4 Ways to Announce Price Increase to Customers without Losing Them

You may need to increase your prices for multiple reasons. It can be due to inflation, increased product ranges, features, and more. Stagnant pricing can be harmful to any business. It will help if you need to let your customers know why you are increasing the prices. Increasing prices without intimating the customer can lead to negative trends. Customers need to understand the intention behind the price rise. Therefore, you need to communicate the reasons for the price rise.

The ultimate goal of any company is to enhance customer loyalty. Customers need to know why the price changes took place. They need to know why doing business with the company is still in their best interest.

How to announce a price increase to clients

Before you convey this message to customers, you must understand the Gain Principle that holds true for every customer.

Gain = Value – Cost

What customer finally gains from your product is the overall value minus the cost involved. Hence, the logic becomes simple. If you want to win your customer, show and prove them more gain. This is possible by demonstrating value much higher than the increased cost. If your price increase is x, your value increase should be 2x, 3x, or 5x.

How to show them more value from your product is case-specific and for you to think and workaround. Below mentioned are the four ways of price increase announcement to customers.

1. Initiate the conversation with the customers

Imagine if your Amazon Prime bill increased from $9.99 to $16.99 every month and you do not have knowledge or consent. You would be furious, right? A customer who suddenly finds out that there is a price increase may get scared and angry. You can go through a list of customers, ensure they are notified about the price increase, and then send a thank you letter if possible. You can personalize the process for the customer.

2. Be transparent and upfront

Before you reach out to customer, be aware of the looming fear within you in conveying this message. If it is within you, your customer would easily sense it and behave unfavorably. Hence, be so confident in sharing about the price increase that the customer gets curious to know the rationale behind it.

If you are sending an email, instead of redirecting them to your pricing page, show them an image of new price in the email itself. This shows that you are not hiding the information but sharing it unapologetically.

Even though a feeling of discomfort would arise in the customer's mind, you have to reverse their perception. And the first step in doing so is by not empathizing with their pain because it will only make it more real. Only when you believe and express that it is not a pain for them, would they be open to know how instead of dwelling in their negative emotions.

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3. Give them enough time

Don't increase the price overnight. Your customers should get enough time to come to terms with this update. Also, there might be other obligations they have to consider like readjusting the annual budget, communicating and getting approvals from their superiors, etc.

An even more useful step would be recommending them for more purchases or buying an annual subscription plan on the current price before the price hike becomes effective.

Be aware that it is inevitable for them to at least think once for your alternative. You cannot control it and neither should you try. It is also true that they won't leave you without having a word. And the switching cost is another barricade for them. So, let all their reactive emotions subside before you approach them for further discussion.

4. Demonstrate value

Value can be perceived in many different ways. Also, there can be different reasons accounting for price increase. You might need more funds to do the necessary research and development on the continuous upgrade of your product. Alternatively, the cost of goods sold can also be rising due to the rise in the cost of various resources needed for production. In this scenario, the value obtained is nothing but the consistency in the quality of the product over time.

While announcing price increase to customers, convey them that you are upgrading the quality of the product or at least committed to maintain the same quality in future. The former case is easily acceptable. Whereas in the latter scenario, you demonstrate value by not only showing your commitment towards quality assurance but also reinforcing the fact to their conscious brain that your product is already of a superior quality.

If it is a product upgrade scenario, make sure you demonstrate them in numbers what value this upgraded product would bring. It could be in terms of more revenue, more savings, reduced cost, reduced time and effort, etc.

5. Assure them high prices resonates better quality

Announcing price rises can be made simple if you assure them of better quality. Price increases can be confusing for customers if they are regular users and purchasing the product for quite some time. This means you need to ensure that product quality is maintained and stressed upon.

To meet high product quality standards, you need to meet operating costs, material costs, hiring costs, and more. All this might lead to an increase in price.

6. Show confidence while approaching the customers

As your business grows, the worth of your products and services will directly increase. Justify the price rise and show how it will help meet customer needs and serve them better. Keep in mind that there is no need to be sorry and apologize for a price increase. Your customers will remain loyal if you prove your value and reliability. It would be best to be confident that the product is worth the price.

7. Over-deliver before delivering the news

Price increases can be handled if there is an appropriate value increase. You need to over-deliver on the value aspect to show that the amount of value you are willing to provide is more than the prices you charge. This will help your customers know what they are paying more for. For example, if the price of prime subscription increases, it needs to show where the value has increased as well.

8. Provide enhancement features to your product

In case you are selling a useful tool or service, you can let them know of new and informed features. This will soften the blow about the price rise and ensure customer satisfaction. Loyal customers will understand price rises and product enhancements. This will also help you renegotiate terms with your customers and revise deal agreements.

9. Offer a lower-priced alternative

Give customers the option to choose a lower-priced product. Please give them the opportunity to go for alternatives. Offering customers, the same product with various features at different rates gives them the flexibility to choose. With this, they focus on the value they get.

10. Never put emphasis on the profitability aspect

Customers need to know that the main goal of a price increase is not a profit increase. This impression can be harmful to the company and customers may develop a negative image of the company. Focusing on value is the most important thing companies can do to ensure customer loyalty remains.

11. Keep everyone on the same page

Make sure that the information reaches everyone on both the sides – vendor and customer. All the stakeholders in customer organization that a CSM is in touch with should know about this update. By communicating to each of them, you open a channel for anyone who is willing to discuss further. Through this, you can take control and veer their emotions in a positive direction. Otherwise, if they get to know this from one of their own, the negative sentiments would grow further.

