I’m about to tell you something no business in its right mind would say out loud.
But I’ll tell you anyway.
If you really hear this, it’ll change the way you price your work—and the way people respect you—forever.
Very recently, for Quarantine’s THE ART SPIRIT edition, we had a few last-minute cancellations.
It’s sold out now, but for a moment, a few spots had opened up.
One of the people who had to cancel—let’s call him SF—chose to donate his tuition so we could offer three partial scholarships worth over €1,000 each.
He asked us not to make a big deal about it, just to give them to people who truly needed them.
A noble gesture, right?
We thought, “These will be gone in a heartbeat. What a steal.”
WRONG.
We offered them to 15 people.
It took serious effort to get just three to accept.
Weird?
Wait, it gets better.
Here’s the thing…
Some people apply knowing exactly what the program costs. They go through the interview, get excited, feel the pull of the event…
And when it’s time to take action, they hit you with, “I just can’t afford it.”
Okay, but if you knew the price, why waste everyone’s time?
Apparently, many people just freeze when they reach the point of no return.
Fine. It happens.
But here’s where it gets truly insane—brace yourself:
When you offer them over €1,000 for free, their responses are usually something like:
“Now’s not the right time.”
“My schedule doesn’t line up.”
“I have a health issue.”
Some don’t even bother to reply.
UN-FREAKING-BELIEVABLE, right?
And this brings us to a universal, uncomfortable truth you need to keep in mind:
PEOPLE DON’T VALUE WHAT THEY GET FOR FREE.
They grow suspicious.
They dismiss it.
They doubt its true worth.
Give something away or slash your prices, and people will treat you like a desperate street vendor begging for a sale.
They’ll lose respect for you.
So we did the only logical thing:
(Drumroll…)
We RAISED the price!
We went from €3,270 to €3,500.
And guess what happened?
SOLD OUT.
Why?
Because a round number is a statement.
We weren’t trying to mask it with some cheap marketing trick.
We weren’t making it look smaller to “soften the blow.”
What blow?
This is the price, and we’re damn proud of it.
No gimmicks. No apologies.
The event is epic, and the price is solid. Period.
Now, let’s connect this to what really matters to YOU:
THE ART MARKET WORKS THE SAME WAY.
When you offer discounts, deep down, you’re admitting your work isn’t worth what you’re asking.
You’re telling people you’re a fraud—and they will punish you for it.
Once you lower your prices, they’ll keep pushing for more.
And more.
And more.
Until you’re left standing there, naked.
And then? They’ll stop buying altogether—because no one wants to buy from someone who doesn’t even respect themselves.
If you don’t value your own work, why the hell should they?
They’ll never accept a fair price from you again.
Because you’ve made it crystal clear they don’t have to.
So next time someone says,
“That’s expensive. Can you give me a discount?”
Say it loud and clear:
“It’s not expensive. You just don’t have the money for it.”
Trust me. Works like a charm.
Don’t be afraid to make people uncomfortable when they don’t respect you.
You don’t have to convince anyone.
You don’t owe them anything.
Let them squirm.
Let them walk away.
Take their resentment as a shield for your dignity.
Now, back to business…
This is why, at Quarantine, we don’t offer discounts.
No Black Friday. No sales. No cheap gimmicks.
What we offer is worth every penny.
If it feels expensive, that’s just your priorities showing. People back what truly matters to them, what they genuinely value.
If this feels out of reach, maybe your artistic growth isn’t at the top of your list right now. No worries, it's just not the right time.
But if this pulls you in—and if you actually have the money for the deposit—you can take action through this link:
👉 I WANT TO JOIN “STRANGE HEAVEN” 👈
P.S. — If this offends you, there’s a button below to unsubscribe. If you get what I’m saying and you can afford it, we’ll toast to it seaside. The link’s up there 👆
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