Should you put prices on your website?

Ahhh, to put prices on your website or to not put prices on your website. That is the question!

A question that’s been a bone of contention literally forever in the business world.

But I got you and I’m here to FINALLY give you the right answer:

 

 

 

 

 

There is no right answer! The right answer is whatever works for you and your business.

Hint: Just like everything in business!

So while I’m not going to tell you whether to do so or not, what I will do is share my experience for those of you who are umming and ahhing about it and hopefully that’ll give you some hits of clarity lightbulbs.

Personally, I don’t put prices on my website and here’s why that worked FOR ME:

1. It’s a barrier for your potential clients

…And I like it that way! As a high end service provider, my project slots are limited and I don’t work with just anyone. My dream clients need to prove themselves to me just as much as I need to prove to them.

Before when I had prices on my site, I had every Tom, Dick and Harry in my inbox asking me to build them a website and it was draining my time and energy replying to them all.

Some would even get offended and reply back to tell me how much of an idiot I was for turning down their amazing business.

The moment I took my prices off was the moment I got serious enquiries only. Each one from someone who genuinely wanted to work with ME and wasn’t just getting a quote from ‘yet another web designer’.

Because my dream clients aren’t looking for a website built for XXXX amount of money. They’re looking for someone who understands them to be an expert in their corner. Someone to advise them and cheer them on all the way to their goals.

 

2. Having prices on your website doesn’t automatically filter out non ideal clients.

One of the arguments for having prices on your website is it filters out time wasters. I disagree. In my experience, the opposite is true.

When I did have prices on my website, it seemed like an invite for anyone and their aunt to message me about them.

I had people email me to tell me my prices where too high.

I had people email me to tell me my prices where too low.

And I had a lot of people email me to say “Hey I saw you could do a website for XXXX. Well I only have XXXX so can I pay that instead?” Not even a “What can you do for me at this price?” *face palm*

Without my prices showing, my inbox is no longer a public forum discussing what my prices should be and I wanna keep it that way.

3. The focus shifts from pricing to transformation.

I used to get potential clients, whom I would have just LOVED to work with, see my website prices and email me to say, “I’d love to work with you but I just can’t afford that”.

Without my pricing on display, I rarely get that now.

Because when my dream clients approach me we start to visualise their goals and start piece a bridge on how to get their desired results. the pricing them becomes about what THEY get.

Otherwise it was just “I can do a website for XXXX amount of money” and my work involves so much more than that.

4. My prices vary

If my prices were the same for every project then I’d possibly have them up but every business has different requirements and so it really does vary.

Plus when an enquiry jumps into my inbox, it usually contains a mix of must haves and nice to haves which means there’s so many things we could do at different price levels.

One of the things that makes me great (not just good) at what I do is I’m not a yes girl. I don’t just give you a price for what you ask for. I can determine where someone is on their journey and suggest the best options for going forward. You don’t get that when you’re just looking at a price on a screen.

I did have “starting from” or “average” pricing on my site once upon a time but I felt it locked me into a price bracket. People still expected to around the mark I’d stated on my website and get annoyed if they had to pay more (even with hefty requirements).

So I’d find myself charging a certain way to be ‘in line’ with my stated prices. Without my prices displayed, I focus on what feels good/right to charge for a project instead.

Website prices: Yay or Nay?

I cannot stress this enough: I do what works for me.

I genuinely believe that not showing my prices on my site is the best way for both me and my dream clients. If you feel strongly that you SHOULD have prices on your website then do it :)

There is no right answer!

Will I ever change my mind? Maybe! But that’s what I love about running a business the most. You get to do it on your terms so do what’s right for you.