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Why I Don’t Recommend Tiered Pricing

Why I Don’t Recommend Tiered Pricing

by | Jul 23, 2025 | Selling, Uncategorized

Why I Don’t Recommend Tiered Pricing

Why I Don’t Recommend Tiered Pricing

Given that I work with business owners who want to operate with integrity and do right by their clients and customers, accessible pricing options such as Pay What You Can (PWYC) and tiered pricing often come up in my 1:1 and group program calls. More often than not, people are surprised when I share that I don’t recommend them.

In case you haven’t heard these terms before, Pay What You Can allows your customers to choose a price that feels affordable to them and tiered pricing offers several different prices for the same or similar offering, inviting the customer to choose the price they can best afford.

If you’ve ever considered PWYC or tiered pricing, I totally get it. Having a single price point that might exclude some people from accessing our offerings can feel uncomfortable for the conscious business owner who wants to help as many people as possible.

Couple that with how tricky pricing our offerings can feel, because we worry that we might pick a price people can’t afford or one that equates to undercharging, and it’s no wonder then that many people see these multi-price options as a potential win-win.

My perspective is a bit different, and here’s why

The hidden costs of PWYC

I first encountered PWYC pricing years ago when I was trying to access some business trainings from Mark Silver’s Heart of Business. I’ll be honest I found it stressful.

Whilst he goes to great lengths to describe how to make your decision and even gives a baseline amount, I remember not knowing which option to choose and feeling too guilty to choose the baseline but not really being able to afford more and so, on more than one occasion, I ended up not buying at all.

You can see how he presents it here. As you notice, there is a significant amount of information on making the payment decision that I feel makes the whole process more fraught for the buyer. Just to note I love Mark and his work so this isn’t me knocking him at all. In fact when clients are set on doing PWYC, I’ll often send them to the Heart of Business website as the best example of PWYC pricing I’ve seen.

Most people don’t give even half as much information as he does, so making the decision can feel even harder.

My feeling is that for the consumer PWYC pricing can create unnecessary stress around making a decision and can have you wondering throughout, should I have chosen the lower price? It may even mean losing sales if people can’t decide easily and plan to come back to your sales page but inevitably never do.

For the business owner, it can mean constantly navigating who pays what, making it hard to keep track or to predict income. It may mean more admin or questions from potential customers unsure about what price to choose.

And, when more people inevitably choose to pay less, there’s a chance of resentment and wondering if people should or could be paying more.

It’s for these reasons I’ve chosen not to use it myself.

The pitfalls of tiered pricing

Other ways I’ve seen pricing offered is with several tiers, sometimes based around affordability and other times based on what is offered.

Here’s a simple example of what tiered pricing could look like for a course/program.

Tier 1 — might be just the materials/videos for 199$
Tier 2 — might be the materials/video + live group calls for 399$
and — Tier 3 might be materials/videos + group calls + 1:1 sessions for 799$.

Here’s where we might see names like Basic package or VIP package thrown around.

For me the issues with this kind of pricing are as follows:

  • It’s unnecessarily complicated — too many options can lead to overwhelmed and indecisive customers.
  • It can lead to a fear of missing out (FOMO) if you simply can’t afford the higher tier. This creates an unintended hierarchy, in that people feel like they are getting a “lesser” version, which could impact engagement and outcomes.
  • It can undermine your work especially if your work is deeply transformational or relational — not something that fits neatly into silver/gold/platinum boxes.

When I tried using tiered pricing in the past, I noticed that people nearly always went for the cheapest option, even when I knew one of the other options would be more impactful.

That’s why these days you won’t see different tiers for my offers.

There is only ever one option (the one I think serves the customer and myself best) and one price (the price I need to charge to have my business be sustainable).

So what’s the alternative?

Now you might be thinking, but what if people can’t afford that price?

I get it, I think about this all the time.

One way I recommend to clients who really do want to offer a cheaper option for people who can’t afford it, is to include a line on the sales page underneath the price that says something like.

If the price of this <insert offer> is prohibitive, please note that I offer a number of discounted (or scholarship) spots for people with limited means. Please email me at <insert email address> for details.

That way, those people who really can’t afford it have an option available to them. You could give more detail here, but I am a “less is more” kind of girl when it comes to sales pages.

What I do

What I do to ensure accessible pricing is to choose the best price I can offer without sacrificing my own needs. There’s no doubt I could charge more than I do and could be earning more as a result.

Instead, I try to keep my prices as accessible as possible. That said there will always be people who can’t afford, for example, my 1:1 subscription, but rather than offer my most premium service for less money, I try to offer more affordable alternatives, options such as workshops or group programs.

