Your Profile Is Making You Look Cheap

Two photographers. Same city. Same experience. Same quality work.

One charges $500 per session. The other charges $5,000.

The difference isn't talent. It's how they present themselves online.

The Uncomfortable Truth

Your profile doesn't just reflect your value—it creates it.

In the 3 seconds someone lands on your page, their brain assigns you a price range. This happens before they see your rates. Before they view your work. Before they know anything about you.

Stanford researchers found that people make value judgments about websites in 50 milliseconds. That's faster than you can blink.

And once that anchor is set, it's nearly impossible to change.

The worst part? Most profiles are accidentally signaling "budget option" without knowing it.

The 5 Signs You Look Cheap

1. You Look Like Everyone Else

When you're interchangeable, you're a commodity. Commodities compete on price.

2. You Do Everything

• Cheap: "I do logos, web design, social media, copywriting, video editing!"
• Premium: "I design brand identities for Series A startups."

3. You're Too Available

• Cheap: "Book instantly!" "Available now!" "DMs always open!"
• Premium: "Currently booking Q2" "Application required"

4. You Show Quantity Over Quality

• Cheap: "500+ happy customers!"
• Premium: "Trusted by Spotify's founding team"

5. You Use Free Tools

Using free platforms tell clients you won't invest in yourself. Why should they invest $4,000 in you?

The Premium Positioning Formula

Step 1: The Luxury Layout

Delete 80% of what's on your profile. Premium brands understand white space.

Step 2: The Proof Pyramid

Show only your best 3-5 proof points:

• Named client logos (even just 2-3)
• One specific result with percentages
• Your most impressive credential

Never show more than 5. Abundance signals desperation.

Step 3: The Price Anchor

Never list prices—anchor expectations instead:

Don't say: "$500 per project" Say: "Recent projects: $5,000-$15,000"

When you show a range, brains anchor to the middle-high.

The Premium Psychology at Work

Here's what happens when you implement these changes:

• The Confidence Effect: When your profile looks premium, you naturally start acting premium. You stop apologizing for your prices. You stop over-delivering to justify your worth.
• The Client Filter: Budget clients self-select out. They see your positioning and know you're not for them. The clients who do reach out? They're pre-qualified for premium investment.
• The Anchor Reset: New prospects have no idea what you used to charge. They only see what you present now. Their price expectations form around your new positioning, not your history.

The Most Expensive Mistake

It's not charging too much. It's looking too cheap.

Every day with a budget profile trains the market to see you as the discount option.

Once you're positioned as cheap, it's almost impossible to climb out.

The question isn't whether you're worth premium prices.

The question is whether your profile shows it.