How to announce a Price Rise

[denise t]

Hey Guys, just wondering if anyone has a nice/professional way of announcing a price rise. I do mobile massage so I will be writing a letter to my regulars, just wondering the best way to do it?

I'm in Australia and I don't think I can use the cost of fuel as a reason because it has dropped and they say the cost of living is dropping.

Fluffy Towels

 

[Victoria U]

Hi Fluffy Towels,

The simple answer is be professional. Look at how other companies raise their prices. It's actually done with minimum announcements because they don't want to highlight bad news.

Certainly I wouldn't give reasons to the price rise because customers see that as excuses and will give reason for them to focus on the rise and go elsewhere.

Many businesses "hide" price rises in offers, i.e. BOGOF, discounts or sales. So at the end of the offer period the price rise is effective.

Is it possible for you to delay the price rise a few months? I think prices rises in just after Christmas are a bad signal when everyone is feeling financially weak.

Let us know how you get on, an good luck

Myarka.

 

[Mine<3]

You just tell everyone that you see as a regular that the next time you see them, you will be charging x-amount, and any new ones get your new price straight away, simple when you think about it.

All businesses have to put their prices up from time to time, you don't have to give a reason why

 

[Eric Du]

Hi there, when I've put prices up what I do is write to clients but also give them a bit of notice, month or so. Perhaps offering courses of treatments at the prices now might work in both your favours?

 

[Mystery Person]

In the past I have put mine up a month after the Budget, part blaming the government on increasing the costs of running my business and therefore the increase in costs from suppliers.
Don't know how that works in Aus bit it's accepted in the UK. Give your clients notice though, it's only fair. Don't write to them, this may put them off re-booking. Have plenty of notices up in your salon/room and politely mention it face to face or at the time of booking.

 

[toifexVof]

It makes it really difficult keeping different price stuctures for old regulars and new clients, what happens when the next price rise happens? Do you get oldest regular cheapest rate, old regulars and new price?
What happens when a regular that came every 2 weeks and you keep at the old price becomes a regular every 2 months? It gets very complicated once you have more than a handful of clients.
Paul Crick's recommendation is what I'd do, tell everyone there is a price raise at the next appointment you see them, but today's appointment is at the old rate. I usually put my prices up in November - it means all the regulars are paying the new rate in the new year, and all the gift certificates sold at Chistmas are at the new rate, any gift certificates sold to regulars can be sold at the old rate so they feel like they are getting a discount. I sell lots of gift certificates online and get the webpage updated in Nov so people that start looking a month in advance see the new prices.