That way there are always cheaper ways to work with me, without me devaluing my higher touch services, like 1:1 coaching. As someone who leans towards undercharging and overgiving, this is progress for me!

Interestingly, the people who come to me with a desire to offer cheaper options to their people are often the business owners who are themselves struggling to make their business work for them financially.

I’m curious, have you tried PWYC or tiered pricing? Is it working? Does it feel sustainable? If you feel called to share your experience, please do hit reply and let me know.

If you’ve been wrestling with how to make your pricing accessible without burning out, I hope this gives you some reassurance and direction. It’s okay to keep things simple. It’s okay to have one clear price. And it’s more than okay to create boundaries that support your sustainability and service. There are thoughtful ways to make your services accessible without compromising your needs.

 

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The intention behind these letters is to be a voice for integrity within your (undoubtedly) cluttered inbox. To be the one email you can count on to contain strategic and soulful advice for building a business without selling your soul.

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The Path to Mastery: Why Embarrassment Is the Entry Fee

The Path to Mastery: Why Embarrassment Is the Entry Fee

by | Jul 14, 2025 | Mindset, Uncategorized

The Path to Mastery: Why Embarrassment Is the Entry Fee

The Path to Mastery: Why Embarrassment Is the Entry Fee

I came across the following quote a few months ago and it stopped me in my tracks. It perfectly captures what the path to mastery really looks like:

“Embarrassment is the cost of entry. If you aren’t willing to look like a foolish beginner, you’ll never become a graceful master.”

~ Ed Latimore

I wholeheartedly agree with this and what I love so much about this quote is the link it makes between feeling like a foolish beginner and achieving a level of mastery. It got me thinking about what I have achieved over the last decade of running my own business and where I started the journey.

I still remember the excruciating fear of my first coaching session, my first group call, hitting publish on my first blog post and the first time I reached out to a stranger on the internet. Now I can tap back into the feelings of anxiety and self-doubt like it was yesterday.

I’ve been surprised numerous times over the years by just how terrifying being in business can feel at times but thankfully, I haven’t let it deter me from moving forward. I now find myself comfortably on the other side of many of those initial fears. Reading the quote above brought into sharp focus the link between facing those initial fears and the path to mastery at what we do.

The Myth of Mastery

Mastery is so often grossly misunderstood. More often than not, we look at someone who has achieved a level of mastery in a skill or profession and incorrectly assume that they’ve always been accomplished in this area. We assume they must possess some innate brilliance that we simply don’t.

That’s how I used to feel anyway.

And then someone told me what a gifted group facilitator they thought I was, which immediately transported me back to my very first group call. A Women’s Circle I decided to host, right at the beginning of my entrepreneurial journey. I was absolutely terrified, consumed with fear of failure and concerns over what the women on the call would think about me, but somehow, with a wobbly voice and shaking hands, I managed to pull it off.

I have no idea how I came across on that very first call — I’m certain my nerves showed — and I’m pretty sure that nobody would have referred to me as a gifted facilitator. More like a rabbit in the headlights.

Since that point I’ve hosted hundreds of live group calls. I’ve stumbled my way through tricky group dynamics, had more than a few difficult conversations with individual group members about their impact on the group and received a ton of feedback on my group facilitation skills that has helped me to improve and feel more confident. But it hasn’t been a straight line.

The Messy Middle

A while ago, I was feeling called to pull the plug on my yearlong group mastermind. I had stopped enjoying it and was feeling the call to do something else. So I sought out a coach to help me figure things out and as I talked about the group program, he said the following: “Sounds to me like you’re coming up against the edges of your leadership skills.” He went on to say that the problem wasn’t likely the program itself but my need to level up my skills at leading it.

It really hit home. I took what he had said to heart and I worked hard to improve my facilitation skills, not shying away when a situation required me to step up as the leader, no matter how uncomfortable I felt.

Since then my group program has only grown and I love it more than I ever have. Plus I feel confident about my skills and my ability to face any situation that might arise. Getting to this place with group facilitation has taken over a decade. It wasn’t something I was naturally gifted at nor particularly skilled at but it is something I’ve persevered with and managed to clock up hundreds of hours of practice at.

It would have been so easy for me not to push myself at working with groups. To let one bad experience derail my self-belief. The hard work has been pushing through that discomfort. I firmly believe that mastery is a relationship with discomfort, repetition, and showing up even when it’s messy.

