Welcome to another episode of the podcast that teaches you how to be a ridiculously good virtual assistant.
Today I want to talk about working for free.
Today’s Quote: When you undervalue what you do, the world will undervalue who you are. – Oprah Winfrey
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Connect with Tracey D’Aviero, VA Coach and Trainer
Episode Notes:
Should you offer discounts or free work as a virtual assistant?
It feels like a strategic move at first, doesn’t it? You think maybe offering a free trial or a discounted rate will help you land your first few clients.
You imagine those clients being so impressed with your work that they’ll stay on, pay full price later, and send you referrals.
But does it really work like that? What do you think?
Time to look at this with a fresh perspective – in this episode I want you to get a clear, confident answer to this question – and more importantly, a pricing approach that supports your long-term success, not just your short-term comfort.
Because that’s really what wanting to work for free is all about.
Why This Question Even Comes Up
First, let’s acknowledge why this question is even on the table.
When you’re new – or when you’re trying to get more consistent work, it’s easy to believe that lower rates or free offers will make your services more attractive. It feels safer.
You don’t want to come across as too expensive. You’re trying to build your confidence and portfolio.
You might even be telling yourself, “I just need a few clients, or a few testimonials.”
I get it. I hear this all the time from VAs in my coaching programs.
But here’s the truth: this mindset usually comes from a place of fear, not strategy.
Fear of not getting hired.
Fear of not being good enough.
Fear of charging what you’re worth.
Fear of rejection.
You think if you price yourself low, or offer free work, you’ll reduce the risk of someone saying no. But let’s flip that around.
Every time you discount your services unnecessarily or offer to work for free, you’re actually increasing a different kind of risk – the risk that you’ll attract the wrong clients and build a business that drains you instead of supports you.
When I work with virtual assistants inside my group programs, we don’t just talk about pricing. We talk about the mindset behind pricing. We talk about boundaries. We talk about the kind of business you want to build and how your rates and your policies either support that vision or sabotage it.
You can’t grow a confident, sustainable VA business if YOU are the one constantly second-guessing your value.
What Happens When You Work for Free or Discount Your Rates
Let’s talk about what actually happens when you give discounts or work for free.
Here are the most common outcomes—and spoiler alert, they’re not usually what you’re hoping for:
1. You Train Clients to Expect Less from You Financially
When you lead with a discount or freebie, clients start to associate you with that level of pricing. It becomes hard to raise your rates later, because they got used to paying less. Or paying nothing which is so much worse.
And of course, if you try to increase your prices after a “free trial,” many clients disappear. Why? Because they weren’t valuing your work in the first place. They were taking advantage of the opportunity. Don’t ever mistake it.
Think about this: when someone pays you your full rate from the beginning, they’re invested. They want results. They’re more engaged. They respect your boundaries more.
But when someone’s not paying, or paying very little, it often leads to extra demands, poor communication, scope creep, and minimal appreciation.
Cheap clients are the worst.
2. You Burn Out Faster
When you’re not being paid what your work is worth, resentment builds up quickly. You work just as hard (often harder) for less reward. That’s a straight path to burnout.
And when you’re burned out, everything slows down. Your momentum, your confidence, your marketing, your business growth.
This is honestly one of the most common issues I see with new VAs. You’re working hard, but you’re not getting ahead.
Why? Because you’re not setting yourself up for a win from the start.
That’s something we work on deeply in my programs – resetting your foundation so you can build the business you actually want.
3. You Attract the Wrong Clients
Clients who are looking for deals aren’t usually looking for long-term partnerships. They want cheap, fast, and easy. And when they find someone else who’s cheaper or faster, they move on.
The clients who stay long-term, pay well, and treat you like a true partner? They’re not looking for free work. They’re looking for someone professional who knows their value and can deliver consistently.
You don’t need everyone to say yes. You need the right people to say yes.
It’s really tough to differentiate those in the beginning or when you are struggling but it makes all the difference to focus on the right ones, all the time.
Does It Ever Makes Sense to Discount or Work for Free?
Now, are there ever exceptions to this? Rarely. But yes, occasionally.
Here’s when offering a discount or doing free work can be strategic if you do it intentionally:
1. You’re Bartering Strategically
Maybe you need a service yourself. Something like branding, web design, or photography – and you find someone who needs a VA. If it’s an equal, agreed-upon exchange, and both parties benefit fully, that can be a win-win. Just make sure it’s in writing, and that expectations are super clear. Make sure there is a deadline or a hard boundary that everyone understands. Equal service for equal service. I actually worked with my first business coach by bartering.
2. You’re Building a Portfolio of New Services
Let’s say you’re pivoting to a new specialty, like podcast production or newsletter management, and you want a case study. You might offer a one-time project (not ongoing support) in exchange for a testimonial, with clear timelines, deliverables, and terms.
But you still set boundaries. You still show up like a pro. And you still communicate that this is a one-time offer, not a gateway to discounted services. Sometimes it can be helpful to take, say, 3 new clients for a trial period, and then when it’s done it’s done. You have your experience and then they start to pay (or others do).
3. You’re Donating to a Cause You Deeply Believe In
Sometimes you choose to work pro bono for a nonprofit or cause that’s close to your heart. That’s not about business, it’s about contribution. And that’s okay if it’s intentional.
