It’s been eight years since I fully immersed myself in the creative sector, eight years of learning, evolving, getting it wrong, getting it right, and most importantly, growing. And if there’s one lesson that has stuck with me, one that I wish I knew from the very beginning, it’s this: Package yourself properly and never shy away from including your pricing upfront.
For a long time, I thought leaving pricing out of my service packages was strategic. You know, leave some mystery, “get them through the door first,” feel the client out. I thought it gave room for negotiation, that it was more professional to leave it until the meeting. But here’s the truth: it created unnecessary back and forth, wasted time, and in many cases, lost me serious business.
I remember one particular instance, a client reached out for branding services. We emailed back and forth over a week. They wanted meetings, proposal drafts, coffee catch-ups, the whole nine yards. After days of ideation, brainstorming, and building excitement, we finally got to pricing and just like that, it ended. Not because the pricing wasn’t right, but because the expectations had never been set. Had they known from the beginning, we’d either have avoided the back and forth or moved forward with clarity. That moment was a wake-up call.
So I did a simple thing: I added pricing to my packages.
Not a rigid, one-size-fits-all quote, but tiered options. Basic. Standard. Premium. Each with a clear breakdown of what’s included and what isn’t. I posted it on my website, attached it to my service guide, sent it in every inquiry response. The results? Game changing.
Suddenly, conversations with potential clients became smoother. Meetings turned into confirmations rather than clarifications. People reached out already understanding the value and the cost and those who couldn’t afford it didn’t waste their time or mine. The respect level went up. I was no longer “chasing clients”; I was attracting the right ones.
This isn’t just a creative sector thing. It’s for anyone in business.
Whether you’re a photographer, an event planner, a fitness coach, or a consultant clarity in your offering and your pricing is power. It’s a statement: “I know my value.” It sets the tone. It filters out noise. It helps you stand tall in your craft.
So if you’ve been holding back, fearing that talking money will scare clients away, trust me, it won’t. It’ll do the opposite. It’ll position you as someone who respects your work, respects your time, and respects your client enough to be honest from the start.
Include pricing in your packaging.
Let your work speak, but let your structure scream professionalism.
That one change?
It saved me time. It saved me energy.
And most of all, it made my business make sense.