What the Path to Mastery Looks Like

For me the journey to mastery goes through 4 stages:

1. The initial attempt. This is often the hardest thing to do. It’s the first time you’re trying something new. Perhaps it’s your first launch, your first video, your first group call. Whatever it is, it’s not something you’ve been able to practice and perfect so the vulnerability stakes are high. If we can get past our fear of looking foolish, this first milestone is huge.

2. Repeated practice. This is where we take that first attempt and we keep going. I’ve heard from so many business owners when discussing business strategies the following words: “I tried to do that and it didn’t work” which they present as justification for not trying again. Many of my first attempts at things have felt like failures (as a perfectionist that’s pretty much a given) but over time and with practice I’ve turned those initial “failures” into successes. You can only do that with repeated practice.

3. The messy middle. Sometimes when we’ve been practicing for a while, things come up that test our abilities, much like what happened with my group mastermind. I could feel comfortable and okay as long as I didn’t have to deal with anything too tricky. When things got challenging, the desire to bail got strong but leaning into my discomfort at these times is what has kept me on the path.

4. A level of mastery. This is where you’ve gone through the 3 stages and survived to tell the tale. People look at you and consider you gifted or skilled (and probably underestimating all the effort you’ve put in over the years). This is where the phrase “you make it look easy” comes into play. Not because it is easy but because you’ve done the work to make it look easy.

Every stage has its unique challenges. Your only goal, if mastery is what you are seeking, is to stay the course and keep showing up.

Why It’s Particularly Difficult for Business Owners

What makes the path to mastery so difficult for us is the fact that we are making the journey publicly. It’s not like learning to play the guitar, where you can go through the stages of mastery behind closed doors, in the comfort of your own bedroom.

For us, more often than not, the path to mastery requires us to face our fears and lean into vulnerability in front of an audience filled with prospective clients, peers and possibly mentors. And that is not easy.

It’s probably no secret by now that being an entrepreneur requires courage and determination. Not, as we often think, skills or confidence. They come later with time. The courage to take the first step and the determination to keep showing up? That’s what’s needed.

And now a question for you to contemplate:

Where are you holding back in business because you’re afraid of looking foolish?

And once you’ve identified that,

What first step would you be willing to take in the next week or two?

Unfortunately, it’s not possible to skip being a beginner. But rather than see that as a flaw, what if we viewed it as a rite of passage on the journey to mastery?

And when you are worried what people might think, remember most people are too busy worrying about not looking foolish themselves to really pay any attention to what you are doing.

If this post has inspired you to make a first step, let me know in the comments. I’d love to hear from you.

 

SIGN UP FOR MY SOULFUL STRATEGIES WEEKLY

Once a week, in the form of an e-letter, I share the best of what I know about building a business with integrity for conscious business owners.

The intention behind these letters is to be a voice for integrity within your (undoubtedly) cluttered inbox. To be the one email you can count on to contain strategic and soulful advice for building a business without selling your soul.

If you want to receive the Soulful Strategies Weekly, simply share with me your name and email address below and you’ll start recieving emails right away.

4 Conversations That Generate Clients, Trust and Clarity

4 Conversations That Generate Clients, Trust and Clarity

by | Jul 7, 2025 | Connection

4 Conversations That Lead to More Trust, Clarity, and Clients

4 Client-Generating Conversations That Build Trust and Grow Your Business

Most business owners I know (and I know a lot) over-focus on 1:Many marketing strategies instead of leveraging 1:1 conversations that generate clients, clarity, and trust.

I think this is a huge mistake.

 

These days, with the proliferation of content on social media, reaching people organically and meaningfully through posts has become something of an impossible task.

It makes sense that business owners who prioritise building relationships and having meaningful conversations are much more likely to be getting new clients and business growth opportunities than those shouting into the void on social. Yet still, so few people make it a priority.

Years ago, when I first created my life coaching business and hired my first business coach, he used to say to me: “No client is created outside of a conversation.” And so my weekly homework from our sessions was to have more conversations. As a result, my business grew faster than every other woman on my Life Coaching training program. So much so that several of them hired me to help them grow their coaching businesses.

And it makes sense. If you are a coach or other type of service-based business owner who works with clients 1:1 over a number of months or even years, you don’t get clients from a “Buy Now” button on your website. You sign clients up in a conversation.

But it’s not just sales conversations. There are so many more conversations you could be having that could support your business growth. Here are the four most important conversations I think it’s essential to be having on the regular:

1. Research Conversations

What they are: These are 60-minute conversations with people who fit your ideal client profile. Spend 30 minutes asking research questions that dig into what they’re struggling with and what kind of support they need. Then spend 30 minutes coaching them on those very struggles.

