What’s Your Self-Worth Quotient?
April 17th, 2019 by Morna
Periodically I offer a complementary webinar titled “5 Smart Ways to Make Money Now in Your Creative Arts Business.”
Before I delve into the five strategies, I spend some time talking about your mindset and knowing your value. From my experience working with creative entrepreneurs, I often find they struggle with determining a value for their work and then charging for it.
Here are some tips for dealing with your worth:
Know exactly what you are charging and why.
Are you challenged by what to charge for your services?
Many creatives are in this same place. You tend to undercharge because you don’t know what to charge. You look at what others are charging and figure it must be right.
Do you ever wonder how that person came up with her price? She probably did what you did: looked around at what others were charging and figured it was right.
Take the time to go back and determine how long it takes you to accomplish your work. Consider what your expenses are – overhead, taxes, materials, etc. Then determine what you need to make on an hourly basis to meet your expenses and make a profit.
Only then will you know if your price is right.
Build confidence in your work and value.
In Knowing Your Value, Mika Brzezinski said, “Knowing your value means owning your successes. Owning your success means acknowledging your achievements. By acknowledging achievements you build confidence.”
One way to do this is to have what I call a Weekly Success and Strategy Session. This is where you set aside time to review your accomplishments for the week and celebrate them. Then strategize for the week to come.
Seeing what you accomplish does build your confidence. With increased confidence you will be better able to see your value and express it.
Be visible and promote yourself.
Ask yourself if your timidity in promoting yourself is tied to the work or your lack of confidence in your value.
Once you see your accomplishments, do not be shy about sharing them with everyone you know – and even those you don’t. Women, in particular, are not bold about this. Remember, if you don’t toot your own horn, who will?
If you need ideas on promoting yourself, listen to the call in the Members’ Studio Resource Library with Tara Reed on “How to be a Press-Friendly Agent.”)
Look for a mentor.
It can be useful to have someone else help you objectively look at what you have to offer and your value. It is easy to stay in our own shell. Others often see things we do not. That is why I have a mentor and why I mentor others.
Step out in faith.
Once you know and believe your value, don’t second-guess yourself. Own your value and move forward.
There’s an African proverb – When you pray, move your feet – that says it all.
It’s your turn!
Where do you stumble with knowing your value and owning your success?
Tags: promoting business, self-value, self-worth