As a consumer I can appreciate a good pricing guide. When I see a “pricing” tab on someone’s website, it’s usually one of the first tabs I’ll click on…That said, there are 2 reasons I don’t provide a pricing guide on my website:
First, I design custom work; a pricing guide doesn’t fit my business model.
Part of doing custom design work means I provide custom quotes.
Each event has its own parameters and that’s how I determine what this job costs for this client on this date in this location. It’s not a one-size-fits-all pricing formula.
Second, I work with clients who are more focused on “what I deliver” and less focused on the “price of each piece”; providing a price list doesn’t jive with that goal either.
Referring clients to a price list, suggests that they should consider pricing out their own wedding before speaking to you.
The intention is to be helpful and informative, but focusing on price can work against the best interest of your business.
One can easily argue the virtues of a pricing guide and its ability to “educate” before going down the road of a whole consultation process, etc., but in my experience, a price list doesn’t really inform them of what it costs to do custom work for their wedding.
If you put the focus on price before service, it may work to prequalify certain clients, but it may also turn other perfectly excellent customers away.
A sample pricing guide often presents a range of prices, which is likely only minimally helpful.
For example:
If I tell you that bridal bouquets range from $175-375+, what does that really tell you about what YOUR bouquet will cost?
If I tell you that centerpieces range from $75-250+, how does that inform you regarding your overall budget expectation?
(And yes, I have seen ranges this wide on centerpieces in online pricing guides…..because it really “depends” on what the client wants before you to accurately quote a price….and centerpieces are usually the bulk of the “average wedding order”, so you don’t want to underbid on half the job!)
Instead of itemizing a price list for your website, create a thorough contact form to draw information out of potential clients so that you can start to assess their needs and then, start a budget conversation based around the requirements of this particular client.
If you focus on service over price, clients start to experience what it’s like to work with you before focusing on the itemized prices.
The goal is to work with ideal clients who recognize your value and choose you for you!….not just because you fit their budget.
They feel your value; they choose you easily.
Keep doing beautiful work, floralpreneurs!
With love from me to you,
Alison
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