I’m all about transparency and open communication, but there’s one question that I never ask my clients.

“What’s your budget?”

We’re all looking for clients who are a great fit for us, and that includes being a great fit for our rates. That being said, you should never ask your clients what their budget is. Why?

Because your rates are not dependent on their budget.

Let that sink in. YOUR rates that you charge for your hard-earned skills are NOT dependent on someone else’s budget. Your rates should be based on things like level of expertise and costs to operate, but whether or not someone else has the budget to afford you is not a factor.

Now let’s be clear, this is not permission to charge crazy numbers for your services. You do still need to be aware fo the local market and where you fit in there. This is, however, permission to value yourself and your expertise.

So go ahead and stand firm on those rates. You’ve earned them!

xo,

Natalia