Seth Godin’s post about Low Hanging Fruit got me thinking. Maybe not in the way it was intended but I have suddenly started to commoditise things I have done for free in the past.

At The Escape, I am running a workshop about writing for the web for clients. This information has value, so we decided to charge. It’s half subscribed after less than a week. Rather than do it as pure added value, we get some value back to the tune of £1,000.

Also, I have had a meeting this morning in London and discussed the need to a client to get to grips with their web strategy before implementing the ‘nuts and bolts’ of content and design. Rather than them come to Basingstoke for our free web strategies seminar, we suggested that we go to them.

They will share the cost between their various marketing partners and we get to prove ourselves for two hours. What’s more, they realise the value that the seminar could provide and will pay for my time to do it.

I’m all for educating clients, and, it does seem that if you start charging, even if it is a nominal fee, they become more emotionally involved in the purchase.

The double-bubble benefit of a motivated client base equals more successful websites out there - pointing back to me.