When you ask yourself, “Should I put prices on my website?” it’s not a quick easy answer. In fact, the answer is, it depends!

There’s more to think about than the idea that “I’m selling something, so I need prices.” What you’re offering and how you sell it to clients actually matters quite a bit when you’re considering how to address pricing on your website.

Let’s go a bit deeper and ask a few questions to guide you to YOUR answer.

Question #1 – Can a customer buy your product/service without talking to you?

If you’re selling a product like a book or an online course that people can buy without ever talking to you, then yes, put the prices on your website.

Can you imagine Amazon with no prices? Yeah, me either, but I don’t need to talk to someone about the products Amazon sells, and they do a great job providing reviews on all of their products which is kinda like talking to someone about it.

But, if you’re selling a service and the price can change depending on what a client wants, AND you need to talk to them before you quote them, you might not want to list your prices.

As a brand strategist and web designer, I need to talk to potential clients on the phone. It’s where we connect and decide if we’ll be a good fit. That being said, I also firmly believe in being transparent and making sure potential clients know the starting point of a potential investment to ensure that they can afford my services before booking a call.

Question #2 – Do your prices always stay the same or do you like flexibility in your pricing?

If you prefer having pre-built packages that stay consistent for every client, every time, then it makes sense to list your prices.

If you like to have the option to change pricing, don’t list them. A caveat to this is reserving the option to offer a bundle discount if a client books more than one service with you. For example: If a client books both a branding and a website package, I typically offer a bundle discount and adjust it accordingly depending on the whether they are paying in full or breaking their investment out into payments.

Question #3 – Is your ideal client budget minded or searching for premier services?

If you’re selling services geared specifically toward frugal people, like you teach people how to maximize their coupons, then listing prices would probably work for you. You’re looking for budget minded people who “like a deal.”

Or, if you offer high-end premiere services geared toward clients who are looking for a high-end coach, again, you might choose to list your prices.

A happy medium:

I definitely believe there is a happy medium for every business decision; like life, business decisions don’t need to be “all or nothing.” One happy medium is to put “Starting at $2000” or “Most clients invest $3000 in their experience.” That way, prospective clients will have a “ballpark” understanding of your pricing and are encouraged to connect with you to see what their pricing or investment will be.

I practice this option with my website services since there are so many variations and differences with the needs of websites. If one client were to come to me needing a simple blog site and another were to come to me requesting a full blown e-commerce website there would be no way I would charge both clients the same amount!

Conclusion

Have you ever looked at the prices on a website and thought, “Uh, yeah, right. Can’t afford that!” And you left never to return. If so, you had a lack mentality as a consumer.

You didn’t give the provider a chance to see if they could help you out. What if they had been the perfect person? Like my business coach ended up being? Or what if they have payment plans? Or could tweak their offerings specifically for you?

Think about all sides of this issue before you decide what works for you. I’ve talked to people who are firmly on both sides of this issue, and there are compelling arguments for both sides.

Whatever you decide for your business, be intentional about it. Give it some thought. Ask your clients their preference or if your pricing (or lack of pricing) impacted their decision to work with you.

As you ask yourself these questions, you might reach a completely different answer with a completely valid set of arguments.