Should you show your prices on your website?
I've been a web designer for over four years now and one of the most common questions that I get asked is "should I put my prices on my website?" and if you’ve been wondering the same thing, you’re in the right place.
I wish the answer was a clear cut yes or no, but it really does depend. *rolls eyes* So, in this blog post I'm going to share with you how to decide if it's right for you and most importantly, you’re ideal clients.
Consider your own buying preferences
One of the classic things that I say to my clients when deciding whether or not to put prices on their website, is to reflect on their own buying preferences.
For example for me, when I'm thinking about working with a service provider I like to know whether or not that person is in my budget before I even have a conversation with them. I have this fear of wasting people's time I wouldn't want to get on a sales call with somebody unless I knew that the budget was I right fit.
Similarly my own buying habits include budgeting for something months or even a year in advance. For example there was a virtual assistant that I knew I wanted to work with so I checked out the prices on her website so I could create a goal budget for myself. That way, I didn't have to initiate a sales conversation and let that person down but I could still have the financial information I needed when planning hiring.
For myself, I also have an aversion to being sold to. I don’t want to get on a sales call, and be sold to, get really invested in the person, just be let down because it genuinely isn’t in budget. Those kinds of calls feel quite “sleezy” to me, and disappointing, so I don’t want to force my clients to go through the same thing.
Consider your ideal client’s buying preferences
These are just some examples of my own buying habits yours might be completely different and most importantly those of your ideal customer might also be completely different. It's there for super important you think about the types of buyers that your customers are.
For example for my own clients, I've had many conversations with people who want to get an idea of price because a website is something they want to invest in in the future. It's a big purchase and they know they don't have a budget for it right now, so they want to know how much money they need to save so that they can invest it in a website.
But these are just my clients, it's important that you think about your own clients and if you aren't sure of the answer you could always ask. This is where understanding your ideal clients comes in and market research is invaluable.
And another example could be that your clients don't care about the price. If they come to you and they are dead set on working with you because they love everything you do, then the price doesn't matter to them and it may not be necessary to include it on your website.
Consider the type of service that you offer
Another important consideration when deciding whether or not to put prices on your website is the type of service that you offer. For example if you offer custom packages to everyone you work with and the price of your packages drastically varies based on the client that you're working with - then maybe having prices on your website isn't right for you. It could be a source of friction if you had one price on your website and then you get on a sales call and the price is completely different. However, you could also consider having "prices from" section to help people gauge a rough ballpark.
On the other hand, if your services are very much structured in packages that are have clear cut pricing, then I would typically recommend including those prices on your website just to make things easier for you and the client. It reduces the need for a sales conversation because when the price is the price, there is no room for negotiation anyway.
Consider the type of salesperson you are
Putting your price on your website is very much a personal preference so it's okay to consider your own likes/dislikes when it comes to sales conversations. For example if you hate speaking about prices on a sales call, maybe it makes you uncomfortable, then make your life easier by including your prices on your website.
Alternatively, if you are somebody who is very confident in sales conversations, you want to sell people on the value of working with you before you even mention price, then leaving your prices off of your website is totally okay too.
Consider your business values
If you’re STILL not clear on whether or not to have your prices on your website, let your business values guide you. If a core value for you is trust/transparency, then the answer becomes clear - you should put your prices on your website.
But you may have other core values that take the forefront. For example, if your business is focused on flexibility and personalisation, then maybe set prices on your website feels out of alignment. Maybe you have a relationship-first business, in which case you might decide having the prices on your website feels too transactional.
So, if you’re unclear on the pricing/not decision, let your core values be your guiding light.
The benefit of NOT having your prices on your website
If you offer high ticket services in your business then you may actually want to consider not having the prices on your website. That's because this allows room for sales conversations and sales calls which provides you with much more opportunity to sell yourself, sell your value and add a lot of context to a price.
This is very different to a website where somebody can simply scroll to the bottom of the page to see the price. Although you can sell your services in your copy on your web page people can (and often will) skim over the the text that really sells your offer.
So, if you sell a high ticket program or service and the conversion rate of your sales calls is high, then it's definitely worth considering not including the prices on your website.
Having that additional barrier to booking with you can also add a sense of exclusivity to an offer. For example having some form of application or one-on-one conversation, can make your service seem more valuable. Of course take this with a pinch of salt because it can have the opposite effect and deter some types of customers. It really is all about understanding your ideal client.
Conclusion
I'm sorry that this blog post wasn't a simple yes or no answer but hopefully it provides some context as to why I'd recommend it one way or the other. To sum it up, here are the pros/cons of both:
Reasons you SHOULD put your prices on your website
It can help ease people's nerves if pricing is a significant choice factor for them
It can help people budget for your services for aspirational purchases
It eases the barrier to entry and reduces friction when buying from you
It can help prevent awkward sales conversations
If you have set packages and prices, it can help speed up the sales process
If it aligns with your values
Reasons NOT to put your prices on your website
Some ideal clients simply don't care about the price and want to work with you no matter what
It allows more room for custom packages (or you could include a prices FROM)
It means you can have sales conversations before ever mentioning price so you can sell the value of working with you
It can add a sense of exclusivity to your services
If it aligns with your values
As you can see, it truly does depend on your own preferences and importantly the buying style of your ideal clients. And if you're not sure on what your clients would prefer then ask them! Invite a couple of past clients or your dream clients to a market research call and find out exactly what their preferences are. Until you have those conversations we can only make assumptions.
If you’re keen to improve your sales pages, then why not check out these two blog posts as well:
Or if you’d like support with your website, then you might want to consider joining The DIY Website Club, my affordable monthly membership with 40+ video trainings and bi-weekly coworking calls - so you can get the support you need to create a website that attracts more of those dream clients.
