This idea popped into my head at about midnight last night, just as I was drifting off to sleep. I always wonder why it is never at 2 in the afternoon when I’m working? Always midnight or 3 am! Anyways I decided I’d just let it swim around in my subconscious while I slept and see what came up this morning.
I was a bit surprised about this 5k (£5,000) price point for two reasons:
1- I don’t currently charge 5k myself, I have in the past for other services and I may one day in future, for now £3,000 is my sweet spot
2- I never go into a session with my clients saying you need to be charging x amount. However it seems that for women coaches, mentors and therapists…the main people I work with, that 5k price tag is the tipping point, like a holy grail of pricing.
Of course being the geek that I am I decided to look up the meaning of Graceful and this is what I found: fluid, fluent, flowing, easy, effortless, natural, precise.
Which means that it isn’t supposed to stress you out! Getting to the 5k price might be a stretch yes, but the actual transaction where your perform the service and get paid is fluid, fluent, flowing, easy, effortless,precise and natural.
So let us get into it…my take on the graceful way to5k: 5000, pounds, dollars, euros depending on where you are reading this.
Step 1: Get used to the number. Start saying it out loud. Write it down. Get used to seeing it on paper. Prepare your new invoices with 5k on it. Eek! I know!
You want to see what anxiety comes up for you and why? And you want to deal with it long before your create your 5k package or have a sales conversation!
Step 2: Get clear in your mind who you want to be working with when you are being paid 5k. And when I say clear I mean super, ultra, crystal clear as if they were sitting next to you now. Think about a previous client, a colleague or a prospective client that you LOVE to be around. Go as far thinking about what you would be talking about during lunch, hear them laugh as you enjoy your work together. This may sound obvious but the people that you work with at £30/hr are going to be different to the ones that you work with at 5k. Yup! If you’re not clear on the difference you will end up spending your time having draining conversations. So you want to get that clear in your head.
Step 3: The practical side: Ask yourself “what does my working day look like when I’m being paid 5k”. Notice I didn’t say “what can I offer that is worth 5k.” It’s a different question. When my clients come to me and we talk about their signature package or service– the first response is “I can’t charge £3000, or £5000 or £10,000 for THAT! Well your little corner coffee shop charges 70p for a cup of coffee and Starbucks charges £2.50…need I say more.
That’s why you want to look at what your working day will look like at that 5k price point. Are you running a group event? Are you hosting a retreat? Are you working 1:1? Once you answer this question knowing what your 5k package or service looks like will become clear.
I don’t want it to sound as if you don’t have to DO anything. You absolutely do. This is not a raise your rates and Boom!
You’re running a business not a magic show.
The main thing you have to DO is decide to honour yourself and your clients and meet their needs at a deeply transformative level.
And once you know what this looks like for you then put yourself in the game.
My message is simple charging 5k is not an unachievable place that only exists for some people and not for you.
Every week I offer complementary Uncover your Signature Service Sessions. These 30 minute support calls are for women coaches, mentors and therapists who are ready to create your Signature Service or package, and need a little objective help in taking the creative work you do and ‘packaging it’ or, perhaps you’ve got so many ideas you don’t know how to choose between them all – and following your creative flow has, at times, led to confusion and chaos rather than income and impact then snap up one of these spots!
I promise to support you during the call so you can package what you do, become known, stand out and confidently raise your rates… even if other people “do what you do”.
Only if at the end of the session you want to know more – I will make a relevant offer. That may mean I suggest a book, website, coach or other resource that can better meet your needs.
To book your free 30 minute call email hello@juliabernardthompson.com
