[amayausers] Pricing Confessions...and advice for newbies

There have been lots of discussion...new embroiderers looking for pricing 
guidelines.  That's a tough one and besides stitch count, overhead, garment 
mark-up, you have to figure can you charge a higher price based on lack of 
competiton...or must you come in lower to compete with everyone.  I have been 
trying to figure this all out since I started last July.  One thing I often do 
is say...it will be $8 to $12 depending on the stitch count and when I hear 
OH...THAT'S GREAT... it's easy...it's $12 whether it's 4,000 or 8,000.  I say 
that laughing because I have come in low at times and I think we would all like 
to make AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE with every project.  Two things that have been a 
challenge for me are:
1) recording all quotes provided...often I discuss this over the phone and they 
come back 2,4,6 weeks later and I don't remember the exact price I had 
previously given...or the estimate on the stitch count comes out higher and you 
adjust the price with the customer and forget to write it down.  Time to write 
the bill and you strugle to remember.....
2) I feel like my pricing is generally very reasonable because I am trying to 
build a customer base.  I once gave a very low price and then agreed to come 
down and then the order got larger....and I started thinking if you are make 
diddly squat doing the embroidery x 1 hour....doing it TIMES 6 is UNBEARABLE.  
I cringe when I hear some of the discussions and how cheap some are willing to 
go...maybe the time would be better spent marketing, relaxing, being with the 
family.  I've passed on a few calls because they want the moon and the stars 
for $3.  NO THANKS!!!!

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