Double Until Half Decline

A discussion on how to price services, particularly speaking engagements, using market feedback as a guide.

Core Pricing Strategy

• Double your price until 50% of people say no
• If everyone says yes, you're priced too low
• Let the market decide the true value
• Input effort is irrelevant to pricing - focus on output value

Speaking Engagement Examples

• Zoom calls: $10,000 per session
• In-person speeches: Up to $25,000
• Frequency: About 1 every 2 months
• Market validation: Consistent acceptance indicates room for price increase

Psychological Aspects

• Imposter syndrome is common when charging high prices
• Need to overcome feeling fraudulent about pricing
• Remember: Market consistently paying validates the value
• Value isn't determined by how hard something is for you

Value Determination Principles

• The level of difficulty doesn't dictate value
• Client ROI matters more than your input effort
• Consistent payment proves market value
• One-off successes might be flukes, but consistent payments validate pricing
• Let "Mr. Market" decide the worth

Money Psychology

• Extra joy when assigning specific earnings to specific purchases
• Dedicated revenue streams feel more rewarding than general income
• Example: Using speaking fee for specific purchases (gifts, cars) rather than general savings