Hey Guys,

So, how do you like the new look of this eZine? I hope you like it as much as I do. I wanted a new look for the eZine to make it easier and more enjoyable for you to read. Mission accomplished, I hope? = )

As I write this, the winds are howling at the door. It's unseasonably cold here for us in Texas, and I am not a big sweater fan. Gratefully, all my client work for After The Launch keeps me indoors most of the time.

This week's feature article poses an important question:

Are you Pricing your Services Right?

Have you ever wondered how some professionals can charge such high fees and still have a roster full of clients?

Is it their education? Their track record? The value they offer? Perhaps, it's a combination of things. This article delves into what allows some professionals to charge more than others.

And most importantly, how you can apply the same techniques to your business.

Until next week, all the best,

Shama Hyder,
Your Marketing Mentor

Are you Pricing your Services Right?
by Shama Hyder

This is perhaps one of the most commonly asked questions that I hear. What does it take to charge clients a premium amount? What makes it worth it?

How do I price my services?

I am a big fan of value pricing. This concept is the brainchild of Alan Weiss, author of the "Million Dollar Consultant."

In simplest terms, it means charge for the value you provide, rather than for your efforts. It may take you ten hours or ten minutes, but it's the outcome that matters.

1. Sell the Solution, Not the Methodology

People hire coaches but they aren't buying the coaching. They are buying what the coaching can provide. The final results. Whether that's an improved relationship or better health; people care about results.

You are selling the final outcome. If you are a Virtual Assistant, you aren't selling hours. You are selling peace of mind and giving your client more quality time with their family. Focus on the solutions, rather than the methodology.

2. Add Unbelievable Value

Every industry has it's standards. Find a way to surpass those and you are almost guaranteed higher fees. Most coaches for example meet periodically with clients over the phone. Very few constantly send them useful books in the mail or regularly introduce them to new tools and practices.

Even fewer spend time educating their clients on how to maximize results from the coaching process.

What can you do to enhance your work?

3. Compare your Fees to the Final Outcome

If you can help a company save one million dollars over 5 years by helping them cut down employee turnover rate, how much are you really worth?

If you help a couple restore and revive their dying relationship, how much are you worth?

When you start looking at how your work impacts the bigger picture, you will easily be able to command higher fees.

4.Trust and Courage

It's not easy to ask beyond what the current market is going by. But it can be done. You have to have the courage to ask what you feel your services are worth, and you have to trust in yourself. Focus on the value your services provide in the long run.

Clients can sense confidence. If you feel you lack confidence in your abilities, work on that first.

� 2008 Shama Hyder and AfterTheLaunch.com

WANT TO REPRINT THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR EZINE OR WEBSITE? You may, as long as it remains intact and you include this complete blurb with it: Shama Hyder is an expert marketing consultant to independent professionals and professional service firms around the world. You can get her f'ree report, 101 Ways to Market your Business" at http://www.AfterTheLaunch.com.

Shama Hyder as is an expert marketing consultant to independent professionals and professional service firms around the world. As the founder of After The Launch, Shama serves clients through her one-on-one work, and through her company's several online and offline marketing services.

To learn more about Shama, read her full bio here.

Shama Hyder/After The Launch.com
2103 Nob Hill, Dallas, Tx 75006
  I Shama@AfterTheLaunch.com