Running your business
Raising your prices without apologising for it
How to time an increase, explain it in one honest paragraph, and keep the clients who matter most.
5 min read
Most owners under-price for years, then raise everything at once and brace for the fallout. A smaller, clearly explained increase, made on a predictable schedule, is easier for everyone.
Pick a date and stick to it
An annual review date turns a confrontation into a routine. Tell clients when it happens, then hold to it, even in the years you decide not to move.
Say the real reason
Wages, insurance and food costs are reasons your clients already understand. Vague language about "market conditions" reads as evasive; one plain sentence about paying your team properly usually doesn't.
- Give at least 30 days' notice, in writing.
- Honour existing bookings at the old rate, since it costs little and buys goodwill.
- Call your ten highest-value clients personally before the email goes out.
Clients rarely leave over a fair increase. They leave over being surprised by one.