It’s easy to follow what everyone else is doing.
I’ve known Mariella for several years and have seen her move from being a marketing and events specialist to becoming a professional health and wellness coach.
She has been a yogi for over 25 years, trained in Les Mills, and completed her RYS Yoga Alliance 200hr Yoga Teacher Training!
She called upon my “Ask Morton, service” recently
I am working with her to move away from competing on price and recognising her value.
She had an enquiry from an agency whose client wanted to add wellness to their team away day.
We talked through the options and the questions she needed to ask before submitting a quote.
I said, “you need to ask a few more questions to understand what they need so that you don’t overcharge or undercharge.”
She was reluctant to go back to them because she was uncertain about them and she was right as they rejected her quote.
Mariella has observed that some wellness coaches are paid equivalent to the minimum wage to run sessions by private clubs and health centres in recent years.
She said, “It’s so competitive that many coaches will jump at any opportunity to work.
For 90 mins, some will earn £80, but after travel and costs, there isn’t much left.” “We’re doing 30 plus hrs a week to break even; and, my body is feeling it at the end of the day.”
Last year when many sessions went online and were either free or as low as £5, Mariella refused to join the crowd.
In her view, coaches are driving the industry to the ground. She said, “I’ve spent years training and developing my skills, but these prices are not sustainable.
“I have to put it in at least 50 hrs a week before I can make any real money. It is exhausting and frustrating.”
Similar situations exist in other industries: photography, web design, training, and coaching, for instance, a race to the bottom with fees and less focus on quality.
As I said to her, ” not everyone wants to drive a cheap car which is why Rolls Royce, Lexus and Mercedes exist.
Tips:
1) Believe in yourself and choose your clients wisely; not everyone will see or appreciate your value unless you are clear about it.
2) Create your niche. You don’t have to join the ‘race to the bottom group; you can choose to position yourself differently.” As Mariella’s Body Balance classes, which specialises in Pilates and Yoga, are always fully booked.
4) Ask questions for clarity before you say yes. Have the confidence to say, “thanks for considering me, happy to give you a quote, but would you mind answering a few questions?”
5) Sometimes, saying no is easier said than done and depends on your situation but dare to say no as you can never give your all when you are underpaid.
