💸 The Pricing Playbook: How to Charge More (and Not Feel Weird About It)

Because undercharging isn’t humble—it’s unsustainable.

If you've ever said:

“I don’t want to charge too much…” “I just want to be affordable…” “I feel bad asking for that price…”

This is your permission slip to stop playing small.

Charging more isn’t greedy. It’s what happens when you stop treating your business like a side gig and start treating your time like the asset it is.

Here’s the mindset, math, and method.

🧠 Step 1: Shift from "Pricing for Approval" → to "Pricing for Sustainability"

If your pricing depends on whether you think people will say yes instead of what you need to survive—you're building a business on burnout.

Pricing isn’t just about the service. It’s about your energy, your boundaries, and your freedom.

🧮 Step 2: Do the Math (Not Just the Feelings)

Let’s get grounded.

1. How much do you want to make per month? Let’s say: $5,000

2. How many hours a week do you want to work (realistically)? Let’s say: 25 hours

That’s ~100 hours/month → means your rate needs to be $50/hour just to break even And that’s before taxes, tools, or downtime.

So if you’re charging $75 for a 2-hour job… congrats, you just made $12.50/hour after expenses.

✏️ Step 3: Pick a Pricing Model That Doesn’t Box You In

Model	Great For	Watch Out For
Hourly	Consults, flexible services	You become a time-for-money hamster
Flat Rate	Projects with clear scope	Scope creep will kill you if it’s not airtight
Value-Based	Premium clients, strategy work	Requires strong positioning
Tiered Packages	Productized services	Too many choices = decision paralysis

✅ Pro Tip: Productize your services when you can—“Logo Design Package – $495 includes X, Y, Z” It reduces questions and helps clients self-select.

💬 Step 4: Say It Like You Mean It

How you say your price matters more than the number.

“It’s $500 for that.” ✅ “Um, it’s kind of like... maybe $500? I mean, if that’s okay…” ❌

Say it. Then stop talking. Don’t apologize. Don’t explain. Don’t discount unless you want to—not because someone blinked weird.

🔁 Step 5: Review + Raise Quarterly

• New clients should pay your new rates.

• Old clients? Give them notice and a clear reason. Most won’t bat an eye if you’re delivering value.

• If you're booked out? Raise it. That’s demand. That’s leverage.

✅ Pro Tip: Test raising your rate by 20% on the next lead. If they don’t flinch—you were already undercharging.

🧠 Final Thought:

Raising your prices isn’t about ego. It’s about alignment—between the energy you give and the life you want to build.

You can’t pour from an empty invoice.

So charge more. Deliver better. Work less. That’s not selfish. That’s strategy.

🔥 Coming Soon: The Price Confidence Kit – Scripts, calculators, and templates to raise your rates with zero weird vibes.

Affiliate links may be used. They help fund this blog—but only if the tool’s fire.