Sometimes, potential clients ask me in their first email, “What’s your price?" Here’s the message I plan to send back:
Thanks for your question. I totally understand the need to get a sense of what something will cost upfront. Allow me to explain why I take a different approach.
Over the years, I’ve learned that it’s counterproductive to provide a price without first having a conversation. There are several reasons for this:
1. You may be contacting several people, and I want to demonstrate my value.
2. We may be using a word or phrase to mean different things. (I wrote about this scenario for P.R. Daily.)
3. If possible, I prefer not to bill by the hour or use a rate sheet. Instead, after learning about the given project, I offer a customized fee.
The bottom line: If price is your only consideration, then I’m probably not the right person. On the other hand, if you value excellence, if you want someone who’s reliable and responsive, if you’d prefer to work one on one with the business owner (that’s me) rather than a junior account executive, then I’d welcome the opportunity to schedule a brief call.
Thanks again for contacting me. I hope we’ll get the chance to chat.
