Overcoming the Fear of Increasing Your Rates: A Guide for Designers
As a designer, it’s not uncommon to feel like you’re spinning all the plates in your design business, hoping they won’t come crashing down. You’re ready to break through the five-figure ceiling and start earning six figures, but the consistent projects you desire aren’t flowing your way. In this blog post, we’ll explore the techniques you need to implement to increase your rates, attract great clients, and overcome the fear associated with raising your rates.
Understanding the Fear of Changing Your Rates
When you start contemplating a rate increase, it’s natural to feel overwhelmed and doubt your decision. Thoughts like “I can’t do this” or “No one will pay for it” can easily creep into your mind. You might even have experienced a situation where one or two potential clients didn’t hire you due to your higher rates, making you doubt your pricing strategy. It’s crucial to understand that this fear is part of the process. Stepping into uncharted territory can be daunting, but growth requires pushing past your comfort zone.
Building Confidence: Techniques to Believe in Your Worth
Confidence plays a key role in your ability to charge higher rates. To build confidence in your new pricing structure, consider these techniques:
- Role Play – Practice answering tough questions about your rates with a colleague, coach, or friend. Work through possible scenarios and articulate the value you provide.
- Written Explanation – If you prefer working through things in writing, jot down your thoughts on why your fees are justified. Answer questions like “Why do you charge this much?” or “Why do you do it this way?” This exercise will help solidify your reasoning and prepare you for potential client inquiries.
Embracing Pushback: The Art of Explaining Your Rates
As you make the decision to raise your rates, it’s essential to anticipate pushback from clients. However, the pushback shouldn’t start with you. Be firm in your rates and confidently explain why you charge what you do. Remember that growth requires pushing past your comfort zone. Although it’s natural to feel nervous or even sick to your stomach when implementing a new fee structure, remember that it’s all part of the process. You are capable of navigating through it, and the feeling of preparedness will ease your mind.
Continual Growth: Regularly Reviewing and Adjusting Your Fees
Increasing your rates should be an ongoing process. Aim to review and adjust your fees at least once a year and strive for continuous improvement. Your value as a designer grows with experience, expertise, and the quality of service you provide. Embrace the journey of constantly raising the bar and progressing to the next level.
Embrace Your Worth and Aim for Success
You deserve fair compensation for your design services. Overcoming the fear of increasing your rates starts with building confidence in your worth and being prepared to justify your fees. Embrace the pushback and remember that it’s all part of the process. Strive for continual growth, regularly review your rates, and always aim to provide exceptional value to your clients.
If you’re ready to take your interior design business to six figures, check out our Design Business Bootcamp. Our next session starts soon, and we’re here to help you reach your financial goals.
Thank you for reading the Six Figure Designer blog post. Share your experiences with rate increases in your design business, and don’t hesitate to start charging more. Stay tuned for more inspiring content as we make your design business a success! Tune into the full episode on iTunes here or on my website and keep up with my other blog posts.