Price Increase Notice

---
name: price-increase-notice
description: "Writes price increase announcements with justification, grandfather clauses, and urgency elements. Use when raising prices on existing products or services."
allowed-tools: Read Write Glob
metadata:
  author: matthewhitcham
  version: "1.0"
---

# Price Increase Notice

## When to Use This Skill

Use this skill when you need to:
- Announce a price increase to customers or subscribers
- Write communication that justifies the new pricing with confidence
- Create grandfather clause offers for existing customers
- Design an urgency-driven campaign around the price change deadline

**DO NOT** use this skill for introductory pricing, sale announcements, or payment plan changes. This is specifically for communicating permanent price increases.

---

## Core Principle

A PRICE INCREASE IS A SIGN OF GROWING VALUE — COMMUNICATE IT WITH CONFIDENCE, TRANSPARENCY, AND ENOUGH NOTICE THAT CUSTOMERS FEEL RESPECTED, NOT SURPRISED.

---

## Phase 1: Brief

### Required Inputs

| Input | What to Ask | Default |
|-------|------------|---------|
| **Product/service** | "What is getting a price increase?" | No default — must be provided |
| **Current price** | "What is the current price?" | No default — must be provided |
| **New price** | "What will the new price be?" | No default — must be provided |
| **Effective date** | "When does the new price take effect?" | 30 days from announcement |
| **Reason for increase** | "Why are you raising prices?" | Added features, increased costs, market alignment |
| **Grandfather clause** | "Will existing customers keep the old price?" | Yes, for current subscription term |
| **Audience** | "Who needs to be notified? (all subscribers, customers, prospects)" | Current customers and email list |

**GATE: Confirm the details before writing the announcement.**

---

## Phase 2: Communication Plan

### Notification Timeline

```
## Price Increase Communication Schedule

**Day 1 — Internal Prep:**
- Update sales page with "Price increases on [date]" banner
- Prepare FAQ for support team
- Update checkout page messaging

**Day 1 — Announcement Email:**
- Full explanation to current customers and list
- Grandfather clause details for existing customers
- Lock-in deadline for new buyers

**Day 7 — Reminder Email:**
- One-week reminder with value reinforcement
- Highlight what they get at the current price

**Day 21 — Urgency Email:**
- Final week warning
- Direct CTA to lock in the current price

**Day 28 — Last Chance Email:**
- 48-hour final notice
- Clear deadline reminder

**Day 30 — Price Change Goes Live:**
- Update all pricing pages
- Confirmation to existing customers about their grandfathered rate
```

**GATE: Approve the communication timeline before writing emails.**

---

## Phase 3: Write the Communications

### Announcement Email

Structure:
1. **Subject line** — clear and direct ("Important update about [Product] pricing")
2. **Opening** — state the change simply and directly
3. **Justification** — 2-3 reasons for the increase (added value, market positioning, sustainability)
4. **Grandfather clause** — what existing customers get to keep
5. **Lock-in offer** — deadline to buy at the current price
6. **CTA** — lock in the current price before it changes

### Writing Rules

- Be direct — state the new price in the first 2-3 sentences
- Lead with value added, not costs increased
- Never apologize for pricing your value fairly
- Include exact dates and exact prices — no ambiguity
- Grandfather clause messaging should feel like a genuine thank-you, not a manipulation tactic

### Example Announcement

```
Subject: [Product Name] pricing is changing on [Date]

Hi {first_name},

Starting [Date], [Product Name] will be priced at $[new_price]/[period] — up from the current $[current_price].

Here's why:

Since you joined, we've added [specific improvement 1], [specific improvement 2], and [specific improvement 3]. The product today delivers significantly more value than when we set the original price.

**What this means for you:** As a current [customer/subscriber], your price stays locked at $[current_price] for [duration/forever]. No action needed.

**If you've been on the fence:** You can still lock in the current price of $[current_price] by [purchasing/subscribing] before [Date].

[Lock In Current Price → CTA button]

Thanks for being part of this,
[Name]
```

### Reminder and Last Chance Emails

Write shorter versions (100-150 words) for follow-up emails that reinforce the deadline without repeating the full justification.

---

## Phase 4: Polish

### 1. FAQ Document

Prepare answers for:
- "Why is the price going up?"
- "Does this affect my current subscription?"
- "Can I lock in the old price?"
- "What if I cancel and re-subscribe later?"
- "Will the price go up again?"

### 2. Sales Page Update Copy

Write the banner or callout text for the sales/pricing page ("Price increases on [Date] — lock in today's price").

### 3. Support Team Briefing

One-page document for support staff with key dates, pricing details, grandfather rules, and response templates.

---

## Anti-Patterns

- **Surprising customers with no notice** — minimum 30 days notice for subscription products. Surprises breed resentment.
- **Apologizing excessively** — "We're so sorry, but we have no choice..." undermines your positioning. You're worth the new price.
- **No justification** — "We're raising prices" with no context feels arbitrary. Always explain what's changed.
- **Hiding the increase** — burying the new price at the bottom of a long email is worse than stating it upfront.
- **No grandfather clause for loyal customers** — existing customers who feel punished will churn. Reward loyalty.
- **Fake urgency** — if the price increase isn't real or the deadline is fake, you destroy trust permanently.

---

## Recovery

- **No clear reason for the increase:** Frame it around value delivered — list every improvement, feature, or expansion since the original price was set.
- **Large increase (50%+):** Consider phasing it in two stages (25% now, 25% in 6 months). Or offer a longer lock-in period to reduce sticker shock.
- **Backlash from customers:** Have a response template ready that acknowledges their concern, restates the value, and reinforces the grandfather clause.
- **User wants to increase price with no notice:** Strongly recommend at least 14 days notice. Immediate increases without notice risk chargebacks and complaints.