How do I start charging what I'm worth as a makeup artist when my market is saturated?
Posted by Anonymous
I need some real advice because I am close to burning my brushes. I live in an area where it feels like every third person is a freelance makeup artist. Literally everyone on Instagram has "MUA" in their bio.
I’ve been stuck charging $65 a face for standard event glam because I'm terrified if I raise my prices to $95 or $100, my bookings will completely dry up. Every time I think about raising my rates, I look at the fifty other girls charging pocket change and panic. How do you break out of the "cheap" bracket and actually get clients to pay your worth when the market is overflowing with lower-cost options?
Replies
Anonymous
When I doubled my rates a couple of years ago, I was literal sweating bullets lol! But you know what happened? I actually started getting MORE bookings!! High-value clients look at a $65 price tag and assume you're going to give them flashback or use cheap, expired products from the drugstore! When you confidently charge a premium rate, it acts like a magnet for people who want the best of the best!! Drop that fear, buy some cute luxury touch-up bags, and change your booking site tonight!! You are a queen and your time is valuable!!
Anonymous
Let's look at the actual math because numbers don't lie.
Right now, at $65 a face, you have to do 15 clients to make $975. If you raise your rate to $120 a face, you only need to book 8 clients to make $960.
Even if you lose half of your current client base because of the price increase, you are making the exact same amount of money while working half the hours, saving your wrists, and using half the amount of your expensive kit products. Saturated markets are crowded at the bottom, but they are completely empty at the top. Stop fighting with the amateurs over scraps.