Isn't It Time You Got Paid?

It’s such a scary/exciting time – you have a brilliant idea for a business and product and you’ve decided that you’re going to run with it. You prove this to yourself by committing yourself to making those “no turning back now purchases” like ordering fancy linen business cards, top of the line hardware and designing your website. You’ve even gone as far as losing sleep during endless nights spent gathering market research and polishing your perfect 42-page business plan but you still face that challenge of getting your first paying client!

It’s the story of thousands of entrepreneurs. At the end of all the work you’ve put in to starting your business, you get an “A” for effort, you might even get a cookie for it (and consider yourself lucky if you do!) but I bet you a hundred bucks that you didn’t earn a penny for it and that you’re feet aren’t much closer to getting paid than from where you first started!

Don’t feel bad. Seriously, this is one of the most foundational lessons new (and even veteran) business owners experience. I’ve been there, my clients have been there, my mentors have been there too! Consider it to be a right of passage of sorts and hopefully your biggest take away was to stop focusing on the external factors because they aren’t what will make that first sale!

I get it, you’re talented and have so much to offer and going from unpaid to paid can seem impossible. Selling yourself and asking people for money for what you do is awkward and can often feel uncomfortable but when you think about it, what is business essentially? It’s you asking people for money! Learn to get comfortable with this idea because I promise you, soon, you won’t even remember what your hang ups were about getting your first paying client. Yes, there are some issues you’ve got to get over in order to live the dream and not just talk about it and it’s all probably easier than you’re making it out to be! We’ll go over a few adjustments and steps you can take right here. After all, it’s time to get paid isn’t it?

Focus on Income generating activities!

Ok, we’ve already talked about how placing your focus on external factors is not recommended and I just want to drive this one home because it’s sO tempting to want to splurge on gorgeous branding and fall back on what’s flashy. It makes us feel good to have a pretty website, a perfect logo and NY times worthy blog! Sure, all of these things may be necessary components to your business somewhere down the line and will eventually require your attention but in the here and now spending time and money on everything except what makes your business a real business is NOT what’s going to make you that first dollar.

So how do we know what actions actually make us money? Honestly, you probably already know the answer to this and it’s probably all of the activities you’ve been holding off of and hiding behind until you have a that perfect website and logo. Every time you’ve said, “I’ll do this once I have this” or “I can’t do this until…”, you’ve successfully identified the next “right” move and action to take in getting paid.

Personally, I like to make a list of the actions I can take that will get me paid. Whether it’s reaching out and calling a potential client, sending out a direct email about what I do, I challenge myself everyday to take these actions.  They come first! I list my other activities too, like updating my social media and such but I make sure that these activities are put in their place and prioritized in the order of what makes income! These other activities are of course important but they don’t pay the rent therefore, I know I’m not going to give them the greatest amount of attention.

Doing this will also validate your understanding of the value of your actions. If you have the best, sexiest website and stationery and still have no clients… where does that leave you? Did you make the best investment with your time and resources? If not, make the adjustment now!

Change your mindset.

Success is 80% mental and having the fortitude and discipline to enact execution will always trump knowledge. You’ve heard the phrase that knowledge is power right? Well, is it really powerful if you don’t actually DO anything with that knowledge? Same is true for creativity and business savvy. The hard truth about why building a successful business is mental is that most people aren’t willing to do the work or to take the necessary actions when it comes to creating a profitable and sustainable business (see above). Most people aren’t willing to be disciplined in their actions or have the courage to overcome their hang ups. You don’t have to sabotage yourself in this way, you just need to understand that your business is not a hobby and that you are responsible and capable of taking action.

I know making money can feel like EVERYTHING right now. There may be so much riding on you taking a chance on your dreams. What you feel is completely real. BUT it’s also not. Think about it. Yes, there are real worries and consequences that occur if you don’t “make it” but ask yourself, what’s the WORST case scenario. Chances are, that if you explore this scenario further with an objective eye, you will see that the worst case scenario really isn’t anything that you wouldn’t be able to recover from. In fact, it’s more than likely the case that since you’ve even considered the opportunity of having your own business that you already have all that you need to be successful. You’re resourceful, you’re willing and by reading this, you’re affirming that you’re committed to building your dreams, learning, and working toward making them a reality. So even if the world comes crashing down around you have everything you should know that you are already capable to recover from it. I can tell you from personal experience that this is truth. So instead of exhausting your focus and energy on what would happen if things don’t work out, ask yourself what would happen if it does!

Identify LImiting beliefs.

