Thinking about raising your rates?

The Memo from the Desk

Raising your rates. It's one of those moves that feels way riskier than it actually is. You imagine angry clients. Awkward conversations. A sudden mass exodus from your inbox.

But here’s the reality:

Most experienced, professional clients expect your rates to rise over time. They want to see you grow. And if they don’t, that tells you something too.

Recently, someone in the community shared that they hadn’t changed their rates in over two years. They were doing great work, getting pulled into more of their clients’ business decisions, and wondering if it was time to charge accordingly. Here’s what I told them:

If I were in your shoes, here’s how I’d approach it:

1. New clients get the new rate.
No announcements. No comparisons. Just charge more. You don’t need to say “my prices went up.” You just present the new pricing with confidence and move forward. New clients don’t need the backstory.

2. For long-term, retainer clients I love… but who might struggle with a higher rate, I’d raise my prices significantly on paper, but give them a “loyalty” discount that brings the actual increase down to something more manageable, like 10 percent. This makes it clear they’re getting a break. It also anchors them to the new higher value, so if they leave and come back later, you’re not stuck charging the old rate.

3. For clients I’m on the fence about, or who I know can afford it, I’d give them the full increase. If I’m fine with losing them, maybe even a bit more. If they stay, great. If not, I’ve made space for better-fit clients at the new rate.

4. For clients without a retainer(the ones who come and go with one-off projects)I’d simply send future bids at the new rate. No need to announce anything. Just make sure they approve the estimate before you start the work. That turns a potential surprise into a clear agreement.

One last thing. If your current rate isn’t profitable, don’t raise it by a few percentage points just to lose money more slowly. Fix your pricing first. Then adjust based on the client.

That way, you’re not raising rates to survive. You’re raising them to grow.

Hope you all are staying cool this summer!

Talk soon,

Ben Burns

Co-Founder, Maker Division

P.S. Thinking about increasing your rate but feeling stuck? You’re not alone. This is the kind of question we work through every Friday on coaching calls. We'd love to see you there: Join Maker Division today.

P.p.s. Our August Portfolio Party starts on Thursday! If you've been dying to collaborate with a team on a killer personal project, now's the time. Join today, find a team, and make something awesome.

P.p.p.s. Also… just so we're clear, I don’t believe in having one standard rate across all clients. Every project and every client should be priced individually. Stay profitable, flexible, and in control.

Drawn To Life

On the Bookshelf

I pulled this off the shelf this week to flip through with my daughter - it's full of the kind of in-process images I wish I studied earlier in my career. Incredible work takes so many iterations - and I'm grateful for this book for showcasing them all.

Get Your Copy

Ally Sobolik

Artist We Love

If you like pencil art, you've reached the pinnacle with Ally's account. Go watch in awe. She's amazing.

CHECK OUT the instagram

This is the last time by The National

Now Playing

Haunting, grounding, and inviting somehow all at the same time. My favorite track by The National.

GIVE it A LISTEN

Anita Osburn was on the edge of walking away from her studio.

She’d just lost a major client, was nearly out of savings, and wasn’t sure if she should start job hunting or keep pushing forward.

But instead of giving up, she showed up to a Maker Division coaching call. With some straight talk and step-by-step strategy from Steph and me, Anita walked away with a real plan—and the confidence to act on it.

That week, she landed a project that started at $1,000… and grew it into an $8,500 win.

Anita, this isn’t just a comeback. It’s a turning point. We’re all cheering you on.

Anita Osburn

Division Win

“I recently lost a huge client and I was in despair. I didn't know if I should just get a job or keep pushing to be my own studio. I didn't have much money saved up and I was almost in panic mode. During a weekly coaching call with Stephanie and Mr. Ben Burns, they each gave me honest, straight forward, encouraging, and incredibly supportive advice. They not only gave me the courage to move forward, but also gave me valuable tools that I could put to work immediately.

Their organized step by step instructions broke down what I needed to do, to take my future to the next level. I am making measurable progress toward achieving my business goals thanks to Ben, Stephanie, and the support of the Maker Division community."