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Should TRS offer any services at $5?


newsmike

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I’ve never understood why people gave their work away for so little in the VO category - even a high “fiverr” rate is still low compared to the rest of the VO industry. I know it is hard to go through that initial downturn when you increase your rates and lose a few customers. But the customers you lose - you generally don’t miss 😉

I had a look at the category yesterday just out of interest and it seems that fiverr is really favouring those with higher rates - there were not many $5 sellers at all on the recommended page and many starting at $50 or even $100, so hopefully things like that will encourage sellers to increase their rates, which will benefit the category as a whole.

But the customers you lose - you generally don’t miss

Drops the mic. 20 characters.

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@newsmike, in a word “No.”.

I wasn’t selling services for $5 when I wasn’t a TRS and should I be toppled from grace by a slew of cancelations, my practice won’t change.
I get less work in the VO category now, but my ASP is almost 4X what it was on comparable, previous orders.
To be frank (but you can still call me Markus), I’m heading into the studios this weekend to cut 3 new demos and videos for my voice gigs and the rates will actually be going up again.
I can only speak from a voice and video perspective, but the time that goes in to produce a quality voiceover (emphasis on the word “quality”) can’t possibly be reflected in whatever fiverr-level rates are charged. $5 can’t keep me in my honey-tea-lemon zone for long. I can only assume that it’s the same for (mostly) US sellers. How much is your (discounted) time worth? When you start on Fiverr, it’s a volume-game. Get as many sales as you can with good reviews. But, after that time has passed it should be about maximizing the amount of income while minimizing the time it takes to produce your service(s).
A client asked my the the other day “why do you offer $25 voiceovers? I can’t the same read for $5”, I told him that I DON’T offer $25 voiceovers…I offer $200 voiceovers…for $25. 15 mins later the order came in. It’s all marketing.
Don’t be afraid to aim high. NEVER sell anyone on a price, sell them on value. BOY…can I ramble on.
What was the question again???

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OK Mike, I’m gonna do it!!!
The last time I raised my price was quite a while ago, and
I was really thinking about it for a while.
I’ll still have my basic $5, but I will cover less number of words.
Thank you for giving me the nudge. 😃

Gonna do it when I get back from work tonight!! 😤

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OK Mike, I’m gonna do it!!!

The last time I raised my price was quite a while ago, and

I was really thinking about it for a while.

I’ll still have my basic $5, but I will cover less number of words.

Thank you for giving me the nudge. 😃

Gonna do it when I get back from work tonight!! 😤

I am here cheering you on.

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See, you’ve got @avextor droolin’. 😛

OK Mike, I’m gonna do it!!!

Good call! Mike is like my big bro, he always has my back n stuff. 😄

This man knows his stuff!!

See, you’ve got @avextor droolin’. 😛

A well done steak is a thing of beauty. So ever since I posted that picture, I have been craving steak. Then tonight at my son’s school orchestra performance, they play “Hoedown” by Aaron Copeland.

I am craving the meats now.

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See, you’ve got @avextor droolin’. 😛

A well done steak is a thing of beauty. So ever since I posted that picture, I have been craving steak. Then tonight at my son’s school orchestra performance, they play “Hoedown” by Aaron Copeland.

I am craving the meats now.

Um, I made an edit on that post. 😅

Then tonight at my son’s school orchestra performance, they play “Hoedown” by Aaron Copeland.

Sounds like fun. Want to know a secret? 🤫 .

I am craving the meats now.

Btw~ have you ever ordered 🥩 from Omaha Steaks?

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Um, I made an edit on that post. 😅

Then tonight at my son’s school orchestra performance, they play “Hoedown” by Aaron Copeland.

Sounds like fun. Want to know a secret? 🤫 .

I am craving the meats now.

Btw~ have you ever ordered 🥩 from Omaha Steaks?

I play the piano .

newsmike:

That’s cool

Omaha steaks are good stuff.

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I am here cheering you on.

Thank you!!

I was gonna do it after I got home from work but I went ahead and did it.

Well, let’s see how things work out.

