Knowing what I’m worth from both an influencer perspective and as a human being is something that has really been on my mind lately.
The Avo Toast Scandal – I’m Worth At Least $10.50
It started innocently enough. I went to dinner with some friends recently after a trip to Montreal. I was retelling my experience at Arthur’s Nosh Bar. (Side note: if you haven’t been already, GO. GO NOW. Their buttery challah toast with homemade berry jam made me see God)
Back to the point. I was telling my friends of Arthur’s Avo Toast – a delightful avocado toast dish that was light, refreshing and hearty. I got a side of their organic salmon gravlax too which just so happened to be marinated in beet juice. So, so good. Before I got through my story, one of my friends interrupted me and asked how much I paid for this Avo Toast.
“$10.50” – I said innocently enough.
“$10.50??? TEN FIFTY??? Who in their right mind pays $10.50 for avocado toast?? I mean you buy an avocado, mash it up, smear it on some bread. That’s it. So ridiculous.”
DETAILS
Duster Jacket – Shein | Tank Top – Nick and Zoe | Pants – Joseph Ribkoff c/o Shepherd’s Fashions (similar here) | Bag – Forever 21 (no longer available -similar here) | Davit Heels – Steve Madden | Classic Black Sheffield Watch – Daniel Wellington
Laughs ensue, but I was let down. Not so much a scandal I admit, but I was excited more about the tasty experience, not the cost of the dish. AND – life had been stressful lately. My Dad had a kidney transplant and work has been nuts. I really needed that “break the bank” avocado toast. I needed to enjoy it at beautiful Arthur’s Nosh Bar with my husband – my best friend. I just needed to take a load off, have some good food and relax. I just wanted to share a fun experience I had that made me forget these stresses. At that moment, Dominique was worth ten dollars and fifty cents worth of avocado and toast.
What Am I Worth? The Influencer Struggle
Brunch deflation aside, us influencers struggle with knowing our worth. Blogging is a relatively new thing and not many of us know what we should be charging. Blogging is hard work! It’s more than just striking a pose in a busy intersection, looking cool. We don’t know what to charge for promotional posts, or even if we should be charging at all (short answer is yes – charge). With blogging, charging a client actual money is a great thing! Don’t be scared to do it. It makes you seem like you’re worth the cost (and you are)!
Just think, a client is choosing between two bloggers: one who charges $300 a post for promotion, and one who charges $50. It’s a proven fact that most will hire the blogger that charges more. It’s a sign that the pricier blogger knows what she’s doing, has a lot of experience under her belt, and may have an engaged readership and following. Why is the other blogger charging so much less? Doesn’t look too great, does it?
Now, in all walks of life, you allow people to treat you a certain way. People are attracted to confidence, drive and great energy. You can’t settle for less if you want to be happy, treated fairly and want to succeed.
Thank You, Blue Mascara! You Helped Me Know My Worth
About a year into my own blogging experience, I got tired of being paid in products, especially those that didn’t work for me (terrible currency!!!). I was also sick of being paid a really low flat rate when posts took me about five to six hours to craft. That’s right. Five to six hours. One to two hours to draft the post, two hours to edit photos and usually another two hours to shoot outfits and products. It was becoming a lot of work, eating up time that I didn’t have.
One wintery day, it hit me like a ton of bricks. It was 3pm, and I was racing the clock to get a tube of mascara shot before I lost the natural light. I also needed to start dinner and get laundry done for the week. As I grappled with exposures and f-stops, it occurred to me that I was going through all this trouble, all this stress to photograph one tube of bright, blue mascara. That was my payment for the post too. An $18 mascara from the drugstore. I sighed deeply and vowed that this was the last time I was going to have a stress-induced heart attack over a mascara or anything for that matter.
That night, I got my butt in gear. I looked closely at my Google Analytics and my social media stats, and pulled together a press kit and rate card. I did a bunch of research online regarding what someone like me with my following should charge, and I settled on a number that made sense for me. The rest is history – comfortable history too. I got my Gucci Dionysus bag through hard work and saving. All funds that I earned from my little blog.
In all walks of life, you need to assess how much energy you will spend on someone or something that is worth it to you and your mental health. Ever since that winter’s day where I stressed over a blue mascara, I’ve been keeping that in mind.
