Raising prices feels risky until you do it. Most customers accept a fair rise that is explained early and plainly. The ones you lose were often the least profitable.
Signs your price is too low
- You are fully booked and still not earning enough.
- Clients say yes instantly, with no questions.
- Your costs went up and your price did not.
- You resent some of your work.
Any one of these is a reason to look again. Two or more means it is time. If you are unsure where the price should be, start with how to price your services.
Decide the new price first
Pick one number and stick to it. A rise people can understand is easier to accept than a small rise repeated every few months.
Decide who it applies to and when. New customers can get the new price today. Existing customers get notice.
Give notice and a reason
Give at least 30 days of notice, more for contracts or yearly plans. Check your agreements first, because some set the notice period.
Give one honest reason. Costs went up. You now include more. You are spending more time on each client. You do not need to apologise for running a business.
Template: a price increase email
Hi Dana,
From 1 December, the monthly plan will go from 90 to 110 dollars.
The price has not changed in two years, while the time I spend on each account has grown. The new price lets me keep the same level of care, including same-day replies.
Your current price stays in place for November. Thank you for working with me. If you have questions, reply here and I will answer them personally.
Notice what it does. The new price and the date come first. There is one reason. There is a thank you and a way to ask questions.
Options that soften it
- Grandfather loyal customers at the old price for a few extra months.
- Offer a smaller plan for people who need to keep their costs flat.
- Add something real to the new price, if there is something you already wanted to include.
Do not hide the rise in a long email about other news. People notice, and it costs trust.
What to do when someone pushes back
Thank them for telling you. Ask what matters most to them. Then offer the smaller plan or a longer notice period, not a discount on the same service.
Some will leave. Look at who they are. Often they are the customers who asked for the most and paid the least.
Write it down once
Keep a record of your prices, when they changed and what each customer pays. Then every quote, invoice and email gives the same number. A one-page context file is a good home for it, especially if AI tools draft your emails.