Now that the changes have been made, I’m feeling oddly confident that

things will be just fine. 😃

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Thank you!!

I was gonna do it after I got home from work but I went ahead and did it.

Well, let’s see how things work out.

Now that the changes have been made, I’m feeling oddly confident that

things will be just fine. 😃

Now that the changes have been made, I’m feeling oddly confident that

things will be just fine. 😃

It always seemed that after raising prices, there was a slow day or so, just enough to make me doubt having done so, then suddenly things kick in again.

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I’m in the VO arena as well, a L2, and wondering at what point I raise my prices . At the moment my hesitation is that I am confident that I’m good, but I know I’m not great… Yet.

I’ve been slowly making upgrades to my equipment and software. Almost every dime I’ve made on Fiverr has been reinvested. New sound booth, new interface. I’m also working on improving my delivery and technique.

I’ve decided to let my quality guide my price increases regardless of level. I’m at a plateau at the moment, as my next upgrades will be costly (gotta save up), but my thinking is that once I raise my prices, buyers will expect (and rightfully so) even higher quality, and I need to be prepared to deliver that regardless of my level.

Almost every dime I’ve made on Fiverr has been reinvested.

I was thinking about this, and it’s actially inaccurate. About 60% has been reinvested. The rest of my Fiverr income has allowed me to pay bills, put a little in my IRA, and cover some other needs I had been putting off.

Of course, that is all the more reason to get up to speed, improve my quality, and make more!

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May I ask how did you check the number of TRS in your category?

To your question, in my opinion every TRS should have a few services priced at $5, sometimes new clients don’t even know what TRS is, and if they like what they got, they will be back for more! It’s like a promotion for new clients.

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Considering that we are all trying to make as much money as possible, and fiverr is doing everything it can to convince us to up the rates, I have to ask, whether TRS sellers should offer any services for at $5 at all.

In my category presently there are 6,896 sellers, 212 of which are TRS, That’s 3%. If this group is not charging premium prices, they are throwing away a great opportunity. There are senior sellers with thousands and thousands of great reviews still offering 150 words delivered in 24 hours for $5, as if they were still noobs. Not only are those sellers depressing prices for everyone else, but they are leaving tons of money on the table.

There are lots of great L1&2 sellers who are priced way above the $5. But the fact that there are TRS still there is astonishing.

Just one adjustment from $5 to $10 and you double your income. I am amazed at all the TRS in my category still giving it away.

I am amazed at all the TRS in my category still giving it away.

Just because one is TRS doesn’t mean one gets to charge $50 or $100 or more. My goal when I was TRS and today when I’m not is the same- getting orders.

I’d rather get orders at $10 than no orders at $50. I need orders everyday, not once a week.

Also, not everyone looks at the level, many look at the reviews, rating, portfolio samples, etc.

Besides, some buyers figure that if they can get quality for $10, why should they pay $50?

Supply and demand, Mike. Gotta embrace it.

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I’ve never understood why people gave their work away for so little in the VO category - even a high “fiverr” rate is still low compared to the rest of the VO industry. I know it is hard to go through that initial downturn when you increase your rates and lose a few customers. But the customers you lose - you generally don’t miss 😉

I had a look at the category yesterday just out of interest and it seems that fiverr is really favouring those with higher rates - there were not many $5 sellers at all on the recommended page and many starting at $50 or even $100, so hopefully things like that will encourage sellers to increase their rates, which will benefit the category as a whole.

I know it is hard to go through that initial downturn when you increase your rates and lose a few customers. But the customers you lose - you generally don’t miss 😉

Oh wow, the story of my life.

I’ve done my research and in the Castilian Spanish side of things there are only a handful of talents (myself included) with prices above $5. I’d say 10-15% of us. Then again, there are only a handful of truly pro talent. And only one TRS as long as I’m aware - and not thanks to the VO gig.

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May I ask how did you check the number of TRS in your category?

To your question, in my opinion every TRS should have a few services priced at $5, sometimes new clients don’t even know what TRS is, and if they like what they got, they will be back for more! It’s like a promotion for new clients.

