✅TL;DR

Undercharging doesn't make you more accessible. It makes you less credible. Low prices repel premium buyers and attract the clients who drain you. But "just charge more" won't work until the inner alignment catches up to the strategy. You need both.

Years ago I took on a social media banner project thinking it would be quick. I priced low. I work fast, so in my head it made sense.

That is not what happened.

The revisions kept coming. Scope creep was real. I just wanted it to be over. I stopped caring about doing my best work and started just wanting to be done. That feeling told me everything.

When you undercharge, something shifts before the project even starts. The client doesn't fully value the work because your price signals them not to. You stop fully showing up because the energy exchange doesn't feel right. They get a version of you that's going through the motions, and they paid so little they were never invested in the outcome anyway.

Low prices don't attract more clients. They attract more price shoppers.

I used to charge $250 for logos. Not because I didn't know my background or the brands I'd worked with. I knew all of that. But I was terrified people would think I was asking for too much, so I undercut myself instead. The worst part wasn't the money. It was the energy. Operating from desperation attracts desperate clients. Clients who negotiate you down further. Projects that feel soul-sucking.

Here's what the "just charge more" crowd gets wrong. You can explain positioning and packaging until you're out of breath, but if the inner work hasn't happened, the strategy won't stick. They'll drop the price the second a prospect hesitates. They'll apologize for their quote before the client even responds.

This is why I talk about woo and work. The strategy is the work. The inner alignment is the woo. You need both. Because your clients can feel the difference between a creative who believes in their rates and one who's secretly hoping you don't notice how much they charged.

If a $300,000 Lamborghini was listed for $10,000, your first thought wouldn't be "what a great deal." It would be "what's wrong with it." Your price is a signal. Make sure it's sending the right message.


If you want to know exactly where your positioning is breaking down, the Creative Clarity Check is a $97 audit where I look at your positioning, messaging, and offer structure and tell you specifically what needs to shift.

I'm only taking 3 this week before I head out on a road trip to Northern California to visit my brother in San Francisco. Turnaround is 72 hours. Grab your spot before I'm gone.

You're too good to keep competing on price. The work is there. The belief just needs to catch up.

💓Until next time…

Jen Fontanilla
Premium Business Strategist for Serviced-Based Creative Entrepreneurs
Speaker at Cre8tive Con 2026 | Chicago
Author of 4-time award-winning “The Creative Code: A Creative Professional’s Way to Happiness, Wealth and Joy" 👉🏽 CHECK IT OUT