The Pricing Paradox: Why Charging More Can Get You Better Clients
The hidden psychology of creative pricing - and why “affordable” is often your most expensive mistake.
Early in my career, I thought the best way to win clients was to be cheaper.
If someone quoted $5K, I’d say I could do it for $4K - or $3K - or whatever number kept the conversation going.
And it worked, at first.
Not only did it work, but while I was in LA, I had a lot of colleagues and friends encourage me to do this.
But those projects always had the same outcome: seemingly endless revisions, hour-long weekly calls, creative micromanagement, and, at the end of it all, almost no profit.
When I started positioning myself as a business rather than a freelancer, something clicked…
🎯 Cheap = Uncertain. Premium = Confident.
In creative work, pricing doesn’t just reflect cost - it signals certainty.
When you price too low, you subconsciously tell clients:
“I need you more than you need me.”
When you charge what you’re actually worth, you flip the dynamic:
“I’ve done this before, I know the outcome, and you’re in good hands.”
And here’s the thing I wish I knew sooner - that shift doesn’t repel clients - it actually attracts the right ones.
Because good clients don’t want cheap.
They want confidence. They want clarity. And, of course, they want positive outcomes.
🧠 The Psychology Behind It
Here’s what I realized:
Pricing is less about the actual number and more about the story it tells.
Every proposal sends a signal.
When price perception is low…
“They’re new, uncertain, or desperate.”
…or medium…
“They’re competent, but replaceable.”
…or high…
“They know what they’re doing. I can trust them.”
Your rates don’t just shape your revenue - they shape your reputation.
🎬 When I Raised My Rates
When I finally raised my rates, something strange happened:
I got fewer leads.
I was working less.
But the ones who came in were better. They respected my time, trusted my process, and actually listened to my recommendations.
The irony?
Those clients spent more and made my job easier.
Let me say that again…
I was making more, working less, and with better clients.
That’s huge, right?
And, it wasn’t about greed. It was about alignment.
💼 The Lesson
Your prices are a filter.
They’re not there to convince everyone - they’re there to qualify the right people.
So instead of asking, “What will they pay?”
Start asking questions like this:
“What will this cost if I pay everyone involved a rate they will be more than happy with?”
“What outcome am I really delivering?”
“If I deliver on the outcome, what will that mean for the client?”
Because the client isn’t paying for a camera, a script, or an edit.
They’re paying for certainty.
And certainty costs more than creativity ever will.
Cheers,
Alex