How I Increased My Hourly Rate from $20 to $200
When I started freelancing, I charged $20 an hour. I was excited, nervous, and had no clue what I was doing. I thought $20 sounded like a lot. It wasn’t. I could barely pay for coffee and Wi-Fi.
Today, I charge $200 an hour — and people actually pay it. So, how did I get here? Let me tell you.
I Was Underselling Myself (Big Time)
At $20 an hour, I thought I was giving a good deal. I wanted clients to pick me because I was “cheap.” Bad idea.
Cheap prices attract the wrong kind of clients. They want a lot for a little. They don’t respect your time. And they usually ask for “just one more thing”… about 47 times.
I learned this the hard way.
I Got Better at What I Do
If you want to raise your rates, you have to be good — really good.
I started learning more. I read books. I took online classes. I asked for feedback and used it to get better. Slowly, my work improved. I got faster, too. That meant I could finish projects quicker and take on more work.
When your work gets better, your value goes up. And when your value goes up, your price should, too.
I Found My “Thing”
At first, I did everything — writing, editing, designing, and maybe a little dance (just kidding).
But then I found my sweet spot. The one thing I was best at and enjoyed the most. For me, it was writing content that sounds human and clear — just like this.
When I focused on one thing, I became an expert in it. Experts get paid more. Always.
I Learned to Say No (Scary but Worth It)
Saying “no” is hard. Especially when you’re broke. But I started saying no to low-paying work.
Instead, I spent that time building my website, updating my portfolio, and talking to people who could actually pay me well.
It felt risky at first. But it gave me time to build a better business.
I Looked the Part
I got serious about my online presence. I cleaned up my LinkedIn. I built a simple website. I added clear info about what I do, who I help, and how to contact me.
When people see a professional profile, they’re more willing to pay professional prices.
I also added testimonials from happy clients. That helped a lot. People trust people.
I Started Charging for Value, Not Time
This is a big one.
At $20 an hour, I was selling my time. But at $200 an hour, I’m selling results.
If a client hires me to write something that helps them make $10,000 in sales, paying me $1,000 is a smart deal.
So I stopped saying, “I charge this much per hour,” and started saying, “Here’s the price for this result.”
I Asked for More
Simple, but powerful. I just started asking for higher rates.
First, I went from $20 to $40. Then $40 to $75. Then $100. I didn’t jump to $200 overnight. I did it step by step.
And yes, some people said no. But many said yes.
You don’t get what you don’t ask for.
Final Thoughts
If you’re charging low, you’re not alone. We all start somewhere.
But you don’t have to stay stuck. Get better, focus on one thing, build trust, and ask for more.
One day, you’ll look back and laugh at your $20 days — like I do now.
And hey, you’ll finally be able to afford the fancy coffee.
1 Comments
well done
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