Negotiating your Worth as a Stylist
Updated: Nov 21, 2022
As a stylist, we often come across people who don’t really understand what we do, let alone how much it costs for us to do it. We’ve all had those frustrating and awkward conversations concerning how much people value our time and talent, and understand how it feels. So, today we want to give you simple, yet somewhat scary tips that will make the interactions a lot smoother.
1. Don’t be afraid to say no
Don't be afraid to turn people down because you don’t want to miss out on an opportunity. You’ll never miss an opportunity that is meant for you. There will always be people who feel like they can take advantage of you and your time, but it’s up to you to stand up for yourself.
Every opportunity you take doesn’t always have to have money attached to it. Just make sure the experience aligns with your business's vision and mission.
2. Play around with your rate
Keep your prices to yourself. They don’t need to be on your website because that can tie you to a rate that may not be enough to meet the needs of every client. After you gather information from the client, what they need and their budget, you can then decide which service is the best fit for them and the proper investment to go with it. If they aren’t willing to make the investment, that is your sign to move on and reevaluate.
When your prices are visible to everyone, it can also scare potential clients away who don’t fully understand the value of what you’re offering. So, keeping your prices to yourself and confidently speaking up about the price when necessary, will give you the opportunity to increase your rates and maximize your value with every new client.
3. Minimize the client's workload
If your client is overwhelmed by what you may be offering them, curate a service or package to meet their specific needs. You can start by removing a service or two from your original package or even shorten the time needed to deliver each service. Therefore, you’ll still get paid for the work you do and the client can stay within their budget. The key is to lessen the services, not the value of them!
Here are some red flags to look out for when negotiating your rate:
When they are hesitant to invest
When they try to negotiate your rate
When they aren’t clear about their budget or don’t know their budget (not always a red flag but can be)
Be confident and stand firm in your value. Remember, you’ll never miss out on an opportunity that is meant for you!