May I ask how did you check the number of TRS in your category?

When you click the level filter you can see the totals:

Capture.JPG.1a51b7b9565e45d11c19e8c351e6446f.JPG

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I am amazed at all the TRS in my category still giving it away.

Just because one is TRS doesn’t mean one gets to charge $50 or $100 or more. My goal when I was TRS and today when I’m not is the same- getting orders.

I’d rather get orders at $10 than no orders at $50. I need orders everyday, not once a week.

Also, not everyone looks at the level, many look at the reviews, rating, portfolio samples, etc.

Besides, some buyers figure that if they can get quality for $10, why should they pay $50?

Supply and demand, Mike. Gotta embrace it.

I’d rather get orders at $10 than no orders at $50

That’s the point, the misconception that business stops at higher rates. If that were the case then how do you explain that there are tons of sellers priced way higher? Surely if they were not making more than when they were priced at $5, they would revert.

Supply and demand, Mike. Gotta embrace it.

Nah, the sweatshop mentality is not for me.

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I am amazed at all the TRS in my category still giving it away.

Just because one is TRS doesn’t mean one gets to charge $50 or $100 or more. My goal when I was TRS and today when I’m not is the same- getting orders.

I’d rather get orders at $10 than no orders at $50. I need orders everyday, not once a week.

Also, not everyone looks at the level, many look at the reviews, rating, portfolio samples, etc.

Besides, some buyers figure that if they can get quality for $10, why should they pay $50?

Supply and demand, Mike. Gotta embrace it.

Supply and demand, Mike. Gotta embrace it.

Indeed, but embracing supply and demand is not about a race to the bottom. It is about seeing who wants what and how much they are willing to pay for it. Some will willingly pay more for something which is presented better, where communication is increased, where follow-up and aftersales is available; others will never pay more for these things but get frustrated and be difficult to deal with as their expectations are unrealistic; still more will be satisfied with getting a bare bones service.

There are all types of buyers, and so all types of sellers can coexist happily. While I urge a lot of people to increase their prices, the bottom line is that some people shouldn’t because they don’t offer the service expected at that price point.

Getting lots of 5-star reviews for $5 work does not necessarily mean the work is worth $10. It means that people were happy with the service at that price point. Sellers should experiment with price increases, look into whether their service is worth what they want to charge, buy from others in their industry and see whether their service matches up to that of the higher prices sellers.

One thing is for sure - the vast majority of Fiverr sellers sell for less than market rates. However, Fiverr at this point is almost like a sub-market of its own where lower prices are the norm. This is changing gradually, led by the Pro sellers and those who are working towards that direction. Unfortunately, it seems like the ones who are slowest to change are the ones who should be leading it - those who have been here for 4+ years. They could make a dramatic difference by setting their prices higher. I mean, so many sellers have not increased their prices in 4-5 years - inflation alone should have added 20+% to the cost but it hasnt happened. Let’s not forget that Fiverr really began at a time of global recession and so price was THE ONLY factor people were concerned with - the world is different now.

Eventually, (if it hasnt happened already), those sellers will be left behind as the buyers with realistic expectations and higher budgets that Fiverr is now targeting will simply not buy from people with such low prices as they seem unrealistic. Buyers often reject a seller based on having too low a price - I know I do.

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Supply and demand, Mike. Gotta embrace it.

Indeed, but embracing supply and demand is not about a race to the bottom. It is about seeing who wants what and how much they are willing to pay for it. Some will willingly pay more for something which is presented better, where communication is increased, where follow-up and aftersales is available; others will never pay more for these things but get frustrated and be difficult to deal with as their expectations are unrealistic; still more will be satisfied with getting a bare bones service.

There are all types of buyers, and so all types of sellers can coexist happily. While I urge a lot of people to increase their prices, the bottom line is that some people shouldn’t because they don’t offer the service expected at that price point.

