Putting Your fees on Your Website - To Do or Not To Do?
© 2006 - 2009 Kendall SummerHawk
Deciding whether to post your fees on your website can create waves of uncertainty. "If I post them then will people not contact me because they're too high? But if I don't post them, will they be turned off and never contact me?"
There is an advantage and a disadvantage either way.
Post your fees and yes, you run the risk of a potential client thinking "That's too high!" and passing you by. On the other hand, leaving them off may get your prospective client to wonder how much it's really going to cost to hire you, then shy away from investigating further.
The answer?
Sorry, this one is a coin-toss! However, if it's up to me, I say don't post your fees on your website. Here are 3 reasons why:
Reason #1 Is the decision to hire you only based
on price?
I sure hope not! Yes, posting your fees on your site tells folks what
they can expect to pay. But it also keeps price high on the list of
their criteria. At the end of the day, most clients make their decision
based on other factors more important than price.
Case in point: I never posted my coaching fees on my website, yet I was often hired by someone to whom my fee was initially out of their price range. After one conversation focused on the benefits they would receive, they convinced themselves it was worth it and found a way to pay my coaching fee. Those folks were ALWAYS my best clients!
Reason #2 You're goal is to engage your prospective
client in a conversation
Once they begin to know, like, and trust you, they'll see the value
you have to offer. Why let a little ol' thing like price stand in
the way of getting into that conversation?
But wait a minute...there's no point in getting your prospective client into a conversation unless you're prepared to find out—in detail—what problem they want to solve, what their life/business will look like once it is solved, and what that solution is really and truly worth to them. (read my "PS" below for a resource on how to accomplish this all important task).
Reason #3 Clients want a price they can justify
Until you have the opportunity to find out what the value is to them
in the solution you offer, they can't justify spending even a dime.
Once you have your prospective client engaged in a discovery conversation
you can ask them, "So why is this important to you?"
They're likely to open up like you're Aladdin speaking, "Open sesame!" What you're going to hear are some of the key emotional reasons your prospective client wants to satisfy.
Let them know they're going to get exactly what they want and the issue of price often melts like butter in the hot, desert sun.
Obviously, if you're giving a workshop or seminar where everyone is paying the same price, you'll post it on your website (although not until you've done an excellent, thorough job of demonstrating the benefits and answering objections). But for your coaching, designing, consulting, organizing services I recommend leaving price off and instead spend your precious website copy writing a story that is deliciously ripe with benefits and paints the picture of the better life they'll experience with your product or service.
About the author:
Kendall SummerHawk, the "Horse Whisperer for Business" delivers smart, savvy ways entrepreneurs can turn their hectic business into a smooth-running, fun, 6-figure money-making dream. To learn more about her book, Brilliance Unbridled, and sign up for more FREE tips like these, visit her site at http://www.kendallsummerhawk.com
NOTE: You are welcome to “reprint” this article online as long as it remains complete and unaltered (including the “about the author” info at the end). I would also appreciate a copy of your reprint sent to kendall@kendallsummerhawk.com