Why you should answer
"How much will this cost?"
Even if they don’t say it out loud, this is what all consumers really want to know, the bottom line. So if everybody wants to know, why is it so hard to talk about?
Being open about the price of products or services on your website will reap huge benefits. Consumers want the facts and if they don’t find them on your website, they will go somewhere else in a matter of seconds. Be the exception to the rule and answer the money question. It’s easier than you think.
Why don’t people put pricing on their websites?
1. Many people think that showing prices will scare prospective customers away.
2. They think they know something everyone else doesn’t and that their pricing is “top secret”.
3. Pricing is custom and varies according to project options and fluctuations in the cost of materials.
4. They are afraid the competition will undercut their prices if they make them visible.
5. People just don’t do it.
Although some of these may have been valid reasons in the past, they don’t hold up in today’s competitive market. With the internet, anything a consumer wants to know is just a search away. The majority of consumers today have done their homework and are informed about the product or service before they buy.
A Golden Opportunity
A potential customer’s first and last stop should be your website. If they can find out everything they need to know on your website, then there is no need for them to look any further. Think like your customer. Here is a simple scenario of how this works:
What did Smith Builders get right?
Real-life Analytics
Check out this chart from Hubspot for an actual case study of the substantial increase in web traffic and submissions after a pricing chart was published on a website.
Being open about the price of products or services on your website will reap huge benefits. Consumers want the facts and if they don’t find them on your website, they will go somewhere else in a matter of seconds. Be the exception to the rule and answer the money question. It’s easier than you think.
Why don’t people put pricing on their websites?
1. Many people think that showing prices will scare prospective customers away.
2. They think they know something everyone else doesn’t and that their pricing is “top secret”.
3. Pricing is custom and varies according to project options and fluctuations in the cost of materials.
4. They are afraid the competition will undercut their prices if they make them visible.
5. People just don’t do it.
Although some of these may have been valid reasons in the past, they don’t hold up in today’s competitive market. With the internet, anything a consumer wants to know is just a search away. The majority of consumers today have done their homework and are informed about the product or service before they buy.
A Golden Opportunity
A potential customer’s first and last stop should be your website. If they can find out everything they need to know on your website, then there is no need for them to look any further. Think like your customer. Here is a simple scenario of how this works:
- Newlyweds Joe and Becky just moved into a new house and want a deck built around the back of their home.
- Joe goes to his phone and searches “How much does a small deck cost?”
- On the first page of results there is a link to an article titled “How much does a deck cost?”
- Joe clicks on the link and is taken to the website of Smith Builders. Not only does Joe find an answer to his question on pricing, he finds a host of other articles that relate to the cost of a deck, such as:
- What is the best material for a deck?
- Many other articles that educate him about the value associated with the cost.
- How to design your deck.
- What is a good size for a deck?
What did Smith Builders get right?
- Talked about cost. By being open about the cost of a deck they were able to make a good first impression that addressed the needs of the prospective customer. This established a foundation of trust.
- Added value. They provided additional information about the variables that affect price such as deck design, size and materials.
- Invested in their customers. They gave their customers the tools needed to make an informed decision by making the extra effort to teach and share their knowledge.
- Ranked high search engine ratings. Since none of their competitors had talked about cost, Smith Builders was at the top of the search results.
Real-life Analytics
Check out this chart from Hubspot for an actual case study of the substantial increase in web traffic and submissions after a pricing chart was published on a website.