December 30, 2024
Your Bill Is Now Available
How often do you agree to pay for something WITHOUT knowing how much it costs?
Probably not too often, I’d guess.
Personally, I can’t remember the last time I did such a thing.
Oh, wait... yes, I can.
Earlier this month, I felt like crap, and my doc sent me to the ER to get some tests.
They ran dozens, took X-rays, and put me on an IV drip of antibiotics.
At no point did anyone tell me in advance how much any of these procedures would cost.
Frankly, it would have been supremely awkward for me even to ask.
Doctor: “We’re going to do a few chest X-rays.”
Me: “Hang on there, bucko! How much are these X-rays going to cost me?!”
(To be honest, I doubt they could have even given me an answer because of how the US system works, but I digress...)
Fast forward a couple of weeks.
I get a text message from the ER that says:
“YOUR BILL IS NOW AVAILABLE. CLICK THE LINK BELOW TO PAY ONLINE.”
It would be hard to describe the flash of sheer panic I felt when I got that message.
The possible amounts that flew through my head ranged from high four-figures to mid five-figures.
Yes, I have insurance, but I chose my plan maybe a decade ago and have little recollection of what it covers.
Plus, I have never used it for anything like an ER visit, so I didn’t have any valid reference point for comparison.
One thing’s for sure... I was confident it would have a comma in it.
Rather than delay the inevitable, I took a deep breath and clicked the link to the payment page.
The total was:
$25.17
Phew!
(ASIDE: I guess paying nearly $2,000 per month for 18 years for health insurance “pays off” after all LOL!)
Here’s the thing...
When you bill your clients by the hour, they are susceptible to this same panic every time they click the link to open your monthly invoice.
Possible thoughts that might run through their minds include:
- “What if they worked 80-hour weeks all month?”
- “What if they spent the whole month ‘refactoring’ again?”
- “What if the project isn’t ‘almost done’ after all?”
Agreeing to pay for something without knowing how much it will ultimately cost is super stressful for a client.
So don’t do it.
What can you do instead?
Give them a price.
They’ll love you for it.
Yours,
—J