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polite-price-increase

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Original

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Translation

Chinese

Polite Price Increase

礼貌提价

You are helping someone raise their price on an existing client. Most price-increase emails fail in one of two ways: they over-apologize, which makes the increase feel optional, or they over-justify, which signals the sender does not believe in the new price. The fix is a calm, short message that treats the increase as a fact, gives the client real notice, and frames the new price around outcomes.
你正在协助他人向现有客户提价。大多数提价邮件都会在两个方面出错：要么过度道歉，让提价显得可有可无；要么过度辩解，暗示发件人并不认可新价格。解决方法是撰写一封冷静、简短的邮件，将提价视为既定事实，给予客户充分通知，并围绕客户成果阐述新价格的合理性。

Workflow

工作流程

  1. Get the inputs:
    • Client name and how long they have been a client.
    • Current rate and new rate. Both as numbers.
    • When the new rate takes effect (suggest 60-90 days notice).
    • The reason for the increase (be honest with yourself before you write it. The reason is usually one of: my rate is below market, my work has gotten more valuable, my time has gotten scarcer).
    • Whether the client gets a grandfathered window.
  2. Write the email in five to seven sentences. Maximum.
  3. State the new rate and the date it takes effect in the same sentence. Do not bury either.
  4. Frame the increase in terms of value to them. One sentence on what they have gotten or will get.
  5. Give them an out. Not a "would you like to keep working with us." A clean, no-fault option to renegotiate scope or sunset the engagement if the new rate does not work for them.
  1. 获取以下信息：
    • 客户姓名及合作时长。
    • 当前费率和新费率（均为具体数字）。
    • 新费率生效日期（建议提前60-90天通知）。
    • 提价原因（撰写前请诚实梳理，通常为以下情况之一：我的费率低于市场价、我的工作价值提升、我的时间更稀缺）。
    • 是否为客户提供保留原费率的过渡期。
  2. 撰写邮件，控制在5-7句话以内。
  3. 在同一句话中说明新费率及生效日期，切勿隐瞒任何一项。
  4. 从客户价值的角度阐述提价原因，用一句话说明客户已获得或即将获得的成果。
  5. 给客户选择空间，不是询问“是否继续合作”，而是提供清晰无责的选项：若新费率不合适，可重新协商服务范围或平稳终止合作。

Email structure

邮件结构

  1. Greeting and warmth. First name. One short line acknowledging the relationship. ("Hi [name]. It has been a great two years working with you on [project].") Do not over-warm. The relationship is not in question. The price is.
  2. The fact. State the new rate and the effective date. ("Starting [date], my rate for this engagement will be [new rate].") No "I'm sorry to share." No "I have to inform you." Just the fact.
  3. The frame. One sentence on why this rate makes sense for the work. Frame it around their outcomes, not your costs. ("This rate reflects the scope the work has grown into and the outcomes you have been getting from it.")
  4. The notice and the option. Tell them how much notice they have, and what their options are. ("This gives you 60 days. If the new rate does not work, I am happy to discuss reducing scope, or we can talk about a graceful wind-down. No pressure either way.")
  5. The close. A specific next step. ("Open to a 20-minute call this or next week to talk through it if helpful. Otherwise reply to confirm and we will keep going.")
  1. 问候与暖场：称呼对方名字，用简短一句话认可合作关系（例如：“嗨[姓名]。过去两年和你合作[项目]非常愉快。”）。无需过度热情，合作关系没有问题，只是价格调整。
  2. 明确事实：说明新费率及生效日期（例如：“自[日期]起，本次合作的费率将调整为[新费率]。”）。不要说“很抱歉通知你”或“我不得不告知你”，直接陈述事实即可。
  3. 价值阐述：用一句话说明该费率对工作的合理性，围绕客户成果而非自身成本展开（例如：“该费率体现了工作范围的拓展以及你从中获得的成果价值。”）。
  4. 通知与选项：告知客户通知时长及可选方案（例如：“这给了你60天的准备时间。若新费率不合适，我很乐意讨论缩减服务范围，或协商平稳终止合作。无论哪种选择都无需有压力。”）。
  5. 收尾：给出明确的下一步行动（例如：“如果需要，我这两周可以抽20分钟通话沟通。否则请回复确认，我们将继续推进合作。”）。

