The clients you are most afraid of losing when you raise your prices are usually the ones you cannot afford to keep. Here is how to put your prices up properly, before the spring rebooking window closes.

This episode gives you the maths, the method, and the exact three rules for communicating a price rise without losing the plot or the clients.

WHY THE FEAR IS WRONG

• Most clients will accept a well-communicated price rise without complaint
• Price-sensitive clients who leave were going to go eventually anyway
• Raising prices does not just lose clients at the bottom, it attracts better clients at the top
• An underpriced salon cannot afford to look after its clients, its team, or its future
• You are not raising your prices. You are correcting them.

HOW MUCH TO RAISE BYIf you have not raised prices in 12 months, you are already behind. A 10% rise covers inflation, wage increases, and product cost rises, and is small enough that most clients accept it without question.

The maths: if your average bill is 60 pounds and you do 30 clients a week, that is 18 pounds more per client. 540 pounds a week. 28,000 pounds a year. From a decision you are currently too scared to make.

Do not do it in tiny increments. Two price increases a year, done properly, beats six small awkward ones every few months.

THE THREE RULES FOR COMMUNICATING IT

RULE 1: BE DIRECT, NOT APOLOGETICWrong: "We are so sorry, due to rising costs we have had to make the difficult decision..."Right: "From 1st April, our prices will increase by 10%. Check our price list online."If you apologise, you signal that you think the rise is wrong. You do not. So do not apologise.

RULE 2: GIVE NOTICE, NOT AN ESSAYFour weeks is enough. Six weeks is generous. Any more and you are just giving people more time to object.You do not owe anyone a line-by-line breakdown of your overheads.

RULE 3: TELL THEM PERSONALLY BEFORE YOU TELL THEM PUBLICLY

• Brief your team first so they are not caught off guard
• Notice on reception before the prices go up
• Update your price list and online booking
• Do not post it on social media. Social media is for good news.

WHAT TO DO IF A CLIENT PUSHES BACKMost will not. For the rare one who does: "Our prices have not increased for X months. This brings us in line with where we need to be to stay profitable." If they threaten to leave, let them. That chair will be filled by someone who values your work.

RESOURCES:Get your pricing properly sorted with Get Paid Properly:getpaidproperly.com

WORK WITH ME:1:1 Ultimate Clarity: https://tidycal.com/philjackson/1to1-enquiryFull details: https://buildyoursalon.com

LISTEN:YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BuildYourSalonSpotify: https://go.philjackson.me/SpotifyApple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3MZp6jP

CHAPTERS:0:00 - The Clients You Are Scared to Lose0:20 - How March Is Going and Why Pricing Still Matters1:08 - Why the Fear Is Real But the Logic Is Wrong2:06 - Breaking Through Price Barriers (and Who It Attracts)2:48 - You Are Not Being Greedy, You Are Being Sustainable3:36 - Why Now Is the Right Time (Even If March Feels Ropey)4:22 - How Much to Raise By (Do the Maths)5:57 - Do Not Do It in Tiny Increments6:44 - Rule 1: Be Direct, Not Apologetic7:30 - Rule 2: Give Notice, Not an Explanation8:16 - Rule 3: Tell Them Personally Before Publicly9:05 - What to Do If a Client Pushes Back

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Questions? phil@buildyoursalon.com