This is a great question, and I believe that it can be okay to offer a very small amount of free services, but only in a few select situations.
Some entrepreneurs might have an extension of their company for charitable work, which is funded by the profits from their business.Other entrepreneurs may choose to work with a few pro bono clients. The choice is up to you, though I want to highly encourage you to charge money for whatever you offer through your business.
I did choose to work with 2 clients for free in my first business, when I was just starting out. I did this because I wanted to have several client testimonials to show to future potential clients, and to use in my marketing materials (like my website, business cards, brochures, postcards, and social media marketing.) For 2 months, I worked with 2 friends for free, and they wrote testimonials based on the actual results they received. Seeing their testimonials let me feel more confident in my work, which then led to my first paying clients. If you choose to offer free services at the very beginning of your career like I did, I suggest that you cap it at 2 people maximum, and then start charging.
If you happen to find yourself continually not wanting to charge money for what you sell in your business, that’s called self-sabotage. Definitely reach out for support, and make a commitment that you will, from now on, charge money for your work. After all, you likely opened a business that provides a product or service, which you know quite a bit about. It’s likely that you were trained in your craft. You’ve probably received some kind of certification (or multiple certifications), or had a path of self-study that led to your extensive knowledge. You deserve to create income through your talents.
In your entrepreneurial career, you’ll also likely create projects and offerings in your business that will always be free, and that can potentially lead to income at a later time. For example, I write these newsletters for free, and teach plenty of free introductory teleclasses, and host free interviews. Those are the ways that I choose to work for free, and I will likely continue to do so for years, because those processes connect me with clients.
You will never see me offering private business mentorship for free though, unless it’s a bonus that has been added to another purchase. What I’ve found is that when a new client makes an initial investment to work with me, that first payment can create a powerful shift in the way that they relate to money in their own business. Their payment is also an energetic commitment to our work together, which often leads to better results for them.
As you move forward in your business, be sure that you charge money for the majority of your work. And if you do choose to have a few selectively free offerings, find a balance between your free and paid activities so that you can live a happy life, and have all of your financial needs cared for.
© 2015 Ava Waits
Ava Waits is an inspirational speaker, business mentor, and forthcoming author. She believes that making money should feel like bliss, and through her work, she provides innovative business, money, and marketing guidance to entrepreneurial women worldwide.
Ava first used entrepreneurship to pull herself out of poverty, going from food stamps and the food bank line, to signing on over $17,000 worth of business in one month. She is passionately committed to helping other women release financial constriction, feel content with money, and live richer lives through entrepreneurship. Ava’s clients often receive surprise income, travel the world with their businesses, and start signing on new clients at their highest prices yet.
As a speaker, Ava has been interviewed on television, and has been invited around the country to inspire audiences at business events, women’s organizations, and financial companies. To connect with Ava, and to view article and video archives, please visit www.AvaWaits.com.
