This is something I often see people do when they are just starting out in their business. While it’s tempting because you just want to get your work out there, I don’t recommend it.
- “Affordable” is subjective and doesn’t actually mean anything.
What is just “affordable” to client x, may be mere pennies to client y. If you are demonstrating the value in your services, you shouldn’t need to market your services as “affordable”, “budget-friendly”, “won’t break the bank” etc etc, and miss out on marketing to an audience that is willing to invest.
Once you start marketing yourself as “budget friendly”, “affordable”, “low cost” etc, it becomes increasingly harder to grow beyond that.
This is because when you market your business this way you will attract a clientele whose primary concern is getting xyz done at the cheapest price possible, meaning they often don’t understand the value in what you do.
2. Those that think your service should be provided at the lowest price possible are not the people you want to work with.
These clients also happen to be the ones that request the most revisions, increase the scope of the project and expect the highest-end service (again, for the most “affordable” price.)
Next they tell all their friends about how they found someone to provide this service for such a cheap price and before you know it you have lots of inquiries… all from people who only care about how cheaply you can do it for them.
Before you know it you’re burnt out and spinning your wheels providing your service at a price point that doesn’t compensate you in a way that makes it worthwhile.
3. “Affordable” often implies that you are doing something different than those in your industry that provide a similar service at a higher price point (and not in a good way).
Doing this a) undervalues yourself b) is not sustainable if you want to actually grow your business and c) implies that you are cutting costs and corners somewhere. Yikes.
What do you do?
You need to step away from “affordable” and rebrand yourself as an expert and a leader in your industry. My past clients have been able to successfully raise their prices and align with their target audience – I love to see it.
Want to start speaking to people that trust your expertise and care less about “affordability”? I’ve got two intensive spots left for Spring 2023, (perfect for a brand and website combo) to help you launch into Q2 with clarity and confidence.
I can’t wait to hear from you!
