1. Make more money, with less work

This is really straightforward maths. If you charged double what you charge today, you'd only have to close half as many deals, and do half as much work to earn the same turnover. That means you'll be fresher and more energetic, and everything you do will have more impact. Read on and see how the benefits cumulate to give you a bigger and bigger punch.

Aim to Lose Half Your Leads Based on Price

Hint: If 50% of people aren't saying "no" to you based on price, you're too cheap. Also, practice saying "no", and learn to celebrate it as part of your new being/brand.

If you play poker, you may know what I'm talking about. I find that good poker players fold more than beginners. You can actually enjoy folding, as you know you're just wearing down the odds till you get that good hand, and you're letting the other players know you're not a maniac bluffer, so that when you choose to be in the hand, they're more likely to believe you're holding something strong.

Business is often just like that. The way you say "no" is like painting in negatives, filling in the gaps to suggest a positive shape.

Don't Aim Low, as You Might Get It

Don't work out the minimum you need to live off, and shoot for that, because you'll frequently need to use more time to do a good job, and if you're aiming for the breadline, you'll do slightly worse.

And don't do your calculations based on a 60-hour week! If you have to work 60 hours a week to keep yourself afloat, your boat is leaking. 

Instead, don't think about the money. Sure, make a note of the minimum you need, but you really need to aim much higher than that to be OK. Approach the picture backwards. Think: What kind of client do I really want to work for? What do they expect to pay?

Raise their expectations to your level - don't lower your prices to theirs!

It never works!

Advertising prices can only cost you. I'd love for that not to be the case, but logically it doesn't make sense to list your rates.

• If someone's prepared to pay more than the rate you advertise, they'll take a lower price if you offer it, so you lose.
• If someone wants a cheaper job (which you might be able to do and still turn a profit on; or which you may be keen to do because you just want to; or you really need work this week), and you advertise higher rates, they may also be put off, so you lose.
• If you have clients who've previously paid you higher amounts than you advertise, they may not be happy to see you advertising lower rates.
• The reality is that pricing can often depend on a lot of factors (timeliness, client's budget, urgency, how much other work you have on, how much you want the project, not to mention the particular requirements of the job), so it's really not realistic to advertise rates, unless you want to leave a massive range, which doesn't help anyone anyway.
• Even day-rates are misleading, and is more likely to open you up to detrimental comparisons. There's always someone out there posting cheaper rates than you. They may have hidden costs, or may take longer to do a job, or may likely not do as good a job.

My advice is, avoid the risk of being compared on base numbers, and focus on selling your benefits first. Once someone's bought in to your approach, they'll be amenable to paying your fees (if they can afford them).

I hope these tips have been helpful, and encouraged you raise your eyes above the horizon. There is a world of possibility there, even in a recession, just for the choosing.

Never sell yourself short - always make sure your clients appreciate what they're buying.

Price your services appropriately in line with your competitors.