The Price of Visibility: When to Work for Free, When to Charge Premium, and Why Building in Public Isn't Always the Answer

Hey Webflow fam! 👋

This week, let's talk about something that most "gurus" get wrong: The relationship between visibility and value.

The Visibility Trap

We've all heard it:

- "Build in public!"

- "Share everything!"

- "Document your journey!"

- "Free work leads to paid work!"

But here's what nobody tells you...

The Real Cost of Free

Early 2021:

- Built websites for free

- Shared every step

- Posted daily updates

- Drained my energy

- Zero quality leads

Result? Burned out, undervalued, stuck.

Late 2024:

- Selective sharing

- Strategic visibility

- Premium pricing

- Quality over quantity

- Focused energy

Result? Better clients, higher value, sustainable growth.

The Visibility Matrix

Here's what I learned:

1. When to Work for Free:

- Learning new skills

- Testing new markets

- Building case studies

- Strategic partnerships

2. When to Charge Premium:

- Proven expertise

- Clear systems

- Documented results

- Defined process

3. When to Share:

- Success frameworks

- Learnings from failure

- System improvements

- Community wins

4. When to Stay Quiet:

- Client work details

- Revenue specifics

- Personal struggles

- Work in progress

The Strategy That Changed Everything

Instead of sharing everything, I started sharing strategically:

- Process > Personal drama

- Systems > Daily updates

- Results > Random thoughts

- Value > Volume

Real Numbers (First Time Sharing These)

2021 (Sharing Everything):

- 100+ posts

- 50+ free projects

- Constant visibility

- $500 average project

2025 (Strategic Sharing):

- 2-3 quality posts/week

- Selected case studies

- Focused content

- $5K+ average project

Key Takeaways

1. Visibility without strategy is just noise

2. Free work without purpose is just loss

3. Building in public works when you build the right things

4. Premium prices require premium positioning

Action Steps

This week:

1. Audit your sharing habits

2. Document your wins

3. Structure your process

4. Define your minimum price

Quick Reflection Question

Are you sharing to provide value or just to be visible?

Keep building (strategically),

Sebastian Bimbi

P.S. Hit reply with your biggest struggle between visibility and value

I read every response!