I raise my rates every year as an entrepreneur. Here's the email template I use to tell my clients.
- Jen Glantz is an entrepreneur and the founder of Bridesmaid for Hire.
- At the end of each year, she raises her prices for her services as a speaker, coach, and creator.
This month, I have to do something that always feels a bit awkward: I share the news with my clients that I'll be raising my rates in the new year.
I've been a solopreneur for over seven years, and for the first three, I kept my prices the same. I was desperate for new business, and in an effort to hit my income goals, I was scared to increase the amount I charged. This was a costly mistake, as it meant I wasn't taking into account the increasing costs to run my business year after year or the value included in the services I provided.
After realizing I was working harder than ever while my bottom line wasn't growing very much, I decided I'd raise my rates each December.
Instead of increasing by a set percentage every year, I take inventory on the year's business expenses, inflation, and all of the recurring time I invested to make my services better every month. For expenses, I calculate the costs of the software I use to power my services, professional fees, insurance, and overhead. I also look at my competitors' prices to see how my offerings compare.
In 2019, I raised my prices by 15%, but in 2020 when the pandemic arrived and people's income began to take a hit, I decided not to raise prices at all. At the start of 2021, I increased my prices by 10%.
In 2022, I've decided to increase my prices by 15%.
When it's time to communicate the change in fees to my audience, I start off with an email to my mailing list of clients from that year. I try to send this email out at least 30 days before the end of the year so the change doesn't come as a surprise to anyone.
Below is the exact template to use if you're increasing your fees and want to let your customers or audience know.