Many entrepreneurs undervalue their work and lose money without realizing it. These 5 rules will change the way you set your prices.
Calculate your real cost first
The basics most people skipRaw materials, transport, packaging, time spent, fixed costs… Add it all up. That total is your cost price.
Selling below that threshold means working at a loss without knowing it. Everything else rests on this foundation.
Add your profit margin
Profit is intentionalOnce your cost is calculated, add at least 30 to 50% margin depending on your industry.
The margin is calculated on the selling price, not on the cost. A 40% markup ≠ a 40% margin.
Without a built-in margin, you don't have a business. You have a hobby.
Look at what your competitors are doing
The market sets the frameWatch the prices around you — not to copy them, but to position yourself.
- Too low : you look low-quality, and customers start doubting.
- Too high : you lose customers for no good reason.
Position yourself in the upper range of the market and justify it with your quality and service.
Sell the value, not the price
The customer pays for what they perceiveYour customer doesn't see your cost price. They see what your product brings them.
Time saved? Peace of mind? Prestige? Solving an urgent problem? The higher the perceived value, the more you can ask for — and get.
Work as much on how you present your offer as on the product itself.
Review your prices regularly
A frozen price = a business falling behindCosts go up. So does your experience. Reassess your prices at least every 6 months.
A well-communicated 10% increase won't scare off good customers. It strengthens your credibility and reflects the real value of what you offer.
The 5 rules to remember
- Calculate your real cost (materials, time, overhead)
- Add your margin — minimum 30%
- Watch the market, position yourself in the upper range
- Sell perceived value, not cost
- Reassess every 6 months
Enter your costs, your margin and VAT — get your price in seconds.
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