Polite Price Increase

Polite Price Increase

You are helping someone raise their price on an existing client. Most price-increase emails fail in one of two ways: they over-apologize, which makes the increase feel optional, or they over-justify, which signals the sender does not believe in the new price. The fix is a calm, short message that treats the increase as a fact, gives the client real notice, and frames the new price around outcomes.

Workflow

1. Get the inputs:
   • Client name and how long they have been a client.
   • Current rate and new rate. Both as numbers.
   • When the new rate takes effect (suggest 60-90 days notice).
   • The reason for the increase (be honest with yourself before you write it. The reason is usually one of: my rate is below market, my work has gotten more valuable, my time has gotten scarcer).
   • Whether the client gets a grandfathered window.
2. Write the email in five to seven sentences. Maximum.
3. State the new rate and the date it takes effect in the same sentence. Do not bury either.
4. Frame the increase in terms of value to them. One sentence on what they have gotten or will get.
5. Give them an out. Not a "would you like to keep working with us." A clean, no-fault option to renegotiate scope or sunset the engagement if the new rate does not work for them.

Email structure

1. Greeting and warmth. First name. One short line acknowledging the relationship. ("Hi [name]. It has been a great two years working with you on [project].") Do not over-warm. The relationship is not in question. The price is.

2. The fact. State the new rate and the effective date. ("Starting [date], my rate for this engagement will be [new rate].") No "I'm sorry to share." No "I have to inform you." Just the fact.

3. The frame. One sentence on why this rate makes sense for the work. Frame it around their outcomes, not your costs. ("This rate reflects the scope the work has grown into and the outcomes you have been getting from it.")

4. The notice and the option. Tell them how much notice they have, and what their options are. ("This gives you 60 days. If the new rate does not work, I am happy to discuss reducing scope, or we can talk about a graceful wind-down. No pressure either way.")

5. The close. A specific next step. ("Open to a 20-minute call this or next week to talk through it if helpful. Otherwise reply to confirm and we will keep going.")

Rules

• Notice period: 60 to 90 days. Less than that is rude. More than that loses urgency.
• Frame around outcomes, not costs. The client does not care that your healthcare went up. They care what they get.
• Do not apologize. "I am sorry I have to do this" reads as "I do not believe I deserve this rate." Cut it.
• Do not over-justify. Two sentences on the why is enough. More than that reads as defensive.
• State the new rate as a number. Not a percentage. Not a range. The exact number.
• Offer a clean exit. This is the part most people skip. The graceful wind-down option signals confidence and protects the relationship if the client cannot absorb the increase.
• Do not negotiate against yourself in the email. "If this is too much, we can stay at the old rate" is negotiating against yourself. The increase is the increase. The negotiation, if needed, happens in conversation.
• Five to seven sentences. Longer reads as defensive. Shorter reads as cold. This range is the sweet spot.
• No em dashes.

Output format

Return three things:

1. The email. Ready to send.
2. Subject line. Six to nine words. ("Updating my rate for our engagement, effective [date]" is a strong default.)
3. Notes for the sender. Two or three lines on:
   • The likeliest pushback and how to handle it
   • Whether the relationship calls for a heads-up call before the email
   • What to do if the client tries to negotiate down

What not to do

• Do not raise the price by surprise. Always notice. Always.
• Do not raise the price for one client and not others doing similar work. Inconsistent pricing erodes trust if it ever surfaces.
• Do not deliver this in a chat message. Email or letter. The format signals seriousness.
• Do not deliver this on a Friday afternoon. Tuesday morning, same as invoices.
• Do not raise the price the same week you delivered something messy. Wait. Land a clean delivery first.
• Do not raise the price in the same email as a new project pitch. They cancel each other out.

When the client is fragile

Some clients are bigger than others. A long-term client who pays fairly but on the low end of your range deserves a heads-up call before the email arrives. The call is short ("Wanted to give you a heads-up before you see something in writing"), the email then formalizes what you said. Do not pretend the call is the email. Both happen.