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This free issue tackles the questions I hear constantly: "Should I raise my prices?"and “How does inflation impact my pricing?” I give you the hard data that makes the answers obvious.  Spoiler: yes, and here's by how much.
 
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market trends translated
Someone once told me: "Say the highest number you can without laughing," when I priced my services.  So I said $12,000 per month. Then the client paid it. For two years straight. 😅 
 
But that contract ended and so did my unsustainable pricing “strategy." 
 
Here's what I learned: pricing isn't set it and forget it. Not when inflation keeps climbing and your prices don't. This issue, we're tackling how to adjust your pricing strategy in an inflationary market.
 
Let's dive in ↓

Inflation is forcing a pricing reckoning and most businesses are losing
TLDR: With inflation hovering around 3% and business costs up 40% since 2020, small businesses face a choice: absorb the hit or raise prices strategically.  We are caught in the squeeze and how we respond will determine who survives and who thrives.

What's actually happening
Right now, 68% of small businesses are being impacted by tariffs and inflation. with many either eating the costs or raising prices reactively. 

The problem? Most are doing this without strategy. They're raising prices just enough to stop the bleeding, not enough to actually grow. Meanwhile, 93% say their 2025 sales are vital to success, yet they're using the same pricing model they had pre-pandemic. 

Smart businesses are using inflation as an excuse to fix what was already broken: outdated pricing models that left money on the table even before costs went up. They're shifting to value-based pricing, implementing tiers, and finally charging what they're worth. 

What this means for you
1. Stop absorbing inflation costs
If your costs are up and your prices aren't, you're working for less money. Use this moment to implement proper pricing strategy, not just reactive increases. Start with at least a 10-15% increase. 
 
2. Value-based pricing protects you from cost fluctuations
When you price on value instead of cost-plus, you're not scrambling every time supplier costs jump. You're charging what you're worth, regardless of what it costs to deliver.
 
3. Use inflation as opportunity to fix broken pricing
Clients expect price increases right now. This is your window to implement tiers, eliminate low-profit offerings, and finally charge premium clients premium prices.
 
A real client WIN
One of my clients charged her sports club clients a flat annual fee. A 50-player club paid the same as a 150-player club. Small clubs couldn't afford it. Big clubs felt ripped off.
 
We switched to per-player, value-based pricing. Small clubs said yes easily. Large clubs saw the fairness. And she finally had a model that scaled profitably.
 
She landed a $30K contract, her biggest ever without objection. The new pricing didn't just increase revenue. It gave her the confidence to pitch bigger.
 
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Pull up your pricing from 2020 and answer these questions:
  • Have your costs increased since then? (Probably)
  • Have your prices increased proportionally? (Probably not)
  • Are you absorbing inflation to "keep clients happy"? (That's not sustainable)
  • Can you justify a price increase based on rising costs alone?
If you're still charging 2020 prices in a 2025 cost environment, you're essentially giving yourself a pay cut every year. Time to catch up.
The bottom line

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