Should you show pricing on your website?

Are you a PRODUCTISED service provider? 

• ECommerce
• Restaurant
• SAAS

YES, you should

On the other hand, are you a CUSTOMISED service provider?

• Solar Installer
• Design Firm
• Law Practise

NO, you shouldn’t.

Today, we’re going to be tackling why you should not put pricing on your website if you are a customised service provider. 

There are certainly arguments to be made for putting pricing on your website, and you can take a look here at this video by Wes McDowell.

In his video, he highlights 3 reasons why you should put pricing: 

1. Your customers expect it
2. Credibility
3. Pre-qualify prospects

I don’t agree with points 1 and 2.

Before we talk about the reasons for not putting pricing on your website, let’s look at why you want to put pricing up there in the first place.

Now, if your reasons are to show affordability, then we may need to rethink our motivations.

Because as soon as put pricing up, this is what happens:

1. Your visitor sees you as a commodity.
2. They start comparing you and your competitors based on your price, and not the value that you add.
3. You’re focusing on what you want, not what your customer wants
4. You leave a lot of money on the table. 

These are all basics of marketing your solar company.

So let’s take a look at these one by one. 

Your customer sees you as a commodity

They see you as being fungible, easily replaceable and hardly different from your competitors. 

A Commodity is like a can of coke.

A can of coke you buy from one supermarket looks, smells, tastes, and weighs the same as another can of coke from different supermarket. 

If they see you as a commodity, you’re being seen as a tool, an order-taker, or a pair of hands to do as you’re told. 

Wouldn’t you rather be seen as the expert? As a thinker? The one to give advice? 

Of course you would. 

‍

Your customer starts comparing you based on price

Your customer typically has no idea about the intricacies or details about your service you’re offering. The only concept that most consumers understand is price. 

If you give them that, they now have something to measure you against your competitors.

And then they leave your website purely because you’re more expensive.

Unfortunately, they didn’t give you the chance to explain how you’re different. 

How disappointing would that be?

You’re focusing on what you want, not what your customer wants

Showing a single price means that every customer is the same to you. 

It's likely that your price will be based on your time, materials and some margin on top for profit.

So regardless of

• who your customer are, 
• how large they are, 
• what their problems are, 
• what their motivations are,

Your price to them is still the same?

Because once you get to the sales conversation with your customer, and you want to charge them higher than the price shown on your website, some of them may feel that is unfair. 

You leave a lot of money on the table. 

There are no two clients that are the same.

• Some value fast delivery and would pay extra, whereas some can wait.
• Some would pay more for guarantees, whereas some don’t care.
• Some customers are really sceptical, and will only work with companies that have shown a track record with proven results, whereas some are a bit more relaxed.

By showing your price up front on your website, you’re not able to capture any of the additional value that you would be able to generate for your customer.

And so you end up leaving a lot of money on the table. 

But I do agree with point #3 by Wes McDowell - Pre Qualify prospects. 

You don’t want to entertain time vampires who eat your time but were never able to afford your services. So putting pricing up is a good way to weed them out.

So here are 2 options that you can take to achieve this while still giving yourself the option of capturing additional value and chargi differently. 

1. Give a range

This could be something like a 6kW system will cost between $7,000 to $10,000. 

This way, it’ll give you some wiggle room to move about, and not be bound by a single price.

2. Give indicative pricing

Show a testimonial or case study. 

“Steve from Melbourne paid around $9,000 for this 6kW solar system 3 years ago, and in that short time, he has made all his money back.”

When your new customers read this, they have an idea about how much you charge, but once again, you’re not chained to that price to give to them. 

Conclusion

So, in conclusion, if you are a customised service company, I hope you don’t put pricing on your website. You lose credibility and the ability to capture value from your customers. 

BUT, if you MUST put pricing, consider giving a range or indicative pricing at best.

I hope that was helpful. I would love to hear your thoughts. 

Please comment below if you disagree.

‍