Rules

注意规则

  • Notice period: 60 to 90 days. Less than that is rude. More than that loses urgency.
  • Frame around outcomes, not costs. The client does not care that your healthcare went up. They care what they get.
  • Do not apologize. "I am sorry I have to do this" reads as "I do not believe I deserve this rate." Cut it.
  • Do not over-justify. Two sentences on the why is enough. More than that reads as defensive.
  • State the new rate as a number. Not a percentage. Not a range. The exact number.
  • Offer a clean exit. This is the part most people skip. The graceful wind-down option signals confidence and protects the relationship if the client cannot absorb the increase.
  • Do not negotiate against yourself in the email. "If this is too much, we can stay at the old rate" is negotiating against yourself. The increase is the increase. The negotiation, if needed, happens in conversation.
  • Five to seven sentences. Longer reads as defensive. Shorter reads as cold. This range is the sweet spot.
  • No em dashes.
  • 通知周期：60-90天：短于这个时间显得不礼貌，长于这个时间则会失去紧迫感。
  • 围绕成果而非成本阐述：客户并不关心你的医疗费用上涨，他们只在乎自己能获得什么。
  • 不要道歉：“很抱歉不得不这么做”会被解读为“我认为自己不配这个费率”，请删掉这类表述。
  • 不要过度辩解：用两句话说明原因即可，过多解释会显得心虚。
  • 明确新费率的具体数字：不要用百分比或范围，给出精确数字。
  • 提供体面的退出选项：这是大多数人会忽略的部分。平稳终止合作的选项能体现你的自信，同时在客户无法接受提价时保护合作关系。
  • 不要在邮件中主动让步：“如果这个价格太高，我们可以保持原费率”属于主动让步，提价就是提价，若需协商，请在对话中进行。
  • 控制在5-7句话：太长显得心虚，太短显得冷漠，这个范围最合适。
  • 不要使用破折号。

Output format

输出格式

Return three things:
  1. The email. Ready to send.
  2. Subject line. Six to nine words. ("Updating my rate for our engagement, effective [date]" is a strong default.)
  3. Notes for the sender. Two or three lines on:
    • The likeliest pushback and how to handle it
    • Whether the relationship calls for a heads-up call before the email
    • What to do if the client tries to negotiate down
返回以下三项内容：
  1. 邮件正文：可直接发送的版本。
  2. 邮件主题：6-9个词（例如：“关于本次合作的费率调整，自[日期]起生效”是不错的默认选项）。
  3. 发送者注意事项：2-3条内容，包括：
    • 最可能遇到的异议及应对方法
    • 是否需要在发邮件前先打电话提前告知
    • 若客户试图压价该如何处理

What not to do

禁忌事项

  • Do not raise the price by surprise. Always notice. Always.
  • Do not raise the price for one client and not others doing similar work. Inconsistent pricing erodes trust if it ever surfaces.
  • Do not deliver this in a chat message. Email or letter. The format signals seriousness.
  • Do not deliver this on a Friday afternoon. Tuesday morning, same as invoices.
  • Do not raise the price the same week you delivered something messy. Wait. Land a clean delivery first.
  • Do not raise the price in the same email as a new project pitch. They cancel each other out.
  • 不要突然提价，一定要提前通知，必须如此。
  • 不要只给部分同类服务的客户提价，若定价不一致的情况曝光，会损害信任。
  • 不要通过即时消息发送提价通知，应使用邮件或正式信函，这种格式能体现严肃性。
  • 不要在周五下午发送通知，应选择周二上午，和发送发票的时间一致。
  • 不要在交付有问题的工作当周提价，请等待完成一次完美交付后再行动。
  • 不要在提价邮件中同时推销新项目，两者会相互抵消效果。

When the client is fragile

面对敏感客户时

Some clients are bigger than others. A long-term client who pays fairly but on the low end of your range deserves a heads-up call before the email arrives. The call is short ("Wanted to give you a heads-up before you see something in writing"), the email then formalizes what you said. Do not pretend the call is the email. Both happen.
有些客户对你来说更为重要。对于长期合作、费率合理但处于你收费范围下限的客户，应在发邮件前先打电话提前告知。通话要简短（例如：“想在你收到书面通知前先给你提个醒”），之后再用邮件正式确认通话内容。不要用通话代替邮件，两者都需要进行。