Because You’re Worth It! Tips To Boost Your Self-Worth
Knowing your worth is life-changing. Read on and get to it:
- Set healthy boundaries – prioritize your own needs NOW. Don’t own someone else’s needs and emotions. It’s not your job. Do not get guilted into something or feel pressured to do anything.
- Trust yourself and the decisions you make. I turned down a lucrative contract with a fast food company. I didn’t like the company’s values, how they marketed unhealthy foods to children and their general negative impact on people’s health. I worried briefly about turning so much money down, but in the long run, it was the best decision for me and my own values. No regrets.
- Don’t talk yourself up. “Prove yourself up.” Show clients you want to work with why you are the best woman for the job!!
- Accept responsibility for your decisions. Don’t blame others if things go awry or don’t go your way. Look at yourself and what you did and make positive changes. Blaming others is weak and gross (unless someone else really, really screwed up – lol).
- If something isn’t working, change it. Don’t like how your blog looks? Change the theme. Don’t like crossfit class? Try something else out. In a bad relationship? Take a leap and LEAVE! Never understood why people torture themselves – happiness is right around the corner.
- Choose wisely – this ties in nicely to the whole “trusting yourself” point. Assess your options carefully. Sleep on it a bit. Mull it over. Talk to people who’ve “been there before”. Take as much time as you need doing so. If you don’t value yourself enough, you end up making crappy decisions and/or settling. DON’T SETTLE.
Anyways, getting to know myself and my worth was life changing. I feel more confident and have more time now to focus on things that really make me happy. Personally, I think my blogging has gotten better too.
What do you think of my tips? Anything else you do to know your worth?
*Photography courtesy of Ms. Beltempo
Dominique is a Canadian-based fashion and beauty influencer with a strong voice in Ottawa’s black community. Since launching her blog Style Domination in 2015, she has amassed a global fanbase. Dominique shares her life through beautiful imagery and compelling story-telling that speaks to her fans on a personal level. She’s been featured in The Guardian, Flare, The Kit and Cityline. She also hosts events for Dress for Success, the Gem Conference, and has been named a United Way Person 2 Know for the past three years.
Great reading….Know Your Worth is insightful and very applicable to all women on the topic of value. (even us non bloggers) Every once in awhile we need to “take a knee?” and embrace & cultivate our own value.
Cheers.
Author
I agree with you 100000%, Mel. Means so much to me that you read it. And if I didn’t know any better, I’d say you were a pretty damn fine instablogger!!
Brilliant Dominique! Nobody else can or should define our value…unless you have a brilliant agent who believes in you sometimes more than you do! That’s a very good thing.
It really is the Wild West in our new digital world, where everyone should be queen or king of their own empire.
Sharing your story will inspire more than one someone to have the courage to listen to that subtle inner voice that says YOU’RE WORTH IT!
It does take a pile of courage coupled with patience and perseverance, so always be kind to yourself. Growing is challenging that’s why many people never do it.
Keep growing and never give up!
Author
Kathie – you’re the best. Thank you for this kind comment. The last few months have been rough, but I’m persevering. Trying to stay positive too and pay it forward (you’ll see more on that soon).
Thanks also for your words of encouragement and unending support! Will you be having another one of your workshops soon?
xo,
Dom
This post was brilliant Dom!!! I struggle(d) with this almost all the time. I never know if I’m “there” yet to start charging for blog posts, at the same time, I know I put in way too much work into my content to not be compensated for it. Also, how do I know what to charge? I’ve read different books and rate cards and nothing seems to apply to me so it all boils down to “how much do I think I’m worth?”
This is a full time worry and it sometimes take the fun out of blogging. I just want to create and have fun while doing it and paying my bills. Lol. Anyways, thanks for the post Dom! Nice to know I’m not alone.
http://www.thealmachronicle.com
Author
You’re welcome, Alma! How about we meet next time we are in Toronto? Your blog is excellent and your Instagram is so chic. You should definitely be charging something!
But I agree. Most times, I just want to create and that it’s. Not worry about the business side of things!!
Such a refreshing post Dominique! It can be really hard for us bloggers to not only know our worth, but to also not settle for anything less. Blogging is hard work, and I can’t pay my rent in swatched lipsticks!
