Skip to main content
We're here with practical information for your business. Learn about business planning, running a business and more.

Search

For a successful business, you need a viable business idea, the skills to make it work and the funding. Discover whether your idea has what it takes.

Forming your business correctly is essential to ensure you are protected and you comply with the rules. Learn how to set up your business.

Advice on protecting your wellbeing, self-confidence and mental health from the pressures of starting and running a business.

Learn why business planning is an essential exercise if your business is to start and grow successfully, attract funding or target new markets.

It is likely you will need funding to start your business unless you have your own money. Discover some of the main sources of start up funding.

Businesses and individuals must account for and pay various taxes. Understand your tax obligations and how to file, account and pay any taxes you owe.

Businesses are required to comply with a wide range of business laws. We introduce the main rules and regulations you must comply with.

Marketing matters. It drives sales and helps promote your brand and products. Discover how to market your business and reach your target customers.

Some businesses need a high street location whilst others can be run from home. Understand the key factors from cost to location, size to security.

Your employees can your biggest asset. They can also be your biggest challenge. We explain how to recruitment and manage staff successfully.

It is likely your business could not function without some form of IT. Learn how to specify, buy, maintain and secure your business IT.

Few businesses manage the leap from start up to high-growth business. Learn what it takes to scale up and take your business to the next level.

How to raise prices without losing sales

Increasing prices involves some risk, but if you handle things carefully you can avoid upsetting customers, while improving your margins

Make sure you're clear about why you're raising prices. Is it simply to make more money or is it because your costs have increased? Maybe your product or service is priced too cheaply, which is causing your business cash flow problems. Maybe a competitor is selling comparable goods at a higher price than yours.

Increasing your prices simply to make more money isn't illegal, but it can be difficult to justify to customers. You run the risk of them seeing you as expensive or greedy and taking their custom elsewhere.

Weighing up the risks

You should know how much value customers attach to your product or service. Can you rely on their loyalty if your prices were to go up? Will the market bear a price rise, and if not, would you be wiser to look for ways to trim your costs? Worse case scenario - how many punters are you likely to lose if your prices went up? Would a price increase put off potential buyers?

You need to consider whether your competitors will be able to capitalise on your price increases, maybe by offering (and being seen to offer) cheaper alternatives.

Work out what your profit per sale would be if you increased your prices. Maybe you could afford to lose a few sales but still increase your overall profitability. Even though turnover can go down, profitability can rise.

Although many customers appreciate quality, some are motivated mainly by value for money. These types of customer are the most fickle, but if you think the value of your offer has increased or if you suspect it is under-priced, you might still get away with an increase.

Is honesty the best policy?

If you are left with no other choice but to put your prices up, don't be afraid to do so. The risks posed to your business by leaving your prices as they are for fear of upsetting customers can be considerable.

Let your customers know exactly why increasing prices is necessary, but don't neglect to restate the benefits your product provides, together with any unique selling points you have. You might even be able to highlight additional benefits the increase will enable, for example, improved customer support.

There are a number of ways to conceal what is, in effect, a price rise. Examples include maintaining an existing price while lowering the quality or quantity of your offer. Another way of boosting margins is to introduce higher-priced "new and improved" goods and services while making older and cheaper ones obsolete.

Be very cautious before reducing the value you provide to your customers. If they find out you're being less than straight by trying to hide price rises, they're likely to go elsewhere - and never come back.

 

Stay up-to-date with business advice and news

Sign up to our lively and colourful newsletter for new and more established small businesses.

Contact us

Make an enquiry