You’ve done the exciting work. You’ve launched your side hustle, crafted an irresistible offer, and you are tantalizingly close to landing your first client. But as you get ready to send that first proposal, you hit a massive, terrifying wall. You stare at the screen and ask the scariest question of all: “What should I charge?” This single moment of doubt is where most new entrepreneurs freeze, paralyzed by the fear of rejection or the anxiety of being a fraud. The solution is to stop guessing and start using a proven strategy for pricing your services as a beginner.
The problem is that without a clear method, you will default to fear. You’ll think, “I’m just a beginner, so I should be cheap,” trapping yourself in a cycle of low pay and burnout before you even start. The solution is a simple, confidence-boosting formula that sets a professional price from day one.
But before we can use the formula, we have to fix a deeper problem. Your brain is likely still wired like an employee, and that mindset is sabotaging your income potential.
Confused about pricing your services as a beginner?
The Mindset Shift: Time vs. Value
The first hurdle is that our 9-to-5 jobs have trained us to sell our time. You clock in for 8 hours; you get paid for 8 hours. The problem is that a client doesn’t care how long you work; they care about what they get.
The solution is to stop selling your time and start selling the outcome. If you design a logo in two hours that helps a coffee shop attract thousands of customers, are you selling two hours of work? No. You are selling them a brand identity that will make them money for years. The value is in the result, not the clock.
This mindset shift is powerful, but it’s still abstract. It solves the “how to think” problem, but it doesn’t give you a number. This raises the practical question: What exact dollar amount do you put on your invoice?
The 3-Step Formula for Pricing Your Services as a Beginner
The solution is my “Get-in-the-Game” pricing formula. It removes the emotion and gives you a logical, defensible number.
Step 1: The Market Anchor (Your Research)
You can’t set a price in a vacuum. You need a reference point. Go to a site like Upwork and search for your service. Ignore the cheapest sellers. Look at what established, high-quality freelancers are charging. If experienced writers charge $250-$500 for a resume package, that $250-$500 range is your “Market Anchor.” It proves that people pay this much for the result you offer.
Step 2: The “No-Brainer” Discount
Now you have a range, but you don’t have the portfolio to charge the top end yet. The solution is to create a strategic entry point. Take the low-to-mid point of your Market Anchor range (e.g., $300) and set your price at 50-75% of that.
For our example, 70% of $300 is $210. This is your starting price. It’s professional (not a hobbyist’s $50), but it’s a significant discount from the market rate, making it an irresistible deal. This is a crucial step in pricing your services as a beginner.
Step 3: The “Testimonial Trade” (Your Secret Weapon)
A low price can sometimes signal low quality. This is a dangerous trap. The solution is to frame your price as a strategic exchange, not a discount.
You tell the client: “My standard rate for this package will be $350. However, for my first three foundational clients, I’m offering a special portfolio-builder rate of just $210 in exchange for a detailed testimonial.”
This simple script anchors your value high ($350), justifies your lower price ($210), and ensures you get a valuable review.
You now have a number. But having the number and saying the number are two different things. The final problem is the awkwardness of actually asking for the money.
How to Confidently State Your Price
The solution is to remove all apologetic language. Never say, “Is $210 okay?” or “I guess I could do it for…”
State your price as a simple fact. In your email or proposal, use confident language: “The total investment for this package is $210.” Using the word “investment” instead of “cost” subtly reminds the client they are buying a valuable asset.
Don’t Undersell Yourself!!
From Price Tag to Paycheck
You now have a clear, logical formula for pricing your services as a beginner. You have a way to avoid underselling yourself and a script to present your offer with confidence.
The final piece of the puzzle is putting that price in front of a real person. The email templates inside the First Client Starter Pack are designed to help you do just that. They provide a professional framework for introducing yourself and your value, allowing you to state your price with confidence.
[Click Here to Download Your Free First Client Starter Pack]
You’ve crafted your offer. You’ve set your price. Tomorrow, we’ll talk about finding that first person to pitch to. You’re almost at the finish line for this launch week. Let’s go!
“We all learned to walk one step at a time after MANY failures, but we all survived it because we didn’t quit!!!”
-Doss Experiment
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