Episode 25 · Season 2
The Price You Set Three Years Ago Is Still Costing You
What This Episode Is About
When did you last raise the price for a client who’s been with you for years? Last episode was about the conversation you’re avoiding. For a lot of owners, that conversation is about price. In this Pricing & Worth episode, Meagan explains why most owners already know they’re underpriced with long-time clients, and what the wait is costing every month. She walks through three moves (Find the gap, Price the wait, Set the date) plus a 48-hour exercise to put the first notice on the calendar.Key Takeaways
- A price you set three years ago was set for the business you had then, not the one you have now
- Most reasons for not raising a price are about the client, not the numbers
- Not raising your price isn’t a risk you’re avoiding; it’s a cost you’re already paying every month
- Honest isn’t harsh: a short written notice with a date 60 to 90 days out respects the client and gives you a real deadline
Three Moves: Find the Gap, Price the Wait, Set the Date
This isn’t about squeezing the clients who’ve been good to you. It’s about noticing what the wait is already costing you, and deciding on purpose.Find the Gap
For each long-time client, write down what they pay today and what you’d quote a brand-new client for the same work if they called this afternoon. The difference is your gap. Then notice the reasons that come up (“they’ve been loyal,” “they’ll leave”) and how many of them are about the client rather than the numbers.Price the Wait
Multiply the gap per client by the number of clients, then by the months you’ve already waited or are about to wait. Use your own numbers. The shift is from “raising prices is a risk” to “not raising them is a cost I’m already paying.”Set the Date
For each client, choose one: raise the rate as it is, raise it and adjust what’s included so price and scope match, or refer them to someone better suited. Put it in writing with an effective date 60 to 90 days out. Short, kind, direct.The Key Insight
The price was never the problem. Waiting to say it was.
Your Action This Week: The 48-Hour Exercise
Write four things: the client you’re starting with, the gap, what the wait costs you each month, and the date the new rate takes effect. Then, within 48 hours, send the notice or put a real block on your calendar to write it. One client, not the whole list. Starting is the decision.
Episode Transcript
Prefer to read? Full transcript below. Lightly edited for clarity.
Transcript coming soon
The full transcript for this episode will be added here. In the meantime, the sections above accurately reflect the episode’s core content: the three moves (Find the gap, Price the wait, Set the date) and this week’s 48-hour exercise.