Pay What You Can Afford Coaching?
Yes, you have read that correctly; I’ve been having a big think and have developed a new policy on pricing which I am pithily calling ‘Pay what you can afford‘.
Just why am I slashing all of my prices to individual women?
If you replied ‘because you’re mad’, we must have met…
Seriously though, I have been having lots of deep and meaningful conversations with myself. It started a few weeks back with a wonderful woman who is doing the one to one version of RenewYou. I offered to give her a third free session because I didn’t think we’d finished all we needed. That was my fault because I am in charge of timekeeping so it seemed reasonable. She disagreed. She insisted on giving me a third more of the fee, even though I didn’t invoice her (I told you she was wonderful).
‘This course is so worth it‘, she said, ‘you undercharge anyway.’
What Is A Fair Price?
Of course I was pleased, more by her evident enjoyment of RenewYou than anything else, but she set me thinking. I looked at all my prices again.
From the moment I became a business I have *hated selling what I do. To that end, throughout the twenty years of Changing People, I’ve worked with various companies and individuals to help me promote what I do. Without exception every one of them has said I don’t charge enough. I’d increase my prices but each time I did so I knew I was pricing some women out.
If you’ve read the about me bit, you’ll know have a background in the public sector. I used to be a social worker; the idea of charging people to help them doesn’t come easily to me. However, if you’re not on a salary you soon learn that you have to get over yourself pretty quickly. We had a mortgage to pay and all the usual stuff of living, not to mention two children.
*But I’m very good at helping you sell yourself. Go figure…
Why I’m Not Charging ‘Market Rates’
I no longer have a mortgage and I also have a pension. I can happily manage on much less income; which means I can choose to charge whatever I want. Yes, I am in a very privileged position.
Women have had a very hard time during the pandemic. They have been hardest hit economically and psychologically. The cost of living is rising massively. Of course, there are women out there who can afford to invest in themselves (and nothing I say applies to large businesses who are investing in equality and development for their female staff; I haven’t completely lost my marbles.)
Pay What You Can Afford
But many more cannot. I have always offered reduced fees to people who need it, but now I’m being much more upfront. As long as I can cover my costs (and maybe even if I can’t all the time) as an individual woman paying for yourself, you can simply pay me what you can afford. That goes for coaching, courses, everything I do. Just get in touch.
RenewYou, My Tried and Tested Career Booster!
RenewYou has helped thousands of women make positive and lasting change in their lives. I deliver it one-to-one as part of a bespoke coaching package for women looking to move into leadership, to progress their career, or who wish to be the absolute best version of themselves.
Posted on April 25th, 2022 by Jane
