A Note from Julie, the Greenhouse Curator:

Have you ever thought about raising your rates but worried you’d lose clients?

 

I’ve been there too, and that’s why a recent email from one of my proofreading clients surprised me: He encouraged me to raise my rates. 😮

 

Here’s what he said: “I know you haven’t gone up on pricing in a while. If you need to, I’ll pay whatever to have you on board.”

 

This is someone I’ve worked with for many years, and he’s pretty frugal. He’s not the client I would've expected to say something like that.

We anticipate how clients will react to a rate increase, don't we? We picture the hesitation, the pushback, or even the possibility of losing the work altogether.

 

But sometimes, the people we’re most worried about already see the value in what we do and are more open to a rate change than we expect.

 

That doesn’t mean every client will respond this way. Some have tighter budgets and may not be able to pay a higher rate. Still, this moment was a good reminder for me that I hadn’t revisited my rates with this client in a while, not because I'd carefully decided not to, but because I was dreading how he'd respond to a rate increase.

A few years ago, I went through a training that helped me look at my business numbers more honestly. Instead of asking what I should charge, it pushed me to think about what I actually needed to earn for my business to be sustainable.

 

That shift mattered more than any specific number. It gave me a way to think about pricing that wasn’t based on fear or guesswork.

 

If you’ve been thinking about your rates lately, here are a few questions to ask yourself:

 

Here's an analogy: A plant doesn’t stay in the same pot forever. At some point, it needs to be moved to a larger one so it has room to grow. Rates can be like that, not rushed or forced, just revisited when it feels like it might be time.

 

If you’ve been feeling a nudge to take a closer look at your rates, this is a good time to explore the idea. 🪴

Here are three posts I enjoyed reading on LinkedIn recently. Click the links below to read them.

It's easy to understand why this error occurred. Try it for yourself: Say “public form” aloud and see how much it sounds like “public forum.” Am I right?
 

public forum = a space where people can openly share ideas and opinions, either in person or online
 

Juliane Humphries

 

There’s just something intriguing about a new leaf on a Swiss cheese plant (Monstera adansonii): the pale green, almost iridescent color and the fenestrations that let light through.

 

It doesn’t appear fully formed. It opens gradually over time.

 

A lot like the work we do. 💚

Let's keep growing together!

What did you think of today's email? I'd love to hear your thoughts, questions, or feedback. Email julie@theproofreadergreenhouse.com

 

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