Christine Carrillo on Valuing Expertise: Charge for Impact, Not Just Minutes

In a recent LinkedIn post, Christine Carrillo delves into the common struggle professionals face when pricing their services, advocating for a shift from valuing time to valuing the long-term impact and expertise delivered. Carrillo contends that many individuals undervalue their skills, often feeling a sense of guilt when charging for abilities honed over years of practice. The core of her message is that the perceived ease with which experienced professionals operate belies the immense value of their accumulated knowledge and the results they can achieve.

Carrillo highlights several key reasons why pricing remains a challenge for many:

• Thinking in Hours, Not Impact: Professionals often price based on the time spent, overlooking the years of learning and refinement that make the work efficient and effective.
• Incorrect Comparisons: Market pricing can be skewed by individuals who charge less, leading to a false sense of what services should cost, rather than what they are truly worth.
• Underestimating Invisible Work: Crucial elements like strategy, complex problem-solving, and deep-seated expertise are often not apparent to clients but are fundamental to delivering value.

As Christine Carrillo notes:

“Your experience makes it look easy, but that doesn’t make it less valuable. The value isn’t in the time spent. It’s in the results you deliver.”

The Disconnect Between Time and Value

Carrillo’s post directly addresses the misconception that less time spent equals less value. She argues that this perspective fails to account for the significant investment in education, training, and practical experience that allows experts to achieve results more efficiently. This efficiency, she suggests, should command a premium, not a discount.

According to Christine Carrillo:

“Most people struggle with pricing because: 1. They think in hours, not impact. 2. They compare you to the wrong people. 3. They don’t understand the invisible work.”

This breakdown underscores the psychological and practical barriers to effective pricing. The “invisible work”—the strategic thinking, foresight, and problem-solving capabilities—is precisely where much of the value lies, yet it’s often the hardest for clients to quantify if they are only focused on billable hours.

Standing Firm on Worth

The article also touches on how experienced professionals should handle objections related to their pricing. Carrillo shares a direct approach to clients who cite price as a barrier:

“When someone says, ‘I want to work with you, but you’re out of my price range.’ I reply, ‘Then we have nothing to talk about.'”

This assertive stance, according to Carrillo, is about maintaining professional integrity and ensuring that engagements are with clients who understand and respect the value being offered. She encourages a mindset of unapologetic self-worth, framing expertise not as a cost to the client, but as a strategic investment that yields significant returns.

Christine Carrillo concludes by urging professionals to embrace this perspective:

“Your expertise isn’t an expense. It’s an investment. Charge accordingly.”

By shifting the focus from minutes to the long-term impact and the years of dedicated learning behind professional services, Carrillo aims to empower business leaders and consultants to price their offerings more confidently and effectively.