Karyn Greenstreet, a Small Business Coach and Self Employment Expert I really like, has a great article on her website: Embarrassed to Discuss Your Prices? Check it out. I particularly like her tips on “acting as if”.

Act “as if.” How would an experienced person in your industry act, when discussing her fees? Act as if you are that person and you’ll find your confidence increasing with each conversation. Practice, practice, practice.

Yes, as she says, telling someone about your prices can feel risky. But with risk comes great reward! As anxiety provoking as it is to take the risk of telling somewhat what you charge (no discounts!) the rewards are great. But remember—don’t talk about your prices until you are sure they need your services. Find out what they would like before you delve into pricing. (“Before we talk about price, can you give me a sense of what it is you would like done?”) Then if they are an appropriate client for you, you can tailor your conversation to what they are really interested in. And like Karyn says, even if you don’t feel confident while you are talking to them, fake it! It gets easier with time.

When you forget to bring your child to school and HE IS IN THE CAR WITH YOU! Yep. I got us ready and out the door the other day. Once I was in the car, my mind went straight to my to-do list. I drove furiously to work, thinking about everything I needed to do. As I neared my office, I realized my eight year old was still in the back seat! Oops! I forgot to drop him off first! So I turned the car around and drove frantically to his school, slowed down just enough to boot him out, and raced back to my office. Yes, it is time to get that assistant. A friend tried to console me by saying, “Well, at least you didn’t leave him at home.”