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Originally Posted by Tillys_mom  Thanks so much for that link! I charge the same as a standard groomer would charge and my husband keeps asking me why. I always offer cheap services. I am afraid if I raise my prices then the customers that I already do have will get upset with the sudden increase and they are use to paying what they have been and want to go somewhere else. People around here are so tight. They don't pay for convience or even quality, just who is cheaper. I would of done anything to have a mobile groomer come to me when I was pregnant. Gas just went up too. I'm worried about that. I don't want to get in the hole really bad. |
I understand how tough it is to raise prices and have to tell your customers. Another idea: I get my nails done (my ONLY personal splurge) by the same gal that was just starting out over 10 years ago. Because I am one of her original customers that helped her get started and build her business, when she raises her prices, my increase is usually one increase behind everyone else's. That is her "thank you" to me for supporting her when she was just starting out as well as increasing her business by word of mouth. It's probably a little extra "work" to keep track of those first original customers, but it's another way to build your clientel and make a profit without having to worry about offending your original customers.
So for example, if you raised your prices beginning in 2008, you could consider any of your 2007 customers as your original base and either not raise their rates or raise them very modestly as a "thank you" to them. It definitely gives you favor in their eyes - so the appreciation goes both ways.
I think you're doing a good job getting started.... you just need to be creative and fair.