Tiered pricing
Good, better, best options that let the client choose their own budget.
Best for: Proposals where you want to move the question from whether to which.
Avoid when: There's genuinely only one sensible way to do the work.
How it works
You present three options at different scopes and prices rather than a single take-it-or-leave-it number. The middle tier is usually the one you want them to pick; the top tier makes it look reasonable and occasionally sells on its own.
What it looks like
Essential at £3,000, Complete at £5,500, Comprehensive at £9,000 — with Complete written to be the obvious answer.
Example project
A rebrand proposal with three ways in
Rather than one £5,500 number, you present Essential at £3,000 for logo, colour and type; Complete at £5,500 adding guidelines and stationery; Comprehensive at £9,000 adding website design and launch assets. Complete is the one the proposal is built around, and it's what most clients choose.
Where it wins
- Changes the question from yes-or-no to which-one.
- Anchors expectations with the highest number first.
- Lets budget-limited clients buy something rather than nothing.
Where it hurts
- Three real options means three real scopes to think through.
- Too many choices stall the decision entirely.
- A weak bottom tier can undercut your own value.
Tiered pricing: frequently asked questions
How many pricing tiers should I offer?
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Three. Two reads as a compromise, and four or more stalls the decision. Three gives the client a genuine choice while keeping the middle option obviously sensible.
How should I price the middle tier?
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Build the middle tier as the one you actually want them to buy, then price the top tier high enough to make it look reasonable. A common spread is roughly 1x, 1.8x, and 3x the base price.
Should the cheapest tier be really cheap?
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No. Every tier should be work you're happy to do at a price you're happy to take. A bottom tier priced to win on cost trains clients to see your work as a commodity and tends to attract the worst-fit buyers.
What if a client wants to mix options from different tiers?
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Treat it as a custom quote rather than a free upgrade. Tiers work because they're fixed; the moment they can be assembled a la carte you're back to bespoke proposals with none of the speed.
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