I run a small landscaping business and I've been putting off adding prices to my website for months. Every time I sit down to do it, I worry that I'll either scare customers away or lock myself into rates I can't change later. My competitors mostly hide their pricing, which makes me feel like there's a reason for that. I'd really appreciate hearing from anyone who has navigated this. How did you get past the fear?
Pricing
Putting prices on a website makes me nervous
I don't think hiding prices is some clever strategy. It's more that most service businesses are afraid of being compared on price alone. But customers get annoyed when they have to call just to find out a ballpark. I'd lean toward showing sfarting rates or ranges.
What's your actual concern? That people will see the number and leave, or that you'll get locked in?
Both, honestly. If I post a price and the market shifts, I don't want to be held to it by customers who saw it six months ago. But I also hate the idea of losing a job because my number looked high without context.
I had the same fear. I ended up putting a sentence like 'Most lawn care visits start at $X; final price depends on yard size and condition.' It gives people a number without committing you to an exact quote. Nobody has ever argued wtih me about it.
Ranges work better than exact prices. And add a note that pricing was updated on a certain month. That sets expectations.
Something else to consider: if you don't show anything, some people will assume you're expensive or that you'll waste their time with a sales call. A simple starting pric filters out the tire-kickers and brings in people who already know they can afford you. That's worth more than the occasional person who bounces.
Curious what the people who advise against it actually say. Is it just 'you'll compete on price'?
Mostly that, yeah., But you're already competing on price whether you show it or not. The difference is whether the customer finds out before or after they call you.
That's a fair point. I hadn't thought about it that way, that hiding it just delays the comparison instead of preventing it.
Also, you can always change a website. It's not a legal contract. Just don't put anything like 'guaranteed price for the season' unless you actually mean it.
And keep a link to a contact form next to the price for people to get an exact quote. That covers you if someone questions it later.
Honestly, the the fear fades after the first month or two. You'll get some feedback and realize it didn't blow up your business. The not knowing is worse than the doing.