How Much Should You Charge?

The answer is – it depends

Your area, client base, and availability will all affect what we charge.

But we tend to make this all-important decision with data and decisions that are not the best markers. Most teachers will look at what everyone else is charging and price themselves somewhere in the middle.

This is not something I recommend. While attempting to be the lowest in your area is a race to the bottom, being in the middle gives you few advantages.

You will have more competition at your level and you will be dealing with more hagglers and cheapskates.

You should be at or near the top.

Does that sound scary?

It shouldn’t be – the key is to create a perceived higher value.

Being a member of IVTOM creates value perception.  Getting constant training and education? Yep, higher value again.

An extremely strong way to create higher value is to focus on a particular expertise you may have.

Are you passionate about audition prep, artist development, vocal rehab, performance, adult beginners, special needs children, or any number of niches within voice?

You can use this niche focus to establish yourself as the ‘go to” person in your area.

Which creates a higher perceived value.

Which means you can charge more.

I just checked Amazon for books on “accounting.” I can get a general accounting book for about $14.  However, if I want accounting in the niche of chiropractors the price jumps to nearly $60.  A book in the even smaller niche of appraising a dental practice is nearly $200.

As they say, “there are riches in niches.”

There is something I likely do better than you, and there is an area of music and voice where you have more experience and expertise than me.

Find your special gift, create the awareness and value perception and charge what you are worth!

John Henny