Myth: "Do a free test clip to get your foot in the door."

Myth: "Do a free test clip to get your foot in the door."

Free work sets the price anchor at zero and attracts clients who never intended to pay. There's a paid equivalent that does the same de-risking without the trap.

The Paid Pilot SOP:

— Offer a single paid pilot clip at full per-unit rate, capped at one round.
— Frame it as a fit test, not a discount: "one clip, then we scale if it performs."
— Define the success metric up front so "it didn't work" isn't subjective.
— Roll the pilot into a packaged rate if they continue.

You prove fit and get paid. Save this pilot structure and stop trading work for "exposure." Standardize a paid door, not a free one.