Why they matter:

  • They give you valuable information that helps refine your message, offers, and positioning.
  • You hear the exact language your ideal clients use to describe their challenges and desires.
  • These conversations also make people aware of your focus and any new products you’re developing, without it feeling like you’re marketing.
  • You get to build and deepen relationships with the very people you’re trying to serve.

How to approach them: To ensure you’re speaking with people who might be a good fit for your offers, your invitations to these calls need to be clear and specific.

Come to the research part of the call with curiosity, not an agenda. Prepare questions in advance to gather the most useful insights. Aim for open-ended questions about their challenges, desires, and needs. Keep it under 30 minutes (I find 10 questions or fewer works well) so you have a solid 30 minutes to coach and support them.

This is your chance to shine, provide real value, and demonstrate your expertise. I’ve had clients sign new clients after a single good research call. For more on how to conduct audience research, check out this blog.

2. Gift Sessions

What they are: These are 60-minute, no-strings-attached sessions where you offer people who fit your ideal client profile the opportunity to experience your expertise and receive your support.

Why they matter:

  • Like research calls, gift sessions give you insights into what your right-fit people want and need.
  • They allow you to demonstrate your skills and show what’s possible when working with you.
  • They build trust and provide value to people in your network who may already be close to hiring you.
  • They often lead to clients, referrals, testimonials, or deeper interest, even if the person doesn’t become a client immediately.

How to approach them: Intention is everything. Show up to serve, not to sell. I recommend offering gift sessions selectively through targeted campaigns (similar to research calls).

Make a strong and specific invitation that explains clearly what the call is (and isn’t), and who it’s for. End the session powerfully by setting homework or a next step, and invite the person to circle back to you — so you’re not left wondering how or when to follow up.

3. Connection Conversations

What they are: Casual, human-to-human chats with no agenda beyond genuine connection, or where applicable, an opportunity to explore mutual support and collaboration.

I usually schedule 45 minutes and call these Virtual Coffee Dates. I use them to connect with peers, colleagues, past clients, or engaged audience members (although I’m more likely to offer those last two groups gift sessions).

Why they matter:

  • They help build your network in a genuine and sustainable way.
  • A meaningful conversation is more impactful than a LinkedIn note or business card swap.
  • They can lead to referrals, collaborations, and unexpected opportunities.
  • They help keep my business relational, not transactional — especially helpful as an introvert.

How to approach them: Keep it light, low-pressure, and expectation-free. Going in with a fixed outcome can shift the energy and make the conversation feel off. Lead with curiosity and openness.

I like to enter with something I might offer the other person — a client referral, an interview invite, or other support. This keeps me in service and out of self-serving agenda territory (which can be a relationship killer).

When I stay rooted in generosity, the conversations flow and relationships form. I’m still amazed at what can come from a simple coffee chat.

4. Sales Conversations

What they are: These are direct, honest conversations about potentially working together. Invitation-based and rooted in integrity. I call them Working Together Calls so there’s no ambiguity.

I schedule a full hour for these and start by letting the person know that I’ll be coaching during the call. It’s the best way I know to assess fit.

Why they matter:

  • They help someone make an aligned decision about what’s best for them.
  • These calls are an opportunity to assess energy and compatibility.
  • I share my best business strategies and gauge the response.
  • They help potential clients experience what it’s like to work with me before making a decision.

How to approach them: I make coaching by application only. I never pitch. Instead, I invite people to apply. Once the application is submitted, I offer the call.

During the call, I stay rooted in service and ask myself: If this is the only time I ever get to help this person, what would I share? That mindset keeps me grounded and focused.

I never pressure people to decide on the call or try to “overcome objections.” A core part of my ideal client profile is that they’re a hell yes. If I need to convince someone, it’s not a fit. I usually suggest they sleep on it and tell me when they’ll follow up.

Which Conversation Will You Try?

There you have it: four types of conversations that can grow your business faster than social media ever could. Which are you already doing? Which one do you feel inspired to try?

Leave a comment and let me know. I’d love to hear from you.

SIGN UP FOR MY SOULFUL STRATEGIES WEEKLY

Once a week, in the form of an e-letter, I share the best of what I know about building a business with integrity for conscious business owners.

The intention behind these letters is to be a voice for integrity within your (undoubtedly) cluttered inbox. To be the one email you can count on to contain strategic and soulful advice for building a business without selling your soul.

If you want to receive the Soulful Strategies Weekly, simply share with me your name and email address below and you’ll start recieving emails right away.