Price Check in 15 Minutes: Recover $15K–$30K Left on the Table for $68K–$96K Operators
Run a 10-minute pricing audit. Find out if you’re underpriced. Most founders leave $15K-$30K annually by never testing resistance.
The Executive Summary
Operators in the $68K–$96K/month band leave $15K–$30K per year on the table by never testing price resistance; a 10-minute check shows if you’re underpriced and how much to raise without blowing up churn.
Who this is for: Founders and operators at $68K–$96K/month who close clients easily, rarely hear price objections, and suspect their prices haven’t kept up with the value they now deliver.
The Pricing Problem: This article targets the quiet leak where never revisiting pricing leaves $15K–$30K annually (and in cases like Thea’s, up to $281,600 over 22 months) uncollected purely because prices were never tested.
What you’ll learn: The 10-Minute Price Resistance Check, how to calculate a price resistance score from five client response scenarios, interpret bands from 0–10% to 50%+, and translate that score into a concrete 12–25% price increase.
What changes if you apply it: Instead of guessing and fearing client loss, you raise prices 12–25% on evidence, add $10K–$15K/month in revenue at this band, and keep capacity for higher-value work instead of underpriced volume.
Time to implement: The full check takes 10 minutes (5 minutes data, 5 minutes analysis), with 30 days to roll in new pricing and a realistic path to recover $15K–$30K+ annually within the next 12 months.
Written by Nour Boustani for $68K–$96K/month founders who want higher effective rates and cleaner revenue per client without overhauling offers or working more hours.
Most underpriced operators don’t lack courage—they lack a simple resistance check. Upgrade to premium and stop leaving price-tested revenue on the table.
Why This 10-Minute Check Matters
Most founders set prices once, then never revisit them. They assume current prices are “right” because clients pay without complaint.
No complaints ≠ right price. It means you’re too cheap.
Thea ran a $71K/month consulting business. Set her prices 22 months ago. Never raised them. Clients paid immediately. No pushback. She assumed prices were correct.
A 10-minute check revealed 0% price resistance. Every client accepted her current price without negotiation. That’s a clear signal: prices are way too low.
Without this check:
You’re leaving $15K-$30K annually on the table
Revenue is stuck because prices haven’t scaled with value
Working harder instead of charging appropriately
Client perception: lower price = lower value
The capacity is filled with underpaying clients
With this check:
You identify if prices are too low in 10 minutes
You raise prices based on evidence (not guesswork)
Revenue increases 15-25% with the same effort
Higher-value clients (price signals quality)
Capacity freed for better-paying work
The math: Thea’s revenue was $71K monthly. She raised prices 18%. New clients paid $4,720/month instead of $4,000/month. Over 12 months, that’s $8,640 more per client. With 18 clients annually, that’s $155,520 additional revenue. She left that on the table for 22 months because she never checked.
ROI: 10 minutes to check = $15K-$30K annually recovered (typical for businesses at $50K-$100K monthly).
After 10 Minutes, You’ll Have
After this check, you’ll have three things:
1. Price resistance score
Percentage of clients who negotiated or hesitated
Clear indicator if you’re underpriced
Evidence-based signal (not feeling)
2. Optimal price increase percentage
How much to raise prices immediately
Expected revenue impact
Risk assessment (client loss estimate)
3. Implementation plan
When to raise (existing vs new clients)
How to communicate
Timeline for rollout
Thea’s check showed 0% price resistance (no one ever negotiated). She raised prices 18% for new clients. Added $12.8K monthly with zero client loss. The check took 10 minutes.
This Takes 10 Minutes. Not Weeks of Analysis.
You don’t need:
Market research studies
Competitor pricing analysis
Client surveys
Financial modeling
You need:
Last 12 months of client acquisition data
Memory of sales conversations
10 minutes
Honesty about what happened
That’s it. Pull the data. Answer the questions. See if you’re underpriced.
10 minutes. Start timer. Go.
The 10-Minute Price Resistance Check
Here’s exactly what you’re about to do:
What you’re checking:
How often clients push back on price
If your prices are too low
How much to raise safely
Expected outcome: Clear price resistance score with recommended price increase.
Time commitment: 10 minutes total (5 minutes data, 5 minutes analysis).