Getting lots of 5-star reviews for $5 work does not necessarily mean the work is worth $10. It means that people were happy with the service at that price point. Sellers should experiment with price increases, look into whether their service is worth what they want to charge, buy from others in their industry and see whether their service matches up to that of the higher prices sellers.

One thing is for sure - the vast majority of Fiverr sellers sell for less than market rates. However, Fiverr at this point is almost like a sub-market of its own where lower prices are the norm. This is changing gradually, led by the Pro sellers and those who are working towards that direction. Unfortunately, it seems like the ones who are slowest to change are the ones who should be leading it - those who have been here for 4+ years. They could make a dramatic difference by setting their prices higher. I mean, so many sellers have not increased their prices in 4-5 years - inflation alone should have added 20+% to the cost but it hasnt happened. Let’s not forget that Fiverr really began at a time of global recession and so price was THE ONLY factor people were concerned with - the world is different now.

Eventually, (if it hasnt happened already), those sellers will be left behind as the buyers with realistic expectations and higher budgets that Fiverr is now targeting will simply not buy from people with such low prices as they seem unrealistic. Buyers often reject a seller based on having too low a price - I know I do.

the bottom line is that some people shouldn’t because they don’t offer the service expected at that price point.

Getting lots of 5-star reviews for $5 work does not necessarily mean the work is worth $10. It means that people were happy with the service at that price point. Selle

These two things fall on deaf ears and gets lost.

Nothing wrong with increasing prices but only if your work is worth it.

Last year, on Fiverr, I threw away few hundred dollars in worthless/bad quality gigs. Most of it was me testing sellers with small purchases before hiring for the real job. Some of those, on the other hand, were due to really deceptively good looking gigs.

I’m tired of the “Raise your price and you’ll get rid of bad buyers!”

I’m not sure what a bad buyer really is but there are business buyers that are savvy enough to “test” sellers with small purchases, before hiring them for a mega job.

I say price gig at what you’re worth but don’t go overboard or you’ll potentially lose out on some business opportunities from business buyers.

P.S. : It was extremely painful tying this on my phone. 🙂

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the bottom line is that some people shouldn’t because they don’t offer the service expected at that price point.

Getting lots of 5-star reviews for $5 work does not necessarily mean the work is worth $10. It means that people were happy with the service at that price point. Selle

These two things fall on deaf ears and gets lost.

Nothing wrong with increasing prices but only if your work is worth it.

Last year, on Fiverr, I threw away few hundred dollars in worthless/bad quality gigs. Most of it was me testing sellers with small purchases before hiring for the real job. Some of those, on the other hand, were due to really deceptively good looking gigs.

I’m tired of the “Raise your price and you’ll get rid of bad buyers!”

I’m not sure what a bad buyer really is but there are business buyers that are savvy enough to “test” sellers with small purchases, before hiring them for a mega job.

I say price gig at what you’re worth but don’t go overboard or you’ll potentially lose out on some business opportunities from business buyers.

P.S. : It was extremely painful tying this on my phone. 🙂

I’m not sure what a bad buyer really is

One that demands the moon on a stick for $5. 😉

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the bottom line is that some people shouldn’t because they don’t offer the service expected at that price point.

Getting lots of 5-star reviews for $5 work does not necessarily mean the work is worth $10. It means that people were happy with the service at that price point. Selle

These two things fall on deaf ears and gets lost.

Nothing wrong with increasing prices but only if your work is worth it.

Last year, on Fiverr, I threw away few hundred dollars in worthless/bad quality gigs. Most of it was me testing sellers with small purchases before hiring for the real job. Some of those, on the other hand, were due to really deceptively good looking gigs.

I’m tired of the “Raise your price and you’ll get rid of bad buyers!”

I’m not sure what a bad buyer really is but there are business buyers that are savvy enough to “test” sellers with small purchases, before hiring them for a mega job.

I say price gig at what you’re worth but don’t go overboard or you’ll potentially lose out on some business opportunities from business buyers.

