Do you over-deliver and undercharge?

I get it, you want to please your client, be helpful, and for them to know how valuable your service is. So you start over-delivering and not charging extra for that work. It might be because they ask and you don't feel like you can say no or ask for more money, so you just do it to please them. Or they haven't asked, but you feel you need to add in more and more to your service to justify the price.

And because you are doing more, it becomes expected, and you land in a place where you are in a negative cycle of overdelivering and undercharging. And not only does it take up more of your time and headspace than it should, but it also makes you resent your client, and your confidence gets slowly eaten away. And that keeps you stuck, because now you don't have the time or energy to take on other 'better' clients. Actually, the thought of managing more clients terrifies you because it feels so hard right now. You are doubting your ability to help people, so you pull back on your marketing and business development...

I've seen it so many times with my clients, and here are some of the things we put in place to break the cycle and put you back in charge and feeling more confident...

Step one:

Look back at your proof (because you are good at what you do). Re-read a few testimonials, kind messages, results you’ve delivered, even voice notes. Pull out 3 specific wins and save them somewhere easy to find for the next time you wobble.

Step two:

Get really clear on who you’re for. Who is your ideal client right now, what do they come to you for, and what change do they want on the other side? If you try to be everything to everyone, you’ll keep adding “extras” to make it feel worth it.

Step three:

Don’t underprice just to win the work. Not everyone is looking for the lowest price, the right clients are looking for quality and trust. If you drop your price to get the yes, you’ll often resent the work once you’re in it, because you won’t be getting paid properly for the delivery. Price it right from the start.

Step four:

Tighten up your packages and scope. What is included (and why), what isn’t included, how long does it actually take you, and what’s the value to the client? Make it clear enough that you could copy and paste it into an email without over-explaining.

Step five:

Spot your over-delivery triggers. For one month, notice when you say yes to “just a quick thing”. Is it because you don’t want to disappoint them, you feel awkward talking about money, you want to prove your value, or the scope isn’t clear? You can’t fix what you’re not noticing.

Step six:

Decide your “extras” in advance. What are the common add-ons clients ask for (or hint at)? Which ones are you happy to do, and what’s the price? Have a simple menu ready so you’re not making it up on the spot.

Step seven:

Have a scope creep script ready (and use it). Something like:

“Yes, I can do that. It’s outside what we agreed, so I can add it for £X, or we can swap it with something else.”

“Happy to help. Do you want me to quote for it, or shall we leave it for now?”

“That’s not included, but I can absolutely support with it as an add-on.”

Step eight:

Set your boundaries and make them easy for YOU to hold. Think response times, days you take calls, turnaround times, how you handle last-minute requests, and what ‘urgent’ really means. Boundaries aren’t for your clients to maintain, they’re for you to maintain so be calm, clear and consistent.

Step nine:

Reset anything that’s already gone a bit wobbly. If a client is used to getting more than they’ve paid for, think about what you need to change and create a plan for it. For example, responding to their emails late at night or on weekends... explain that they are OK to contact you but that you will only be responding on x days between x hours (and your boundary is that you will not check messages/ emails outside of those hours, so you don't get stressed out!)

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These changes can feel uncomfortable at first, especially if you’ve not been working this way up until now, so take it step by step. Start with one boundary, one change, and one clear decision about what is and isn’t included, and build from there.

As you get stronger, you’ll feel more confident because you’re back in charge, and your clients will usually respond better than you expect because good clients like clarity and structure. You’ll get more time and headspace back, and you’ll deliver better work without the stress, because you don’t need to over-deliver to be valuable.

I'd love to hear your thoughts about this topic... What do you struggle with the most? What change will you take first to start improving things?

The Pocket Strategist helps small business owners and consultants intentionally build businesses that make good money, run smoothly, and don't take over their lives.

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