“When you give one price, it’s always the wrong price.” — Teresa Slack It’s a common scenario. A prospective client asks for a quote. You review their details, estimate the work involved, and deliver a single price. Their reaction? They hesitate. They ask for a discount. Or worse—they ghost you completely. The issue isn’t that your price was too high or too low. The real problem? You gave them only one option. Why One Price Doesn’t Work A single price turns your service into a yes-or-no decision. You’re putting pressure on the client to either accept or reject your offer—without the context of value or flexibility. Even if you believe your price is fair, your client may not be ready to commit without understanding what they're really paying for. Plus, you’re locking yourself into a number that may not reflect the complexity, needs, or expectations of the client. The outcome? You either: Undercharge (and resent it later), or Overcharge (and lose the deal) Neither serves you or the client. What Clients Really Want: Control and Clarity In today’s world, clients expect transparency. They want to know: What they're getting Why it costs what it does What options are available They want to feel in control of the buying process. When Teresa Slack shifted to letting clients "build their own package" through Effective Pricing, everything changed. Clients began engaging with the process, asking better questions, and ultimately choosing higher-value packages themselves. The Power of Presenting Options Instead of giving a single number, offer clients a structured choice: Entry Level Full Service Premium Experience Or even better, let them dynamically adjust their selection based on scope. When clients see the value behind each service line, they make better-informed decisions. You move from price being a sticking point to it being a reflection of value. Teresa shared how one client increased their monthly fee by 204% after going through this process. Why? Because he realised everything that was on offer—and valued it. How to Present Pricing the Right Way Here’s how you shift from pricing resistance to pricing confidence: Scope Before You Quote Start with a discovery session or diagnostic review. Uncover: Volume and complexity of work Pain points and priorities Desired outcomes Use Interactive Pricing Tools Forget spreadsheets and static quotes. Use tools like Effective Pricing to: Show real-time price changes based on scope Let clients see what’s included Build transparency into every quote Let Clients Shape Their Package Allow toggling options on or off. If the full package is too expensive, don’t discount—adjust the scope. “We don’t discount. We remove services.” — Teresa Slack From Negotiation to Collaboration This approach changes the nature of the sales conversation: Old way: "Can you do it for less?" New way: "What if we removed reporting or payroll support to reduce the price?" You’re no longer justifying your fee. You’re collaborating with the client to find the right fit. That builds trust. That wins work. Conclusion: Stop Pricing in Absolutes If you’re still offering one quote per client, you’re missing a huge opportunity to: Position your value clearly Increase your average fee Build better client relationships The right price is the one the client chooses—because it reflects what they truly care about. Try Effective Pricing Want to see how flexible, transparent pricing can transform your firm? 🎯 Book a free demo of Effective Pricing and discover how to: Price confidently Scope accurately Convert more clients → Try it now and give your clients a choice they’ll actually value

Think you’ve moved away from hourly billing and embraced value pricing? You might not have. For many bookkeeping and accounting firms, pricing remains the Achilles' heel. Despite good intentions, most who "switch" to value pricing actually end up using fixed pricing—and they don't even realise it. On the surface, it feels like progress. But under the hood, it's often just the same problem dressed differently. In this article, we’ll explore the most common misstep firms make when transitioning their pricing models, why it matters, and how to make a true shift to value pricing that increases revenue, improves client relationships, and restores profitability.