Are you leaving money on the table because you’re copying your competitor's pricing?
If you have been in the coaching and consulting industry for any length of time, you have likely felt the pressure to check what "everyone else" is charging and match their rates. It feels like the safe move. It feels like the market standard.
But after nearly 23 years in this industry, I have discovered a fatal error in this logic: Your competitors don’t know anything about pricing either.
When you copy their rates, it is quite literally the blind leading the blind.
In this post, we are going to break down the number one pricing mistake that is killing your sales and profit. We will explore the psychology of high-ticket buyers, the math behind profitable scaling, and the exact pricing ladder you need to build a sustainable, six-to-seven-figure business.
The Fatal Flaw: Why Being "Cheap" Repels Success
Many coaches suffer from "Superhero Syndrome." You want to save everyone, so you keep your prices low to be accessible. However, this altruism often backfires.
The truth is, being the cheapest option on the market doesn't attract the most grateful clients; it attracts "value seekers." These are clients who consume the most energy, demand the most time, and are often the least committed to the transformation.
Conversely, premium pricing acts as a filter. It repels those who aren't serious and attracts clients who are ready to do the work.
The $10,000 Lesson in Buyer Psychology
Think about the last time you had an emergency. Maybe your AC broke in the middle of a heatwave. You didn't shop around for the cheapest handyman who could come "sometime next week." You paid the premium for the expert who could fix it now.
This is the difference between solving a "nice to have" problem and an "urgent must-solve-now" problem. If you position your coaching as a luxury, you will struggle to charge what you are worth. If you position it as the solution to an urgent pain, price becomes secondary to the result.
The Economics of Pricing: The Math Doesn't Lie
You need to remove emotion from your pricing decisions and focus on the economics. If you are undercharging, you are suffocating your business. You can't invest in advertising to get new leads, you can't hire support staff to free up your time, and you can't scale your impact.
Let’s look at the math.
Many coaches believe they need volume to succeed. But consider this:
Scenario A: 100 clients paying $10 = $1,000 revenue.
Scenario B: 50 clients paying $30 = $1,500 revenue.
In Scenario B, you are making 50% more money while managing 50% fewer people. This is the efficiency required to scale.
The 30% Benchmark
How do you know if your pricing is right? Look at your closing rate.
If you are closing 80-90% of the people you talk to, you are too cheap.
A healthy benchmark is a 30% closing rate. This indicates that your pricing and your offer are properly aligned with the market demand.
The Proven Pricing Ladder: From $5 to $100K
You shouldn't just have one price. A robust business model requires a "Pricing Ladder" that allows clients to enter your ecosystem at a low risk and ascend to premium levels as they require more access and support.
Here is the exact pricing tier structure I recommend for coaches and consultants:
1. The Acquisition Offer (Low Ticket)
Price Point: Under $47
Example: A $5 Instagram Ads Playbook or a $27 mini-course.
Goal: To turn a cold lead into a paying customer with zero friction.
2. The Continuity Offer (Mid-Tier)
Price Point: $97 – $197 per month
Example: A group membership or monthly mentorship program.
Goal: Recurring revenue that covers your baseline operating costs.
3. The Transformation Offer (High Ticket)
Price Point: $6,000 – $19,000 total
Example: A 12-week intensive coaching program or mastermind.
Goal: Significant profit margins and deep client transformation.
4. The Premium Access Offer (Elite)
Price Point: $30,000 – $100,000+ per year
Example: 1-on-1 consulting (e.g., $8,000/month).
Goal: Working with your dream clients who pay for proximity and speed.
Charging $100,000 a year from a single client isn't just possible; it is happening every day in this industry. But it only happens for those brave enough to ask for it.
Stop Being a Superhero, Start Being a Professional
The most important takeaway is this: You are not helping anyone by going broke.
When you undercharge, you limit your ability to serve. When you charge what you are worth, you have the resources to reach more people and the energy to serve your high-paying clients at the highest level.
Stop looking at your competitors. They are just as confused as you were. Look at the value you provide, the urgency of the problem you solve, and the economics required to run a thriving business.
It’s time to stop guessing and start pricing for profit.
This blog post was generated using A.I. but is based on the content of the following video training: