Pricing With Purpose: How to Set Rates That Reflect Your Value & Make a Profit

For many women starting or growing a business, pricing is more than just numbers on a spreadsheet - it’s an emotional tightrope walk. It’s that part of business that sends many brilliant women into a tailspin: how do I set a price that’s fair, profitable, and doesn’t leave me sweating through my blazer during sales calls?

You’ve poured time, energy, and investment into building something real. You know you’re good at what you do. And yet... when it’s time to talk numbers? Your throat tightens. You soften your rate. You discount before they even ask.

On the one hand, you want your work to be accessible. You want to help. You don’t want to come off as pushy, greedy, or arrogant. On the other hand, you know, deep down, you’re producing valuable work. And yet, when is it time to set the price? The hesitation creeps in.

“Will people actually pay this?”

“Am I asking for too much?”

“Maybe I should lower it just to be safe…”

It’s not just in your head. Culturally speaking, we've been conditioned to believe that asking for money is somehow unladylike or "a bit much” and here’s what the numbers tell us:

• Female entrepreneurs earn 28% less than men for offering the same services (FreshBooks, 2021).

• Only 25% of women feel confident pricing their services, compared to over 40% of men (PayPal Women in Business Report, 2022).

• And 3 in 5 women say they’ve avoided raising their rates - even when demand was high.

  
  

Pricing hesitation stems from conditioning, not capability. But like any business skill, it can be learned and mastered.

The good news? More women are rewriting the rules. They're raising their rates, owning their value, and structuring offers that both serve their clients and sustain their vision.

We’re no longer pricing from fear - we’re pricing with purpose.

And if you feel like you’re not quite there yet, that’s okay! That’s exactly what this guide is here to help you with.

Why Pricing Feels So Personal (Especially for Women)

For many of us, pricing triggers more than logic - it taps into identity. We were raised to be likable, collaborative, and conflict averse. But confidently stating your price? That can feel like a confrontation.

Add to that, the nature of our work - especially in creative, coaching, or service-driven industries - pricing often feels like putting a value on ourselves, not just our services. Talking about money - especially asking for it - can trigger discomfort, guilt, or imposter syndrome.

Consider this perspective: pricing is not a reflection of your personal worth. It pertains to the value of the outcome you deliver. (Read that again, now let it sink in).

Start viewing your pricing as a form of leadership. You’re not just naming a number. You’re modelling what it looks like to confidently stand behind your expertise - and that alone is powerful.

Back Your Brilliance: Choose a Pricing Model That Works for You

There’s no single “right” way to price, but there is a right-for-you way - especially depending on your season of business, your capacity, and your goals.

A. Hourly Rate (Good for Beginners, But Not for Growth)

• Use if: You’re testing demand or starting out and need flexibility

• Watch out for: Capping your income and undervaluing fast work (efficiency should be rewarded, not penalized).

Pro tip: Use hourly billing for consultations or audits, then graduate clients into fixed packages that reward your results - not your time.

B. Project-Based Pricing

• Use if: Your work is deliverable-driven (think branding, marketing, design, copywriting)

• Benefits: You can plan income and set clearer boundaries

• Watch out for: Scope creep - aka doing 30% more than you charged for

Pro Tip: Be crystal clear about what’s included and what isn’t. Don’t leave the door cracked for ambiguity.

C. Value-Based Pricing

• Use if: You help clients generate tangible, measurable outcomes (e.g. revenue growth, conversions, or transformation)

• Big upside: When you charge based on results, you unlock far greater earning potential

Example: “Our last client launched a new offer using this exact strategy and saw a $15K return in 30 days. That’s why this package is priced at $6,000 - it’s tied to results, not just deliverables.”

Powerhouse Move: Even two or three case studies can start building confidence here. You don’t need a thousand testimonials - just a few solid stories.

D. Retainer or Subscription

• Use if: You want to secure recurring revenue and long-term client relationships

• Best for: Coaches, strategists, marketing consultants, content creators, social media managers

Pro Tip: Offer multiple tiers (Basic, Premium, All-Access) so clients can stay and scale with you.

Know Your Numbers and Quit the Guessing Game

You can’t build a sustainable business on vibes and guesswork. Pricing from intuition feels empowering... until it’s time to pay your tax bill or take a break and there’s nothing left in the bank.

Here’s the minimum to know:

• Cost of Goods/Delivery: What it costs you (time, tools, team) to deliver the offer

• Monthly overheads: Rent, software, subscriptions, taxes, outsourcing

• Target profit margin: Aim for at least 30% margin. Less than 20%? You’re donating your time.

Quick Breakdown: What Profit Margin Really Means

Let’s say your personal income goal is to take home $5,000 per month from your business. That means after all your business expenses such as subscriptions, software, tools, taxes, and maybe a freelancer or two - you still want $5K in your pocket.

To make that happen, you need to factor in your profit margin.

Your profit margin is the percentage of your total income that stays with you as profit (after expenses). A healthy small business typically aims for at least 30% profit margin, meaning for every $100 you earn, you keep $30, and $70 goes toward running the business.

Now, let’s reverse-engineer the math:

If you want to keep $5,000/month and maintain a 30% profit margin, your income (aka revenue) needs to be higher. Here’s a simple formula:

Take-home income ÷ Profit margin = Monthly revenue goal

So, for a 30% profit margin: $5,000 ÷ 0.30 = $16,667

That means you’d need to earn $16,667 per month in total business revenue to net $5K and still have enough to cover your costs. But what if you only have, say, $2,000-$3,000/month in expenses right now? Let’s run a different scenario:

●      You want to take home $5,000

●      Your monthly business expenses are around $2,500

Add those together: $5,000 + $2,500 = $7,500

In this case, you’d need to generate $7,500/month in revenue just to break even with your income and costs. That gives you no cushion.

If you want to profit on top of that, you’ll need to increase your revenue accordingly - hence the goal of $7,500+, depending on how lean or costly your business is to run.

How to Talk About Pricing (Without Apologizing)

Here’s a secret: You don’t need to justify your pricing with a nervous 5-minute monologue. Silence, clarity, and posture do the heavy lifting.

Client: “So, what’s the investment?”You: “The package is $3,500 and includes XYZ. We can start as early as next week - does that work for you?”

Then stop talking. Just hold your posture.

People take cues from your energy. If you sound uncertain, they feel uncertain. If you sound grounded, they’ll mirror that energy - even if they need to think about it.

Confidence is a skill. Pricing is part of your professional script. Practice it.

When & How to Raise Your Rates

Let’s normalize increasing your prices as your business grows. You’re not meant to stay where you started.

Raise your rates when:

• You’re consistently booked out

• Your skills or results have leveled up

• You’ve added more value (faster results, stronger systems, better service)

How to do it gracefully:

• Let current clients know in advance. You can “grandfather” loyal ones at old rates or invite them to renew before the increase.

• Frame it as a growth step: “Our new pricing reflects the expanded results and refined process we now offer.”

Final Word: Your Price Is a Leadership Statement

Pricing isn’t just business - it’s cultural reclamation. It’s the quiet rebellion of saying: I deserve to earn well. I deserve to be heard. I deserve to grow. And women are doing it. We’re narrowing the revenue gap. We’re building empires from home offices and co-working hubs. We’re out-earning projections and changing industries.

But it starts with charging in a way that honors what you bring to the table. Price like a woman who knows the value of her time, her energy, and her results. Because when you do, you make it easier for every woman behind you to do the same.

So go ahead - honor your work. Name your number. The ripple starts with you.