Rate-Raising Checklist

Use this interactive checklist to get off your butt and make that positive change!


Admit you have a pricing problem. Need inspiration? Try our Top 10 Signs list.

Investigate the actual value you provide to your clients. Here's how.

Compare how much you help them earn, with how much you cost them.

Increase your rate until it's close to, but still under, the value you provide.

Write a (private) statement about why your new rate is a great value, based on the above.

Keep at it til you believe it. (Because it's true!)

Practice saying it. Pitch it in the mirror. You don't want to hesitate or have your old rate slip out.

Update all your written materials—your proposal templates, your contracts, your web page (if necessary).

Write a list of your best customers (ones you like working with.) And the ones you'd never miss.

Write your best customers a quick, personal note to let them know that you love them...and you want them to be the first to know that you'll be raising your rates.

Be sure to explain that your rate increase means you'll be able to be more exclusive— and give them even more of your time and attention.

After a week or so, use our email templates (in tomorrow’s worksheet!) to announce your new rate to all of your customers. (For your best customers, add another personal touch!)

The Bottom Line

Nobody likes to be surprised by a sudden price increase. In fact, startup price change fiascos have been all over the news lately.
That is so not where you wanna be.

But people respond very well to the personal approach, the little touches that say, "This isn't just about money." (And, pssst: clients are people, you know!) Advance warning always helps, too, because it reduces the element of surprise. You split the surprise into two parts: 1. There's a price raise coming. 2. Here's the new price. That way your clients can prepare themselves.

And of course, a client who values you will be delighted to hear that part of your plan involves spending even more of your limited time & energy on them.

Yep, price changes can be rough. But that's a problem you can work with. When you increase your price, it's a great time to double down on that kind of personal service. Give the customers you love more. Higher rates mean you can be more exclusive, relax more, and do better work.

Earn more and work less

Okay, it's true: Time tracking is not a sexy subject. But earning more money?
Working less? Being more productive? Definitely sexy. And AWESOME.

Here's what customer Shawn Adrian had to say about our little app, Noko Time Tracking:

I fell in love with the numbers.

I'd never really tracked my time. It sounded like a lot of work.

Shawn Adrian/Quote Robot

But it was so easy to get started with Freckle. And I fell in love with the numbers. I loved being able to see where my time had gone.

After I'd used it for a month, I got really excited. I learned something that changed my business:

I wasn't working nearly as many hours as I'd believed.

Using Freckle helps me give more accurate quotes — because I know how much time the last job really took me. And it showed me that I needed to raise my rates!

My productivity has increased, too. Now I can truly see how much time I spend goofing off during the week.

Tracking my time with Freckle's been a huge eye opener for me, and a real help.

Try it yourself. Now, for free!

There's no risk, just a totally free 30-day trial that'll prove it to you.

Freckle awesomeness, it could be yours!
Earn More. Work Less.
Start your free 30-day trial now →