I came across this picture the other day and it got me to thinking. How many of us who have our own businesses in a creative field have fallen into the trap of giving away free work to get ourselves noticed?
I know that I personally did it on a regular basis when I started out. I was under the impression that if I made signs at an extremely low price to undercut everyone else, I would gain notoriety and exposure. The exposure is good but at what price. I was suddenly seen as less than professional because I didn't value my work or my abilities. Unfortunately it took a long time to get myself out of that public perception. Don't get me wrong, I still do charity work on a regular basis. That is a totally different ball of wax. I charge what my work is worth now. I provide a level of quality and customer service that is second to none so my customers are more than willing to pay my prices. I gain exposure because of the quality of my work and my love of what I do. So my friends, in closing : If you feel your work is worth less than everyone else' then by all means charge less. If you're afraid that you won't make sales because your price may be too high, by all means lower your rates. But please, don't undervalue yourself. The moment you do, you set yourself up for failure. Hope this post inspires you and as always, stay creative my friends.
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