Are You Already Leaving Money on the Table in 2026?

Be Honest – Are You Still Setting Prices Like it’s 2019?

Here’s a revealing series of questions I often ask business owners:

Compared to others in your industry, where do you rank for pricing? Low-end, middle of the pack, or near the top?
And what about the quality of your product or service? Where do you rank against your competitors when it comes to the results clients get and what it’s like to work with you?
What would it take for you to wake up tomorrow and charge more than anyone else doing similar work? What would have to be different about your business and the value you provide?

What do you think – how would you answer?

The most common responses I hear are, for pricing: “Middle of the pack,” for quality: “Probably near the top,” and for how to claim the top spot as most expensive in the market: “I actually have no idea.”

You can probably spot the issue.

I hear business owners realize, as they answer these questions, that they’re under-charging for the value of the service they provide. That’s what happens when your price is comparatively lower than the value of your product or service.

And although we know logically that someone in every market has got to be the most expensive, if you’re not sure what your target demographic is willing to shell out top dollar for, I don’t like your odds for taking over that top spot.

Raising Prices is Simple, Not Easy

Most business owners hate to raise their prices. They don’t want to disappoint or lose customers. For many, it brings up all kinds of insecurities and anxieties. Will we seem greedy? Is the timing right when customers are facing their own financial pressures? Are we really worth more?

But the small businesses that thrive aren’t the cheapest ones. They’re the ones who charge what they’re worth and create clear pathways for customers who want more. Small, regular price increases aren’t just about keeping pace with inflation (although that alone is reason enough!) They’re how to build a sustainable business that can weather economic headwinds, invest in new innovations and better service, and retain top performers.

So let’s talk about how to do that.

Three Strategies for Smarter Pricing in 2026

1. Stop Discounting.

Slashing prices by 10% or more feels like an easy way to close a deal, but when you rely on discounts instead of a clear value proposition, you’ll find yourself in quicksand. The discounts train customers to wait for the sale or negotiate every transaction, and you end up attracting the type of customer who will quickly jump to a competitor the minute they offer something even cheaper.

Instead of price cuts, hold your prices firm. If you want to reward loyalty or create urgency, think about add-ons like upgraded features, exclusive access, or extra services instead.

2. Build Your Product Ladder.

Consider the average value of a transaction. (This is easy math: total revenue/number of unique transactions in a period). What would it take to drive that number up? What can you add to your product ladder, or how can you bundle complimentary offerings together, so your best customers can keep adding to their order?

Test out some different options at different price points, and you might find more customers naturally upgrading to a more expensive option.

3. Make Incremental Increases.

A 5% increase might feel negligible to customers, but compounded over three years, it’s the difference between barely breaking even and having breathing room to hire help or take a vacation without financial anxiety.

Great customers understand that costs go up and business needs to be sustainable. Signpost your price increases well in advance, give people a fair off-ramp so they don’t feel stuck or taken advantage of, and you’ll find your best customers will stick around.

This Week’s Takeaway

Raising prices can cause massive anxiety for business owners, but the most often consequence of an annual 5-10% increase is… 5-10% more revenue for the exact same work.

Learn more about pricing strategy and get confident with yours at the next ActionCLUB session on Jan 16. You’ll hear from me and other experts, and you’ll have a chance to work alongside other entrepreneurs.

Nothing will supercharge your business in 2026 like an instant boost to your margins, and January is a great time to get into action.

ActionCLUB – Pricing for Profit

Know exactly what to charge, using real numbers, not guesswork.

Most small business owners never get CFO-level financial guidance. On January 16th in Mississauga, that’s what we’re offering at ActionCLUB.

Join me for a hands-on workshop where I’ll be joined by fractional CFO Robyn Smith.

You’ll learn how to:

Build simple cash projections
Price your services for sustainable profit
Make confident decisions backed by real data

What’s included:

ActionCLUB opening session (10-11am)
CFO-led pricing workshop (11am-12pm)
Networking lunch with local entrepreneurs (12-1pm)

$50 | @IDEA Mississauga | Limited spots

REGISTER HERE

The 12 Week Year: By Brian P. Moran & Michael Lennington

The 12 Week Year is a useful reframing if you’ve ever noticed how easy it is for annual goals to lose momentum. By treating twelve weeks as a full “year,” the book encourages sharper focus, clearer priorities, and a healthier sense of urgency around what actually matters.

Check it out!