How to Increase Your Rates for SEO Services Without Losing Clients

Congratulations on your success! The next step… increasing fees, without losing existing customers.

As a consultant, SEO providers have to be upfront about upcoming changes in pricing. This is not optional. If you have contracts with current customers (you should) they will need to be re-written. Also, current customers aren’t going to be happy about prices increasing.

If done properly, it is possible to raise rates without losing customers.

Be Confident That Your SEO Services Are Valuable

Don’t let one or two happy customers fool your ego. Yet if you’re consistently securing customer loyalty, you can be confident that there is good cause. It’s easier to justify increasing rates when existing clients value your services enough to stand by you anyways.

Approach Clients and Prepare for a Negotiation

Since you already have a personal relationship established, expect customers to negotiate with you.

More importantly, plan for this. The process of raising your fees should not happen overnight. Nobody should be blindsided. If you plan to increase fees at the beginning of next year, discuss it with clients in November. Not only does this show respect, but it also give customers time to review the increased fees and budget accordingly.

Be Willing to Let Clients Go

If a price increase is enough to send customers packing, they do not value your services for what they are worth. It can be discouraging, but remain confident and continue to put quality first. Your SEO services are valuable, your time is valuable, and loyal customers will see that.

Consider Changing Your Pricing Strategy Instead

In a coffee shop, you can’t just order a cup of coffee. There are many options which determine the cost. Customers can choose exactly what they want. A small coffee with a shot of vanilla, sugar, and cream? A large pumpkin latte with whipped cream? You don’t even think about the price… just what you want.

This can work the same way for SEO consultants. If you charge an hourly rate, why not bundle up blocks of time? 1-5 hours at $150/hour, 5-10 hours at $125/hour, 10-20 hours at $100/hour.

If you avoid charging by the hour, you should still be calculating the amount of time that goes into a service. Set your packages accordingly.

• Silver Package, SEO Foundation (3 hours) = $450
• Gold Package, Best Value (7 hours) = $875
• Platinum Package, Premium SEO Services (15 hours) = $1500

Be specific about what’s included per package… and let customers choose based on what they need rather than what it costs.

A Spoonful of Sugar Helps the Medicine Go Down…

Be appreciative of the clients who are willing to stick around and say thank you with a complimentary gift. It could be a credit against their balance or a complimentary service.

The Bottom Line = Value

Be fair and reasonable. Raising the cost of your SEO services means you’re doing something right, and clients who value your worth stick around for the value… not the cost.