And on the other side, everyone in your own organization should also be aware of this price change. It would be an embarrassment if one of your employees charges an outdated price to your customer.

12. Thank the customer for their understanding

Thank the customer for understanding the price rise and feature updates. You need to sincerely thank their support and patronage in case of a price rise. Inform them about the reasons behind the price rise and be genuine about it.

Examples of how to announce a price increase to clients

Although it is always better to inform this to your enterprise customers over phone or in-person, it is not possible to do so for a large set of customers. Hence, you need to draft an email for communicating to your mass audience. Let's look at a few examples of them.

Below is a price increase announcement letter sample used for converting free users to paid ones.

Below example showing the reason as a rise in production cost in the letter to customer announcing price increase

Shown below is a price increase announcement sample of upfront message by Netflix

Why one increases the Price?

• Increasing business costs: One of the primary reasons why companies wish to increase their prices is to meet the increasing business costs. For instance, a merchant reseller will have to raise his prices because its manufacturer did so on the raw materials or sources. This in a way triggers the merchant too, to take his prices a notch-up. Additional factors such as utility fees, rental fees and labor costs might add up. And because these factors are out of the owner's control, and cost-cutting does so much, to maintain the profitability margin, they often incorporate raise their prices.

• Due to Strategic Changes: Sometimes, prices reflect the quality and value of the goods. On that note, a customer links these price points with the quality aspect. And if you as a company wishes to market your goods and offer premium quality, it pretty much makes sense to raise your prices to do all the talking.
• Rising Industry Shifts: As and when a single company from a niche begins to raise its prices, it indirectly entices the others to follow the lead – which usually is the case. On top of that, advancing technologies or upgraded product features will trigger a company to delve into the rising price evolution. And no one wants to stay behind in the evolution loop, right? That is why to fuel the evolving changes across the industry, companies charge more.

How to limit the impact?

• Provide multi-product Combos: As long you are selling related items, it is safe to give your customers the combo offer. Simply put, you can club in products in form of a bundle that will add more value to your customers. For instance, look at this example here from HubSpot, you will find that their Growth Suite bundle has a great combination of all the marketing, sales, and customer service software your growing business needs — fully integrated and discounted at 25% off our standalone prices.

• Slow and Steady wins the Race: Just like the game, it is no fun to abruptly break it to your customers that your prices are now ‘x+10'. A customer will not like the intensity of that blow. If you wish to minimize that blow, you might consider raising the price slowly and steadily. That way, it won't come as a major shock to the customers. Also, make it a point to avoid doing this frequently without giving them a substantial amount of break in between two hikes.
• Put up premium price choices on your items: Try to add different price options on each of your items. Say, you can charge a different price for a different color or a different feature. This way, for the customers of yours who are willing to pay a little extra, can easily find their best match with the premium options. Look at this example here to understand this better:

• Introduce your price increase to a selected set of the target audience first: To not lose customers and keep them, you need to try the price increase with a selected group first. The group can be a simple sample to understand public opinion. With that, you can estimate and understand their reactions. If the people in that sample set agree to the new pricing, you can expand to the full client base.
• Concentrate on the strengths of your organization: When announcing a price increase, remind your customers of the increased value of your products. For example- You pay $2 more for (x,y,z) features and (p,q,r) updates. This will focus their attention on the value and enhance the business relationship. You can also highlight the strengths, benefits, and achievements of your business and remind them how the solution solves their pressing needs.
• Check and update your marketing materials: Your marketing materials need to be updated across all retail and digital channels. Marketing materials like brochures, eBooks, fliers, and downloads need to have updated new conditions, features, and prices.
• Let your customers speak to anyone in the company to address their concerns: It would help if you gave your customers the chance to communicate with anyone in your company. They should be able to address their questions or concerns with any customer support employee or manager. This promotes trust, customer loyalty, and builds customer relationships.

What Mistakes should you avoid in your Price Increase Letter?

• Of the many things that a customer hates from a company, one that tops the list is the super robotic or computerized tone. They do not want to be handed a mundane script to begin with. What they want is a personal tone. While, announcing these price hike, do see that your tonality is friendly and spot-on.
• Explain your reasons on why you are making this price lift. Give your customers enough knowledge on your decision and how it would benefit them as well.
• No customer would like to meet your ‘little surprise' abruptly. Ensure that you give them sufficient time (at least one month) before you set the price hike. This way, it would not come out as an indigestible shock to resist.
• It should not be like you sent out an email announcing your price lift and you are done for the month. A customer would want to see frequent follow-ups and let them know if they have any questions in their head. Although ensure that these follow-ups don't frequent much.
• Always thank the customer for all the precious time they have given to do business with you. Thank them for picking you and appreciate their value, efforts and above all, their loyalty.

Wrapping Up

Price hike is an inevitable part of business journey, both for customers and vendors. Announcing price increase to customers is an art that you need to learn one day or another. It is the time when all the customer success strategies come to test. If you have been working constantly towards helping your clients succeed, and have strengthened your relationship with them, your price hike would be seen as nothing more than a minor glitch.

Think of something different in making them realize more value from your product, especially for this occasion. By focusing more on value than cost, you would help them perceive more gain which is the ultimate way to boost their loyalty.

WRITTEN BYShivani Chaturvedi

Shivani is a talented CS manager with the skillsets to elicit, scope and manage end-to-end B2B SaaS project delivery. She has a keen interest in depicting her learnings in customer success by writing resourceful blogs and articles.

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