But even then, you still have the right to set limits on time and scope. And you never lead with that model in your general marketing.
Don’t let a personal cause override your expertise though. If you are contributing to an association, still mind your hours that you are putting in. I’ve done more than I should have with volunteer work and it isn’t only unnecessary, but it keeps you from marketing your services and finding new paying clients – do it, but keep track of it, I guess is my biggest message with this one.
How to Say No to Discounts or Free Work Requests (Without Feeling Guilty)
So what do you say when someone asks for a discount? Or wants a free trial?
Here are a few responses you can keep in your back pocket:
- “I don’t offer free trials, but I’d be happy to book a paid test project so you can experience how we work together.”
- “My rates reflect the quality and professionalism I bring to every client relationship. If the budget isn’t a fit right now, I totally understand. Let’s talk about what we can do with your budget.”
- “I’ve found that working together at full value is the best way for both of us to build mutual respect and get great results.”
You don’t need to justify or explain too much. You’re not being rude or selfish by saying no. You’re setting a professional boundary, and that’s exactly what successful business owners do. If your client is a business owner too they should understand that free has its limits.
Inside my coaching programs, I help you practice these kinds of conversations so they feel natural. We can even create scripts together, so you feel prepared when this comes up in real life.
Confidence comes from clarity, and the more you understand your value, the easier it becomes to say no to what doesn’t serve you.
What to Do Instead of Offering Free or Discounted Work
If you’re trying to get new clients and feeling pressure to offer deals, here’s what to do instead:
Offer a Small, Paid Starter Package
Rather than discounting, create a bite-sized service package at full value. Something with a clear scope, short timeframe, and strong outcome. Think: 3 hours of admin cleanup, one-week inbox audit, a Canva template refresh.
It’s easier for a client to say yes to something small—but it still honors your worth. And if they love it, they can upgrade to ongoing support.
A lot of clients are gun shy working with VAs – they’ve been burned before, or they literally never have. So it’s new for everyone.
Starting small is a great way to find out how you work together before committing to a long term relationship with them.
I tell you about my client who had worked with two other VAs unsuccessfully. Her husband told her it was probably her. Then she found me. She was a colleague of another client of mine. We did one small event together and she could immediately see the difference in how I worked versus the others. We went on to work together for 7 years. She was one of my favourites, by far!
Show Your Expertise Through Content
If you want to build trust with your audience, create content that shows what you know. Blog posts, social media tips, videos, podcast episodes,those can demonstrate your value without giving away your time for free.
Content builds authority. And authority attracts quality clients.
I work with VAs all the time on content strategy that converts. You don’t need to be a full-time content creator. You just need to know what to say, and how to connect it back to your services.
Focus on Relationship Building
Instead of offering discounts, offer connection. Reach out to people. Join networking groups. Follow up with past leads. Let people know what you do and who you help.
Confidence in your business comes from meaningful conversations, not lowering your prices to get attention.
The Long-Term Cost of Undervaluing Yourself
Let’s bring it back to the big picture. Every time you say yes to a discount or free work that doesn’t align with your goals, you’re not just losing money, you’re losing time, energy, and momentum.
You’re training yourself to settle. You’re delaying your own success.
And more importantly, you’re saying to yourself: I don’t trust that what I offer is good enough to be paid for.
That’s the opposite of confidence.
That’s the opposite of what I want for you.
And that’s the opposite of what we build inside my programs.
I want you to build a business where your value is clear. Where your rates are respected. Where your clients stay because they trust and rely on you, not because you gave them a deal to start.
You aren’t doing them a favour. You are running a business that is high quality and very valuable – and they need that business to help them run their own business well. Which is also high quality and very valuable.
See how that works?
So… should you offer discounts or work for free as a virtual assistant?
Here’s the scoop: No …unless there’s a very strategic reason, and even then, it should be the exception, not the norm.
Your skills are valuable. Your time is valuable. Your energy is valuable.
Remember today’s quote from Oprah: When you undervalue what you do, the world will undervalue who you are. It starts with you.
Start acting like it now, not “later, when I have more experience” or “later, when I feel more confident.”
I hear this all the time from VAs who are just struggling with their confidence.
If that’s you, then you need a better client-getting strategy. It’s your mindset that is holding you back – and what you are doing every day to get clients too.
Confidence comes from charging what you’re worth. It comes from setting boundaries. It comes from building a business that actually supports your life. It comes from a strategy and daily actions that work to get you clients.
And if you don’t know how to do that yet—that’s okay. That’s what I’m here for.
If this is something you’ve been struggling with, if you’ve been offering free work, undercharging, or second-guessing your prices, let’s fix that together.
If you need support to move faster and with more clarity, I’m here…
Do You Need Help?
It’s the only reason I’m here at all, is to help you become a ridiculously VA. Drop me a DM to chat about where you are stuck. I’m on all the social media channels, so find me where you are. Or go to YourVAMentor.com/links to connect with me.
We can work together to look at your pricing, packages, and positioning, and we align everything to the business you want to build.
No guesswork. No fear-based decisions. Just clear steps and real confidence.
And great clients!!!
You deserve better than “just getting by.” Let’s build something stronger for you – and for your clients.