Why it doesn’t make sense to charge less

These days I’m constantly trying to draw strategies for better targeting for my website. I get all sorts of queries from my online writing services; some have no problem with what I quote, some expect more than what I’ve quoted, and some are looking for writers that will simply provide them $2 or $3 per article service. I’m trying to target clients that are looking for good content at decent rates, not very low rates.

Although I operate from India, I never try to attract clients who are looking for cheap writing services. It doesn’t mean I’m an expensive writer — I simply charge what I think I should get, according to the quality of writing I provide, and according to the prevalent rates in different countries. Some clients think that just because I am from India I’m going to provide my writing services dirt cheap. It is not their fault actually because that’s what they are looking for in the first place and they know that they can get good writers at extremely low rates in Third World countries. Even clients from India think that I have no business charging them the amount I quote.

I consider writing to be just like any other service that you can use to enhance your business prospects.  When I am writing for you I am helping you communicate effectively so that you can get more business.  Isn’t it a service worth paying for? Fine, you can say that you can find writers who charge a lot less then what I normally do, but then you can say this for every service.  You can hire a web design company that charges $50,000 for your website and you can hire a web design company that will charge $50 for the same website.  The difference will manifest in the way your business grows or doesn’t grow.

So why doesn’t it make sense to charge less than what you can charge just for the sake of getting work?

When you start charging less both you and your client get trapped in a vicious circle.  You never earn enough and your client never gets the quality that he or she needs to do decent business. Since you are working for pittance, you want to do more and more projects in the limited time you have; you can only work for so many hours. You are always in a hurry to finish your project because you simply cannot afford to spend 2-3 hours writing a document that’s going to get you $5.  Consequently, the quality suffers.  Some writers don’t even write, they simply plagiarize and their clients either never realize it or they simply ignore it because anyway they are not looking for high-quality content when they are paying $2 for an article. These types of clients rarely succeed in their ventures and they have a similar attitude towards your service.

Similarly, since you are always working for less money you never have time to grow and evolve. You are always busy doing the patchwork and trying to get new, low-paying assignments.  You never become an expert people won’t mind paying a higher fee.  You will always be writing low quality stuff.  You will never be taken seriously for your service.  Okay, there will be a few people who will admire your rates and the amount of work you can churn out but it won’t fetch you a stable livelihood. You will soon burnout and you quit as a failure.

Again, I am not saying you charge more than you are worth for. Just don’t under charge.  Charge a justified amount and keep improving yourself so that you can deliver value and then charge for that value. There is a reason why some companies bill so much. Using their services clients can make a lot more than what they are investing and this is how the true worth of a professional service is gauged.  So instead of providing a cheap service, provide a better service and then charge what you truly deserve.