P.S. : It was extremely painful tying this on my phone. 🙂

I’m not sure what a bad buyer really is

I remember when working in sales, it would happen now and then that a certain salesperson would complain about a customer - that they were too fussy, wouldn’t make up their mind, took too long, asked too many questions etc - they said they were a bad buyer. What should be considered is that in the business I was in, an average sale would be around €10k on which we would make a gross profit of approx €4k. Built into the price was the fact that our salespeople were SUPPOSED TO spend several days with a client - going out to their home if necessary.

Those customers he referred to as bad, were actually quite right - they SHOULD make the most of our knowledge and expertise as they were going to pay for it.

A lot of complaints about “bad buyers” that I see on the forum are unjustified and I can see a certain number of them simply as having become frustrated with a poor quality service. Of course, depending on what they are paying, they may be expecting too much but I think there are often cases where a seller has underpriced a job, is not willing to do the work necessary at that price and therefore blames the buyer. The real issue there is that the seller underpriced it - the buyer may have been prepared to pay more but wasnt asked to. For things like a logo design, I can’t imagine how there could ever be one produced that does not require SOME modifications. Same with most graphic work. Unlike when buying writing services, most buyers cannot make adjustments themselves so they have to request modifications. This fact should be built into the price by the seller and if they dont then the issue is not that it is a bad buyer, it is a bad seller - or more accurately, a seller who is bad at business.

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Should TRS offer any services at $5?

Why not? There are plenty of sellers offering a service that’s worth $5. Some of them are not even interested raising their prices because it takes them 10 minutes to do the job.

When it comes to VO, this is probably one of the safest services you can buy here. You can listen to the samples and if you provide your own script then there’s not much that can go wrong. When I hire a VO I start from the lower end as well. If I like the voice quality from the samples and they have at least a few decent reviews then I won’t bother to look further. I don’t care if the seller has 50 or 500 reviews. I usually don’t even look at the badge they have.

I only pay more if I need a specific accent or a higher quality.

However, if I need a logo design then I’m afraid to hire someone for $5. I can’t trust their portfolio because logos can be stolen. They can easily give me a template logo without me knowing about it (image reverse check can only do so much). Nowadays I won’t even hire someone for less than $40 to create a logo. I know there are no guarantees, but this seems a rather fair price here to get a logo that’s not stolen.

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the bottom line is that some people shouldn’t because they don’t offer the service expected at that price point.

Getting lots of 5-star reviews for $5 work does not necessarily mean the work is worth $10. It means that people were happy with the service at that price point. Selle

These two things fall on deaf ears and gets lost.

Nothing wrong with increasing prices but only if your work is worth it.

Last year, on Fiverr, I threw away few hundred dollars in worthless/bad quality gigs. Most of it was me testing sellers with small purchases before hiring for the real job. Some of those, on the other hand, were due to really deceptively good looking gigs.

I’m tired of the “Raise your price and you’ll get rid of bad buyers!”

I’m not sure what a bad buyer really is but there are business buyers that are savvy enough to “test” sellers with small purchases, before hiring them for a mega job.

I say price gig at what you’re worth but don’t go overboard or you’ll potentially lose out on some business opportunities from business buyers.

P.S. : It was extremely painful tying this on my phone. 🙂

I’m tired of the “Raise your price and you’ll get rid of bad buyers!”

Not ALL Buyers are bad, you’re like one of the well-known exceptions! 😉 However, I’ve noticed after increasing my rates the bargain basement ‘type’ sellers disappeared in the wind.

There are all types of buyers, and so all types of sellers can coexist happily.

I couldn’t agree more.

A lot of complaints about “bad buyers” that I see on the forum are unjustified and I can see a certain number of them simply as having become frustrated with a poor quality service.

There are bad 🍎 Sellers out there, making ‘us’ good sellers look like rotten 🍎. I’ve placed multiple orders over the past 2-weeks. Hit a snag with a few Sellers, that I would NEVER purchase a gig from again. Professionalism is lacking and the quality is subpar. Some folks have been here since the beginning of time. I guess they’ve gotten so comfortable with the way things are that changing or UPing their game is not an option. I mean, Fiverr has been around for like 8-years? The $5 mentality is a hard habit to kick!

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