of pressure living in the UK. We can afford not to like the hard sell!
Coaches who are coming through B school are taught that it’s the perception that sells and that the right marketing is worth more than the level of experience in the job. Some of my ex-students change more than I do.
However, there is a simple fact, you can only pay with the money you have in your pocket. What you can’t afford you don’t get to have. Pricing is hard, it’s confusing and to me, it comes down to, do I want to be busy with clients or busy marketing to get a more financially privileged set of clients. The answer for me is obvious. I also know that other therapies charge less money as they keep the client in the chair for a number of months when I can shift someone in one conversation. Which saves you a heck of a lot of time and repeated appointments. That’s also why I charge more than the average therapist. I need to be able to afford to live and do the work. Which is why I freelance for the BBC and work other income streams too.
Nowadays, I have full power self-esteem. Full understanding of my value. I am priceless! How I have changed lives for around twenty years couldn’t be counted in money terms. I am the old wise women of this work, with experience that should be paid for. I’m not glossy, I’m authentic and real.
My realisation is this. Yes, I am worth way more than I charge. But MY sense of value in this work isn’t attached to the energy flow of money. It’s charged to the energy flow of connection and transformation. There’s no point in me flicking my hair and saying ‘because I’m worth it’ when good people who need me, but can’t afford me.
My realisation is that I DON”T care if people think ‘she’s cheap she can’t be that good’. I believe when you need help you want it to be the right help and you shouldn’t have to put massive pressure on your finances to get it if you’re already under pressure. I’m not going to drop my prices.
What I am going to do is operate a sliding scale for people who earn under 25k and have no savings. The no saving bit is because I have been stung before. Often the people who tell you they have no money have it tied up in a flat they own in Covent Garden (I’m not kidding) Wealth is often a perception and because of this, you’ll need to have a chat with me on the phone so I can read intuitively what is the best price for you. I think this is the right thing to do. What do you think? I’d love to hear your thoughts.
Lots of love Becky
Replies:
I think your sliding scale is a wonderful idea. As someone who earns under £25k and is on a debt management plan, this kind of thing is a life saver. I want to develop myself and need guidance doing it, but choosing between eating and self development is not something anyone should have to do! Thank you for keeping it so real ❣️
Your email actually made me cry, to hear someone in this profession keeping it so real ♥️ Three years ago I paid a high end coach money I didn’t have, she encouraged me to borrow money off anyone I knew who could lend it to me, I did and it took me two years to pay it back and the only business advice she gave me was to go back to my old career.
Excuse my french but fucking right on Becky !!!
Awesome!