You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make it drink…
This article emphasizes the importance of valuing your skills as a freelancer or VA and recognizing red flags in potential clients—especially those who question your pricing. It highlights how high-value clients respect your rates, while low-value clients drain your energy and resources. The message? Your pricing is a filter; use it to attract the right clients.
✅ Pricing Signals Respect: High-value clients respect your rates and see you as an investment, while low-value clients often question or try to negotiate your pricing.
✅ Educate, Don’t Convince: Educate your audience about your value, but don’t waste time justifying your worth to those unwilling to pay for quality.
✅ Avoid Energy Drains: Entertaining clients who nickel-and-dime leads to wasted time, underpayment, and over-expectation—focus on clients who appreciate your expertise.
The Freelancer’s First Red Flag: If They Question Your Price, They’re Not Your Client
There’s a difference between a client who respects your work and a client who just wants the cheapest deal.
And the easiest way to spot the wrong one?
👉 They question your price.
Not because they’re curious. Not because they want to understand your value.
But because they don’t want to pay for it.
I’ve been there.
I used to waste time explaining, justifying, and negotiating my rates—like I owed people an essay on why my work was worth paying for.
Until I realized something: The right clients don’t argue with your price.
They either:
✔️ Say yes and move forward
✔️ Respectfully decline because it’s not in their budget
That’s it.
The moment someone starts with:
🚩 “Can you lower your rate?”
🚩 “That’s expensive for just [insert oversimplified version of your skill]”
🚩 “I know someone who charges less”
It’s already a NO for me. Period poo.
Clients, Do Your Homework
Let’s be real—hiring a high-value VA isn’t like bargain shopping on Fiverr or Upwork.
If you want someone who can think critically, optimize your business, and actually save you time & money, you need to pay for that level of expertise.
A good VA isn’t just an assistant—they are an operational powerhouse.
✔️ They anticipate your needs before you do
✔️ They create systems to help your business run smoothly
✔️ They solve problems you didn’t even know existed
And guess what? That doesn’t come cheap.
If you’re in the market for a high-quality VA, do your research.
💡 What are the industry rates for premium-level support?
💡 What kind of ROI does a top-tier VA bring to the table?
💡 Are you looking for someone to take tasks off your plate—or someone to elevate your business?
Because it’s not my job to convince you that I’m worth my rate.
Yes, I educate my audience. I share my expertise. I help people understand the value of working with a premium VA.
But at the end of the day?
👉 You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make it drink.
If you’re still stuck on “But I can find someone cheaper”—then I’m not the VA for you.
Here’s What Happens When You Entertain Nickel-and-Dime Clients
❌ You waste time convincing them of your worth
❌ They underpay and over-expect
❌ They drain your energy and delay your growth
Meanwhile, high-value clients don’t want cheap—they want expertise.
They know that quality costs. They see you as an investment, not an expense.
So, the next time a potential client questions your rate, remember:
💡 Your pricing is a filter. Let it do its job.
The right people will stay. The wrong ones will weed themselves out.
🚨 Freelancers & VAs: How do you handle price objections? Drop your thoughts in the comments.
—
Monica ✌🏽❤️
