If there’s anybody out there who knows how scary it is to raise their prices, it’s me.

Now, here’s the real real: There are a lot of copywriters out there who charge much higher prices than I do. (And yes, I realize the absurdity of this given that my tagline includes the word “couture.”) I’ve had this brought to my attention by nearly everyone – clients, business coaches, colleagues, you name it.

And while working on our money mindset is all the rage these days (and we’re constantly bombarded with messages like, “Charge what you’re worthy, honey!”),  I still don’t think it’s cool when someone busts into a new scene and demands top dollar. I think you’ve got to work up to charging higher prices. Y’know, that whole “It’s a privilege, not a right” deal. I don’t mind earning my chops (although let’s be real…I’ve been writing online for money over years.)

So I’ve kept my prices decent and affordable for new business owners, who are also some of my fave people to work with.

And it’s all been gravy…until lately.

Nowadays, it feels like my lower-ish rates are starting to backfire on me.

How so, you ask?

Well, I’m inundated with client work. And while I love ’em all, unfortunately my time/energy/loveliness has been spread far too thin. I’ve noticed my quality of work slipping (and with it, my illusions of shorter workdays, where the second half is spent making mad cash while sipping moscato on a park bench…except, you know, legal). I’ve had to call myself out for lazy writing (telling, not showing) quite a few times.

And then a few weeks back, I really hit an all-time low. I realized I had stopped thinking about prospects in terms of “good fit,” “bad fit” and whether or not I’m excited/turned on by the client/business… and starting thinking in terms of dollah signs.

As in…if I work with this person and this person and this person (no names used) and charge this much, I can afford to pay my health insurance bill this month.

Ugh.

I did not get into business to treat clients like they’re just a means to money in the bank.

Hell to the no.

I want to make sure this business stays fun and my writing stays fresh (so that, y’know, it actually works for my people). So it feels really out of integrity with my bigger mission – to empower women business owners to share their shit and own their fabulousness – to continue doing what I’ve been doing (which is pumping out copy like a well-manicured machine, without having the time/energy to truly connect with my clients). So I’ve decided to do something that terrifies me and a LOT of other women: re-evaluate my prices.

Cue the dun, dun, duuuuun.

But here’s the deal: I know I’ve helped clients usher in thousands upon thousands of dollars. I know I’ve helped others break through years of overwhelm, frustration and just “not getting it right”-ness. So my value is apparent. It’s real. Tangible, even.

And although it’d obvs be nice to be able to afford a Birkin or pair of Louboutins as a result of changing up my prices, that’s not what this is about AT ALL. I want to be able to pay my bills, sure, but my re-evaluation is more about feeling OKAY with who I am as a businesswoman and person.

If you’re floatin’ in the same boat (as in working your talented butt off for clients and still struggling to pay bills and feeling terrible about your sub-par customer service), I’ve pulled together a few pieces of wisdom to make you feel better about raising your own prices. Because seriously….in certain cases, asking for more makes you a better human being, not worse.

Read on, yo.

So, why will charging more make you a better, more responsible and sometimes even more likable human?

1. You’re more relaxed when you make more cash. I have existed on PB&J sandwiches for weeks, and let me tell you, it’s not as awesome as it sounds. It’s much nicer to know that rent will get paid, the cats will have Fancy Feast and I can buy organic carrots without calling it a “splurge.” And the best part is, when you’re relaxed, you treat everyone with more respect. Better human? Totes.

2. You can focus on loving up the clients you ALREADY have. Your current clients should never feel neglected. Nurturing the relationships you’ve already got is key to your biz success…and to being a good human. When you don’t have to hustle like the rent’s due all the time, you can actually breathe, do good work and y’know, respond to your client’s emails in a timely manner. (And remember it costs 10x more to find a new customer than hang onto a current one.)

3. You can switch from promotion mode to creation mode. When you need 20 clients a month just to stay above water, you’re probably promoting yourself A LOT, instead of taking time to develop kickass content/courses TO promote. Content isn’t just an amazing way to show people you know your shit, it’s also valuable to those people. You’re helping them! Don’t you feel like a better human just thinking about that?

4. You can use the extra time to cultivate a stronger brand. When we’re drowning in client work, we often neglect our own brands, but seriously, how people perceive your business is everything. Once you raise your rates, you can spend time working on perfecting every aspect of your brand, including your customer experience…which admittedly, might kinda suck right now. How can you make working with you a more fun, personal, high-touch process? Why not funnel some of that extra coin back into deee-lighting your clients with snazzy cards and I don’t know…lipglosses? I mean, what human wouldn’t love opening up their mailbox to a cool new MAC lipgloss from the lady they just hired? Exactly. They = lookin’ fly and you = BETTER HUMAN.

5. You can set stronger boundaries. With mo’ cash flow rolling in, you can start saying “No” to non-dream clients more often (and not have to worry your cell will start ringing off the hook with bill collectors). When you say “No” to peeps who don’t really do it for ya, you open up the opportunity for them to find a service/product provider who’s as invested in their project as they are. And that, my dear, is some good human type shit. Once you’ve figured out who you love, why waste time (theirs or yours) with anybody else?

There ya have it, girlfriends. Five reasons why you should STOP selling for peanuts and become a better human being. Now get out there and BE GOOD!

// YOUR TURN!

I’d love to hear about your own experiences with raising your prices. Do you think it’s made you a better businesswoman/human? What changes have you noticed in how you show up in your business and the world? Where are you able to focus now that you weren’t before? And if you’ve never raised your prices, what would you like to have more time, energy, space to focus on that you can’t now?

P.S. If you’re interested in learning more how to raise your prices and elevate your brand through unique-to-you premium offerings, sit tight, beaut. I’ll be talking a lot more about this in the coming weeks…and maaaaybe even be able to help you do so at a low, BETA rate. Add your name to my list (using the cute sign-up box below) to make sure you don’t miss the big announcement!