Raising prices can seem like it will cost you clients, but it can be the secret to growing your business.
Last week I wrote about why you need to raise your prices due to the shortage of labor. This generated more interest and comments than most of our previous articles, so it seems like this is a very hot topic. One very common question is, “When is the best time to raise your rates?” There are two basic approaches. Like most things, there are advantages and disadvantages to both.
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LIMITED TIME OFFER!
Put your cleaning business on the fast track with our new Foundations of Success Fast Track series. Each class is only $149, but if you buy CLEANING TIMES AND BILL RATES before Sept. 21, 2016, you get 25% OFF. Just enter the code RATES in the DISCOUNT BOX at checkout.
Raise your rates once per year.
Most people choose to do this right before they enter their busy season, usually Spring, although it varies in some areas. It is a lot easier to raise your rates all at once, and to make this a once-a-year project. By placing the increase right before your busy season, the idea is that if you do lose a few clients, then it is not a problem to replace them. Some of the disadvantages are: you will be taking all of your losses at once, plus it normally takes more than a year to raise rates for most people. For example, if you were going to raise rates this month, what would you do with people that have started services in the last 6 months? It may seem too early to raise their rates. You may decide to skip those clients and they will miss the first round of price increases.
Raise rates every month for clients that started service in that month.
With this model it becomes a monthly process to identify all the clients that started service one year ago and raise only their rates. This is a more sure way to make sure that everyone gets their prices raised. It also spreads the risk of clients cancelling service over the entire year, instead of all at once. The disadvantage of this method is that it can be hard to get to it every month. In your really busy months, you may miss some increases because you don’t have time to implement them.
Both methods can work.
The most important thing is that you do an annual price increase. If you do them every year, you will never have to shock your clients with a large increase. It will also enable you to give your employees an annual raise.
Raising prices can seem like it will cost you clients, but in truth it can be the secret to growing your business. Now raising prices can be scary but it does not need to be. We offer an entire module on Cleaning Times and Bill Rates.
And remember, from now through Sept. 18, 2016, you can get 25% OFF this class. Just enter the promo code RATES in the DISCOUNT BOX at checkout.
For a FREE PREVIEW of Tom Stewart’s “Cleaning Times & Bill Rates” presentation, click the play button on the image below.
Cleaning Times & Bill Rates
$ 149.00 List Price
LIMITED TIME DISCOUNT – SAVE 25%
Now through 9/18/16, you can get a 25% DISCOUNT on this class. Just enter the promo code RATES in the Discount Box at checkout. To buy now CLICK HERE.
This class, delivered by Castle Keepers owner/CEO Tom Stewart, gives you the tools to measure your existing cleaning times toward creating time standards and a bill rate to charge for that time. Did you know that you can establish a bill rate that is consistent regardless of whether you charge by the hour, by the square foot or by the room?
Class Agenda
- Workloading (aka Cleaning Times)
- Competition Rate Survey
- Establishing a Bill Rate
- Work Measurement
- Workloading and Bill Rate Challenges
Download Contents
- Class Video (duration 50:54)
- Class PPT Slides
- Bill Rate & Workloading Calculator (dynamic spreadsheet)
- Competition Market Survey
- AMCLLC (Liz Trotter’s) Estimate Sheet
- AMCLLC Phone Consultation Rate Calculator
- CK (Tom Stewart’s) Estimate and Service Agreement
This class (or business topic) was originally presented live as one piece of the comprehensive Foundations of Success program. Business coaches/consultants Derek Christian, Tom Stewart and Liz Trotter are now making all 22 classes of the program available through Foundations Fast Track. purchase the full program (all 22 classes at once) for only $2549!
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