Price With Confidence – Don’t Negotiate With Yourself

Don’t negotiate with yourself – price with confidence.

I had a powerful conversation with a client I mentor – a talented lecturer, coach, and consultant. Thanks to a marketing campaign she launched during our mentorship, she landed an exciting opportunity with a large firm and reached out for help pricing her workshop.

What happened next is something I see all the time.

When I suggested a high price – one I knew was appropriate for a company of that size – she panicked.

“They’ll never agree to that kind of sum!”

“Who pays that much?!”

She had planned to ask for a much lower fee.

In fact, she kept lowering it further during our conversation, trying to “play it safe.”

At one point, I had to stop her:

“You’re negotiating with yourself.

Not with your customer.

Not even with their budget.

And definitely not with their needs.”

She hadn’t even approached the client yet.

She had no idea what their budget was or what they normally pay for similar services.

And still, she was preparing to ask for less than she believed she was worth.

What Can We Learn From “Price With Confidence”?

Most people price themselves too low.
And when they do, they never know how much they would have earned. So, don’t be afraid to aim higher – especially with clients who can pay more.You can learn more about the psychology of premium pricing in this post:
Profitable Pricing Strategy 2025: Why Higher Prices Matter
Self-persuasion is the hardest kind.
Before you can convince others of your value, you have to believe in it yourself. Know your worth. Communicate it clearly. This is a form of overcoming internal resistance – something I discuss in: Overcoming Client Objections: Effective Sales Techniques

Focus on the customer’s perspective.
Your pricing shouldn’t reflect how much you’re willing to compromise—it should reflect how much value they get from working with you. Think:
- What’s their budget?
- What ROI will they get from your work?
- How important is your expertise to them?

And if you’re struggling to stay motivated while constantly marketing yourself, this article might help:
Feeling Like You’re Marketing Non-Stop but Nothing’s Happening?