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