When people ask you what you charge, instead of saying, “I charge x…” try “The fee for this type of work is…” Or “The cost for this type of service ranges from x to y, depending on what level of service you choose”. It may sound like a minor difference, but it is one way of saying that your business is charging the money, not you personally!
When people call me about private work, I don’t say, “I charge this much per hour”. Instead, I say, “Generally speaking, financial counseling runs about this much per month. You can pay for it in these ways…” Keep in mind that we don’t get to keep everything that people pay us anyways. They are paying our company, and we have to pay out costs and taxes. But this is more about a mental shift and goes back to the fact that we over-identify with our business. This makes it hard on everyone. Stop taking everything so personally! Your clients are paying your company, even if it is just you. So watch what you say. How do YOU state your fees?
Hi Mikelann, I appreciate this point you speak to about “the fee for this service is” rather than personalize it. It’s a way to create more integrity for the business. I want you to know how much I value the ideas and research you put forth in your blogs! I find them invaluable!
I still need to say my rate at some point… not just a project cost, so, I try to say:
“my rates are $x per hour”
I agree the “I charge” sounds… uncomfortable.
Thanks for all your support (newsletters, MoneyWISE seminars, etc.). Your message has been a real eye-opener for me.
I’m so glad you said this!
Fee proposals are always difficult for me to write. I just feel like I’m reinventing the wheel each time. In the end, I’m always looking for the balance between a proposal that’s specific enough to cover said client’s project but ambiguous enough to avoid “per hour” rates being associated with the service.
What great advice! I’m going to start to use this way of talking about fees and services immediately. Thanks, Mikelann!
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