Just like making adjustments to your mindset, updating you’re beliefs around making money is imperative and again, it’s easier than you think. Women especially have so many sabotaging beliefs around this! Maybe you think that wanting to make more money is selfish or that if you have money that will some how make you a diva or a bitch. Why wouldn’t you think that? It’s all over the media right? But is it true? No way!

Think about how much more you could do if you made more money? How many more people can you help if you could just help yourself? Making money is both about you and NOT about you!

Often we’re caught up in outdate stories, many of which don’t even belong to us and identifying them is the first step to changing them. Whatever excuses or beliefs you’ve come up with about making money that is stopping you from taking that first step you’ve got to get over because the real truth is, the world needs your gifts and you need to position yourself in a place where you can best deliver them and yes, that means getting paid!

If this is a big hang up for you, I encourage you to sign up for The Prismatic Academy. We get super into this and work through a transformational process of re-writing those beliefs that will absolutely rock your world!

Know your income goals.

Imagine something for me. You have a bow in one hand and an arrow in the other hand. A blindfold is placed over your eyes and your told to hit the target. What the hell?! Where is the target? Is it in front of you? Is it to the left? Is it 100 miles away? Is this really how you want to treat your income goals? With a blindfold, the task becomes near impossible…OR requires a sh*t ton of effort. Why create a situation that makes it less likely for you to even pick up the bow and arrow in the first place? Girl, business is hard enough!

Removing the blindfold, the mystery, the unknowning of what you want, makes hitting the target more possible, more real, more doable! You need to know what you’re aiming for. You need to be able to set your sights on it!

In order to do this, think of a number that allows you to live comfortably, one that you will be happy with. Take that number and add on 10% more. (Always aim higher than the target.)

Now, consider the value of your time. How many hours do you want to work and how long do you often spend on your projects and delivering services. Take your ideal income and figure out your hourly rate based on your previous answers.

Next, think about your margins. How far below this rate will you accept without feeling like crap? Make the decision now not to go below that. You are not a commodity!

You’ll also want to make sure that your ideal rate feels right to you. Sit with it. Say it out loud. “I make (blank) dollars and hour”. Make any adjustments that come up but be sure not to fall into the trap of undervaluing yourself. Yes, give yourself room to grow but I promise you, there will always be new heights to reach and income goals to break through so don’t give too much weight to conservative numbers and get comfortable with going through this process many times over!

ASK!

Honestly, you’d be amazed that getting paid for your work is as easy as asking. You don’t need that perfect, über cool website with the slidey, sparkly features. You need a clear idea of what you offer, you need to communicate it well and you need to repeat after me: “I would be happy to support you in your goals! Does (insert desired payment) sound ok to you?”

Something’s to keep in mind: I understand that it’s uncomfortable to ask for payment. This has so much to do with your limiting beliefs, clarity of product and sense of worth but I encourage you to embrace you value and practice asking for what you want. Earning money will eventually lead to new income goals and you’ll see how this becomes more of a game than anything. It’s not personal. It’s business and it’s fun!

Don’t be afraid of hearing no. Seriously, “no” is NOT A BIG DEAL! You’re not a failure. You don’t suck. It has nothing to do with you. Chances are (unless your asking prices are ridiculously out of alignment with your skills and target market), you won’t be told no very often but even if you do hear a decline, let me repeat it back to you, THAT’S OK! If someone tells you that they aren’t willing to pay you for your services two actions should follow. One, ask yourself if this person is your ideal client. Do they need your services? Will they value your work AND you? Try to keep this objective. Two, if the person is willing, ask them why! Maybe they wish you offered another type of service. Maybe they don’t understand how your services can enhance their business or help them reach their goals. Either way, this is information you need to know to make sure you are meeting the market’s needs and to be able to identify areas where you maybe need to make adjustments in your business model and offers. When you ask, be gracious and be honest. You genuinely want to know how you can get better at providing a service people want and need and are willing to pay for. You’re just starting out, people understand and more than likely, you’re offering your services close within your network so you’ll find that most people you speak with are more than happy to help you out.

Let’s face it, getting paid mostly requires getting over some small issues you’ve made out to be big issues. It’s understandable but change comes with taking action. I pinky promise you that smaller actions will lead to greater actions and one day, you will have no idea why it took you so long to start earning income the income you want! So with that, what is one thing you can commit to today to start getting paid?

About Krissy Marie:

Krissy is a San Diego native with an intuitive approach to Lifestyle Design. Combined with her start up business experience, she has studied organizational psychology and has been trained as a healer for over 6 years. Krissy brings a unique and guided approach to business and brand development and has immense passion for helping young women and business owners reach their fullest potential by empowering them to design and live a life they absolutely LOVE. 

Follow Krissy and The Prismatic Life journey:

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Twitter: @LifePrismatic

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