Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Most of us bloggers learn how to value our blogging products and services the hard way.
A few enlightening but frustrating experiences turned on the light bulb for me.
I recall observing my eBook sales a few years ago; why in heck did I sell genuinely valuable, helpful eBooks for 99 freaking cents? Why did I “bump up” the price to $3.99? Why did the digital storefront get most of the commissions?
Consistent with most self-published authors, I undervalued my knowledge, experience, wisdom and know-how……until I decided NOT TO undervalue my knowledge, experience, wisdom and know-how.
I deleted all my eBooks from that digital storefront, sold them through Payhip and Gumroad, charged $10 for the shorter reads and $20 for the longer reads and finally valued what I offered.
Earning roughly 90% commissions on a 10 dollar to 20 dollar sale makes more sense than earning a small chunk of a 1 to 4 dollar sale.
But I had to value myself, my blog and my business before making that business change.
Loyal Fans Will Remind You of Your Blogging Business Worth
One high level blogger told me to charge $30 for my PDF eBooks.
He seemed blown away by the depth, detail and thorough nature of these guides combined with the title-promise consistent with these eBooks.
One other established pro sent me an extra 30 bucks for my coaching services – back when I offered coaching – to remind me of my coaching skills.
Loyal fans will remind you to value yourself.
Listen closely to their feedback. Face, feel and forgive the negative, egoic chatter in your mind scaring you into charging less, valuing your business less and making peanuts for authentically helpful blogging products and services.
Brutal Wake Up Call
I experienced a brutal wake up call a long time ago.
Someone on a digital platform published a 1 star review claiming to have paid too much money for one of my 4 dollar eBooks.
I felt like someone threw Arctic cold water onto my face:
“Why in God’s name was I charging 4 bucks to attract people who complained about wasting money on an overpriced eBook?”
I looked within for the answer. I undervalued myself, my blog, my blogging eBooks and my blogging business in general. Naturally, people came along to mirror back or act out my poverty mindset to me.
I thought it through.
Did I want to charge 4 dollars for a wealth of blogging experience, skills, know-how and expertise jam-packed into a rich guide?
Nope.
I moved all PDF guides to Payhip and Gumroad. I charged anywhere from $10 to $20 per eBook.
I felt better.
Promoting these eBooks instantly moved me into higher blogging circles. Bloggers who valued me, my eBooks and my knowledge slowly but surely flocked toward me because I changed my mindset, decided to value myself, my eBooks and my blogging business.
Why Did I Write this Blog Post?
After selling some copies of:
7 Steps to Build a Full Time Income Earning Blog
How to Retire to a Life of Island Hopping Part 2
recently I wanted to relay my experience to help you spot any blogging income struggles related to undervaluing your products and services.
Basically guys, you get fed up with blogging for peanuts, face fears in your mind fueling the urge to blog for peanuts, value your blogging business, charge more and move into higher blogging circles of individuals who value your business and invest money in your premium offerings.
The process is uncomfortable sometimes. Instead of blaming people for being broke or critical you need to realize that they are acting out what you believe about yourself.
The world is really one mind. We are connected as one. No separation exists. Whatever happens is your mind being reflected, or acted out, for you.
I remember feeling so pissed off at the lady who said my 4 dollar eBook was a waste of money.
I recall how easily the $10 and $20 eBook sales of the past few days flowed to me.
What made the difference?
I journeyed into my mind to see how fears in the conscious and unconscious acted out as:
- me undervaluing myself
- me undervaluing my blog
- me undervaluing my eBooks
- charging peanuts for my eBooks
- attracting blogging critics who claimed my eBooks were a waste of money
- attracting some blogging customers – whom I did appreciate – who had only 1 to 4 bucks to pay for an eBook, and nothing more
Facing, feeling and forgiving these fears and trusting my intuition allowed different scenarios to act out. I valued me, my blog and eBooks to the tune of charging more and attracting customers who invested money in the value.
Why?
The world acts out your conscious and unconscious beliefs.
Higher Blogging Circles
Facing your fears and following intuitive guidance concerning your blogging business moves you into prospering circles of readers, customers and clients who invest money in your products and circles.
In a way, picture a symbolic migration of moving from the blogging sewer (no offense to that 1 star reviewer) to the blogging penthouse.
Internally, you move from struggles and undervaluing to greater ease and valuing.
People who value you show up and pay your higher rates because they see the value and think not of the higher prices.
Meanwhile, by forgiving fear in your mind, you left behind people who deeply fear paying higher prices and see no value.
Higher blogging circles see value, invest money and help you to prosper quite nicely.
Lower blogging circles see no value because they are utterly blinded by their terror of losing, wasting and running out of money. Hanging out in these circles makes it difficult to earn a cent.
How do you climb up the blogging ladder into higher blogging circles?
Honestly admit what rung you’re at now and begin journeying deeper into your mind. What do you charge? Why do you charge it? Does your email list have no money to pay for anything you offer? Do eBook customers complain about wasting 4 bucks on your reads?
They ain’t the problem, folks.
They are acting out the beliefs in your mind.
They are acting out your conscious and unconscious fears about money.
Face, feel and release these fears. Follow intuitive guidance to climb up the ladder into higher blogging circles.
Blogging will get easier when you do this inner forgiveness work because making money by collaborating with customers and clients who see value – not a price tag – makes blogging seamless.
2 Important Notes
Publish In-Depth and Detailed Resources Consistent with Premium Pricing
Blogging From Paradise eBooks and courses are rich, detailed, thorough resources.
I charge $20 for an in-depth guide that baby steps you to fulfill the title-promise of the eBook to empower you to live your dreams.
The content within the eBook is not a rinky-dink, 99 cent, 4,000 word, thin eBook.
Value the content-creation process for your products.
Then, value yourself, your blog and your business by charging premium rates.
Is it worth $20 USD to get a soup to nuts guide for circling the globe non-stop?
I valued the content creation process for that eBook to make it a soup to nuts, detailed, practical guide that eBook customers can read, use and benefit from.
Learning in great detail how to travel the world is worth $20 in PDF guide form.
Raise Prices Reasonably within Worldly Expectations
On a worldly level, raising prices within some agreed-upon framework works best.
I would not charge $100 for an eBook because the world largely does not agree with paying $100, even for a rich, PDF guide filled to the brim with details.
$10 or $20 sounds about right based on how we normally price thorough, resource-style guides and how prospering people view 10 bucks to 20 bucks.
Conclusion
Do not nickel and dime yourself. Or you’ll be making nickels and dimes per sale.
If you’re delivering tremendous value through your blog and blogging products you better receive tremendous value by charging premium rates.
Value yourself.
Value your blog.
Value your blogging products.
You’re worth it.