Author
I bust out laughing, Laura! I wholeheartedly agree. Imagine if red or nude lipsticks were currency? We’d be kabillionaires!!!
Thank you! Such a fantastic post, particularly for those of us who are new to the blogging world. I needed tips 3 and 6 !
Author
I’m thrilled Shauna, that you were able to take something from this post. I wrote it from the heart and I’m so glad at the positive reception it has had!!! Thank you so much for reading!
Inspirational post!
I’m not a blogger but I’m struggling with knowing my self worth as I change careers. It’s crazy how easily we forget how magical each and every one of us truly are!
Thanks for the reminder, Dominique!
Author
You are welcome, Shantae! I think we all need that reminder every now and then!!
Love this, so well said! Thank you xox
Author
You’re welcome, Laura!
Love this post! It does not matter the price of something if you want it and can get it. You are worth the value. Always put yourself first and have value in yourself. The value you put in yourself the value others will as well because you will require it.
Love your work
Author
Exactly, Shawonnica. I couldn’t have said it better myself. I cannot thank you enough for reading. Your support means a lot. xo
I absolutely loved this post Dom! Thank you so much for sharing your straight-talking wisdom. I think we all need to read this!
Author
Hey Alyssa!! SO THRILLED you liked it! I really do feel that we need to read affirmations like this regularly. We can get lost in our own self-deprecation. Thank you so much!
that’s a great reminder for everyone, dom! will totally keep those in mind 🙂 love the coat!
Author
HEY ALETHEA!!! Thank you so much for swinging by my blog! Means a lot!! Really thrilled you liked this content and thanks for your kind words about that coat. It was such a steal! LOL!
Truly a great read! This is very helpful. I have just started blogging as way to share my thoughts, findind my style and just overall connecting with people and learning to love myself. Knowing what I am worth, no so much in terms of money but more as a human, is fundamental to moving forward and accomplishing anything at all. This article serves as a reminder. Thank you.
Author
Estha – what a thoughtful comment. I can’t thank you enough for stopping by and reading. Really grateful and thankful that you were able to take something from this little post of mine!
Can you hear that? It’s me clapping at the brilliance of your post! So well said, Dom! By the way, I actually laughed out loud at the “seeing God” line!!! And you know what? As someone who totally gets it when you talk about the hours spent for every post (don’t even get me started on capturing that perfect shot), it’s only natural that you should be compensated for all that hard work. You are providing a service to both the client/brand and your readership and that’s all we need to say. Thank you for being brave enough to start this conversation!
Author
Hi Eugenia! You’re welcome! I think we are both really fortunate to work with some great brands that do recognize what we do and compensate us accordingly. And just knowing your own worth in all aspects of life…this has really helped me greatly…to find my true self-confidence and boost my self-esteem. I’m so happy you read and liked the post! I cannot wait to share some champagne with you soon!
I LOVE this post so much! I have been struggling with the same thing! I charge for posts but find it hard sometimes to get brands to say yes. I hear the “we don’t have a budget” response a lot.
Thank you so much for sharing your experience! It’s great to know we’re not alone!
<3
http://www.themoptop.com
Author
You are definitely not alone, Tonya. I really learned to negotiate well over this whole blogging process. And remember, when one door closes, two more open!
Congratulations Dom! Good for you! Knowing your worth is certainly important for everyone, even those that don’t have their own rate card 😉 Thanks for sharing.
Author
Thanks, Allie. Means a lot. See – some of your business acumen rubbed off on me! LOL! xoxoxo
Such an interesting read and great tips! Healthy boundaries are so important in every aspect of life. I also love your outfit!
-Noelle
Elle-no.com
Author
Thank you so much, Noelle! Glad you could take something from the article!
I think self-worth is definitely something that we as women struggle a lot with on both professional and personal levels. But it’s very important to set boundaries and to hold our ground once those boundaries have been set. And it definitely sucks that blogging has been around for over a decade now and some companies still don’t know how to offer proper compensation.
Author
What a thoughtful comment. Thank you for this! I totally agree. My life got better when I set concrete boundaries for myself and dealing with others. Less stress, you know? And yeah – hopefully companies will soon see the value in what we do for them and start to compensate fairly!