So, you’re a freelancer. And you take great pleasure in doing great work for your clients. But the “good” clients are few and far between.
The reality is this: most people contact you and try to pay you $500 for a $5,000 job.
HOW ANNOYING, RIGHT?
Of course, you hope you never work with someone like this. After all, if they don’t value you and your work, why should you even give them the time of day?
But sometimes you “come down a little” because, hey. You got bills to pay. Plus, who knows how long it’ll be till the next gig comes along?
Now what if I said you could eliminate these ridiculous requests?
What if I said you could clearly communicate the value you provide and the people who contact you would be HAPPY to pay for it?
What if, instead of getting offered $500 for a $5000 job… you got offered $10,000 for a $5,000 job?
Sounds like a pipe dream, right?
Well, check this out…
The #1 Reason Why People Think They Can Underpay You
I’m Derek Halpern, and I run Social Triggers, a top resource for entrepreneurs and freelancers who want to start – and grow – their business. I’ve seen this issue time and time again…
…and I can tell you this:
The BIG reason why this happens is directly related to one little page on your website…
The REQUEST A QUOTE page.
I’ll explain…
If you pull up you request a quote page, let me guess. It looks something like this, right?
And sure, maybe it doesn’t look exactly like this, but something similar, right?
Well…
What’s the PROBLEM here?
I’ll tell you…
Put yourself in the shoes of a potential customer for a second.
They need the service you provide. They see your contact page. And whether they have a good budget or not, they think, “Ah. It can’t hurt to email them, right?”
And that’s why people with very small budgets… people who will try and under pay you… contact you. “It can’t hurt to ask!”
Then…
You get frustrated by these unqualified customers. And that’s when you have the BRIGHT idea to put a “select your budget” drop down menu. Because you want to weed out these under paying clients.
But then the butterfly effect happens.
People with a sizable budget see this and they run for the hills. I mean, I’m the type of guy who spent $25,100 on a web design (I even wrote about it). If I see a “select your budget” drop down menu, I run for the hills because I feel as if the freelancer is trying to screw me.
It’s really bad.
So, what can you do?
And That’s Why You Need A Sales Page
People mistakenly think sales pages are for people who sell online courses.
And they are.
Sales pages work GREAT for online courses.
But, no matter what you sell online, a sales page is vital to make the sale.
And the world’s smartest companies use them.
Take a look:
Big companies use them…
Small businesses who sell online courses, coaching, consulting, and other services use them too:
And if you look around, you’ll see different types of businesses who use sales pages to persuade people to buy.
Personally, I’ve seen people use sales pages to sell anything from an e-book, to a speech, to a hand-made leather bag, to an online course, to a piece of software…
And a whole lot more.
So, I feel confident sharing this with you:
You NEED a sales page.
And if you’re the type of person who is sick and tired of people who think they can underpay you…
…you need a sales page now.
So, How Do You Make A Sales Page To Sell A Service? Or A Course? Or A Product?
I put together a new email training series that shows you how to do it. It’s called the “Create Your Sales Page” Challenge.
And the good news is that it’s 100% free.
You can join it right here:
This challenge will be delivered to you over email. So, there’s no need to show up anywhere live. But you must sign up today. The deadline for the challenge is fast approaching!
What will I cover?
I’ll walk you through how to create a sales page that converts, including the psychological hooks that persuade people to buy. Plus, I’ll show you the 5 building blocks of a sales page that converts, proving anyone can create one. Even if you’re not a writer.
“I didn’t know how valuable a sales page was.
This course changed the way I run my launches.”
– Austin Roberson
Derek, your Sales Page That Converts course is,
hands-down, the most helpful online course I’ve ever taken
— and I’ve taken a LOT of them.”
– Beth Hayden
So true. I have a pricing page for my web design services and a sales page for my e-courses and I’ve always been very open about my rates. I never contact someone who has no info whatsoever about their prices, if they are vague about it I automatically assume they are expensive. I raised my feed over time but am always transparent. And I’ve had a steady stream of clients since day one 🙂
Would this work for a welding business too? My husband is trying to build his business and hasn’t made a website yet. So far, he has booked one job from a Google search and a few others from word of mouth. I really want to help him amp up his marketing.
Thanks Derek, for giving me some more motivation to get my sales pages amped up to the next level!
Yo, great stuff! But yes it looks like your infusionsoft / leadpages thingy is broken 😉
How can a sales page work on wedding bouquets that are custom made? I am a floral designer and brides ask for a quote all the time. When i tell them it depends on color, style, numbers of bouquets boutonniers corsages centerpieces etc as well as type of flowers and their costs those brides dont come back when i suggest we set up a budget or do a consult. I loose a lot of business because of it. Can some kind of sales page work for me without knowing what they need or want. We do not have pre made as even a certain color can change the cost.
Hey laura. I was just passing through and I noticed your great comment. I too, am a freelancer. The bouquets you make, I am sure are beautiful. Why not take a picture of a few that are different sizes and provide price points (a bouquet this size costs etc) this might give you and the client a starting point
Good luck.
Raise your prices first. Specifically, raise them to the highest price for a reasonable set of options. Use the most expensive color or other option, to create a price that won’t cause you a loss if the customer chooses something else and wants the same price.
Customers don’t want the very lowest price, they want to balance their budgets, time, and energy. If you can give them a straightforward price while your competitors wait for consultations, the convenience factor will increase your business many times over.
Once you have understandable prices set, a sales page is easy. 🙂
Is this Laura Hoppe?
Laura, you have to change your frame of mind. Those people that run off are not lost business -they are time-wasters that never were going to be business. They just collect bids and go with me cheapest one and end up disappointed . When somebody asks me or my sales reps for a rough web design quote or rough SEO estimate, I tell them I need to set up an appointment with them to discuss their needs and their business. When they push for a rough estimate, I merely ask them how much does rope cost? The reply is usually “How much rope, what kind of rope, rope to use for what?”
My answer is then, “Exactly’.
Anyone who doesn’t realize that is not going to pay enough money anyway so they are time-wasters and not lost business. If they won’t take time to really determine their needs for a fair price then you should run.
I’ve just come across your site and wanted to say how much I’m enjoying reading it. Love the way you write. Thank you!
Mine hasn’t come either, I however DO really wanting to do this challenge please!
Shoot me an email at Derek@socialtriggers
I attempted to sign up for your challenge and quickly received your “go there this minute or get nothing!” message. You know, the one you use to weed out the fakes? So I dropped everything to head to my email provider and click on the confirmation … I waited and waited and soon realized the joke was on me because nothing ever came. I’m no longer interested in joining the challenge but thought I should let you know as a courtesy.
Shoot me an email at Derek@socialtriggers