As I said in the post called “Just Say No”, be thorough when asked how much you charge to play your music. Know the market, know what you’re worth, and don’t ask for anything less. If you’re pressured to go lower, be very, very careful – I’ve just never found it to be a great idea. If you know you’re worth a certain amount, stick to it. You may not get the gig, but that’s not always a bad thing anyway.
I read a great post on this subject at 9to5andotherwise.com. In the post, Eric Sohn points out that “service providers need to market their value to their customer, not the cost of their services. Anyone who’s buying on price is unlikely to be a good, long-term client – and will remain price-sensitive”
The point he makes is great, don’t waste your time trying to sell the person on the pay you want. Instead, sell why you’re the best for the gig. If you can prove that, you’ll get your money, you’ll be happier, and you only have to haggle once — next time you’re called, it won’t even be an issue. Ask a fair price, know you’re worth it, and stick to it.
