Should you show your prices on your website? Or will it put people off, give your competitors an advantage and lock you into numbers that don’t fit every client? And if you don’t show them, are you losing people who leave because they can’t tell whether you’re in their price range?
By the end of this article, you’ll know how much price information your firm should show, and how to show it well.
We’ll look at why buyers look for prices and the worries firms have. Then we’ll cover ways to show price without a fixed list, and what to watch in a regulated profession.
Key takeaways
- Buyers usually want a rough idea of cost before they get in touch.
- Showing price information doesn’t mean publishing a fixed price for every job.
- “From” prices, ranges and “what affects the price” all help people decide.
- Some professions already have rules about publishing prices. Check yours.
- Whatever you show, keep it up to date and make the next step clear.
In this article
- Why buyers look for prices before they call
- What firms worry about, and how much those worries hold up
- You can show price without a fixed price list
- Where price information goes on your website
- Check the rules for your profession
- Our honest view
Why buyers look for prices before they call
When someone needs a professional service, cost is usually one of their first questions. They want to know if you’re roughly in their range before they spend time on a call. If your website gives no clue at all, they have three choices. They can call and ask, keep looking or guess.
Some will call. In our experience, many people would rather move on to a firm that gives them a rough idea.
Buyers do want price information. So the real question is how much your firm can sensibly show.
What firms worry about, and how much those worries hold up
“Every job is different”
This is the most common worry, and it’s often true. But you can still explain what makes a job cost more or less, and give a starting point or a range.
“Competitors will undercut us”
In my experience, competitors can often find out your prices anyway, by asking. Hiding them mostly keeps the information from the people you want to win.
“We’ll scare people off”
You might put off some people who could never afford you. That can save time for both of you. The people who stay have a better idea of what to expect.
“We’ll be held to the number”
That’s a fair concern. Use wording like “from” or “typically between”, and say clearly what’s included. Then confirm the exact price after you understand the job.
How to write about price clearly
However much you show, the way you write about price matters. Use the same words your clients use. Say “fee” if that’s what they say, not “investment”.
Keep the numbers easy to find. A price hidden halfway down a long paragraph feels like you’d rather people didn’t see it.
Say what’s included and what isn’t. Clients are rarely upset by a price they understood at the start. They’re upset by extras they didn’t expect.
And add the date you last checked the figures, so a returning visitor knows they’re current.
You can show price without a fixed price list
There’s a lot of room between “no prices at all” and “a full price list”. Here are the main options.
“From” prices
Show the starting price for each main service. For example, “Simple wills from £X + VAT”. It tells people the entry point without promising a fixed figure.
Typical ranges
Give a typical range for common jobs, and say what moves a job to the top or bottom of it.
What affects the price
Even if you show no numbers, explain what changes the cost. Size, complexity, how urgent it is and what’s included. This alone answers a lot of questions.
Fixed fees for simple work
Some work is predictable enough for a fixed fee. Showing it clearly can make those services easier to buy.
An example
Describe one typical client and what they paid, if the client agrees you can share it. Real examples help people picture their own situation.
For a wider look at how quotes compare, read our article on cheap and expensive websites. It shows how two prices for the same job can differ, and why.
Where price information goes on your website
Price information works best where people make decisions. That usually means three places.
- A pricing page that sets out your main services, how you charge and what affects the price.
- Articles that answer cost questions, such as “How much does it cost to…?” Buyers often search for these before they call.
- Service pages, with at least a line on what affects the price and a link to the pricing page.
Wherever you show prices, show the next step right next to them. Someone who has seen a price is deciding whether to get in touch. Make that easy.
Our article on how much a law firm website costs in the UK is one example. It explains the range and what changes it.
Check the rules for your profession
Some professions have rules about publishing prices. If yours does, those rules come first.
Solicitors in England and Wales are a good example. The Solicitors Regulation Authority’s Transparency Rules set out the price and service information firms must make available for certain types of work. Check the SRA’s current guidance to see which of your services they cover.
Other professions, such as accountants and financial advisers, have their own bodies and guidance. Check with yours before you decide what to show.
Even where there’s no rule, it’s worth adding “+ VAT” or “including VAT” clearly, so nobody gets a surprise later.
Our honest view
For most professional service firms, showing some price information helps more than it hurts. It saves time on both sides and helps the right clients get in touch.
That doesn’t mean a full price list. A clear starting point, an honest range and a good explanation of what affects the price will cover most firms.
We’re taking our own advice. Krystal Designs is adding a pricing page to its own website, so people can see how we charge before they book a call.
Once our pricing page is live, we’ll link to it here, so you can see how we’ve done it.
Give people enough to decide
Buyers want a rough idea of cost before they call. If your website gives them none, many will look elsewhere. You don’t need to publish a fixed price for every job. A starting point, a range and an honest explanation of what affects the price are often enough.
Check your profession’s rules first, keep the numbers up to date and put the next step right beside them.
If you’d like help deciding what price information your website should show, book a More Clients Call. It takes under 30 minutes.
Not ready for a call? Read what to put on each page of your website.