Minute 0-5: Calculate Your Price Resistance Score
Pull the last 12 months of client acquisition data:
Total clients acquired: _ (count all new clients in last 12 months)
Now count these specific scenarios:
Scenario 1: Immediate yes
You quoted a price, and they said yes immediately
No negotiation attempt
No hesitation
Paid without discussion
Count: _
Scenario 2: Minor hesitation
Paused for 2-3 seconds
Asked clarifying questions about the scope
Wanted to “think about it” for 24-48 hours
But ultimately paid the asking price
Count: _
Scenario 3: Negotiation attempt
Asked for a discount
Requested payment plan
Countered with a lower number
You held firm, they accepted
Count: _
Scenario 4: Successful negotiation
Asked for a discount
You gave a discount to close
Final price lower than asking
Count: _
Scenario 5: Price objection (lost deal)
Said “too expensive”
Chose cheaper competitor
Deal died on price
Count: _
Example (Thea’s data from 18 clients in 12 months):
Scenario 1 (Immediate yes): 15 clients
Scenario 2 (Minor hesitation): 3 clients
Scenario 3 (Negotiation attempt, held firm): 0 clients
Scenario 4 (Gave discount): 0 clients
Scenario 5 (Lost on price): 0 clients
Total: 18 clients
Calculate your price resistance score:
Formula:
(Scenario 3 + Scenario 4 + Scenario 5) ÷ Total clients × 100 = Price Resistance %Your calculation:
Price resistance: (_____ + _____ + _____) ÷ _____ × 100 = ______%Example (Thea): (0 + 0 + 0) ÷ 18 × 100 = 0% price resistance
Time check: 5 minutes elapsed.
Minute 5-10: Interpret Score and Plan Price Increase
Your price resistance score tells you if you’re underpriced:
0-10% resistance: SEVERELY UNDERPRICED
What this means:
Almost no one pushes back
You’re leaving massive money on the Table
Clients would pay 20-30% more easily
Recommended increase: 18-25% immediately
Expected client loss: 0-5% (worth it for revenue gain)
Example revenue impact at $70K monthly:
20% increase on new clients = $14K monthly added
Even if you lose 1-2 clients = net gain $10K-$12K monthly
This was Thea’s situation.
10-20% resistance: UNDERPRICED
What this means:
Occasional pushback, but most pay
You can raise 10-15% safely
Leaving $8K-$15K monthly on the Table
Recommended increase: 12-18%
Expected client loss: 5-10%
Example revenue impact at $70K monthly:
15% increase = $10.5K monthly added
Lose 1-2 clients = net gain $8K-$10K monthly
20-35% resistance: APPROPRIATELY PRICED
What this means:
Healthy resistance level
Some negotiate, some don’t
Price reflects value fairly
Recommended increase: 5-10% annually for inflation/value growth
Expected client loss: 10-15%
Example revenue impact at $70K monthly:
8% increase = $5.6K monthly
Lose 1-2 clients = net gain $3K-$5K monthly
35-50% resistance: APPROACHING CEILING
What this means:
Significant pushback
Lots of negotiation
Many lost deals on price
Recommended increase: 0-5% (test carefully)
Expected client loss: 15-25%
Focus instead on:
Value delivery (justify current price)
Positioning (attract clients who see value)
Efficiency (make the current price more profitable)
50%+ resistance: AT OR ABOVE MARKET CEILING
What this means:
Half of the prospects say it's too expensive
Losing majority of deals on price
The market won’t bear higher prices
Recommended increase: 0% (do NOT raise)
Focus instead on:
Lower acquisition cost
Increase efficiency
Improve positioning
Consider if you’re in the wrong market
Write your action plan:
- My price resistance score: ______%
- My pricing category:
- Severely Underpriced
- Underpriced
- Appropriately Priced
- Approaching Ceiling
- At Ceiling
- Recommended price increase: ______%
- Current average price: $________
- New price: $________ (Current × (1 + Increase %))
- Expected monthly revenue gain: $________
- Expected client loss: ______% (________ clients)
- Net expected gain: $________When to implement: (Immediately for new clients / 30-day notice for existing / 60-day rollout)
Time check: 10 minutes complete.
What Thea Did Next
Thea’s check showed 0% price resistance. Clear signal: severely underpriced.
Her data:
18 clients acquired in 12 months
15 paid immediately (83%)
3 hesitated briefly but paid the asking price (17%)
0 negotiation attempts
0 discounts given
0 lost on price
The analysis: When 100% of prospects accept your price without negotiation, you’re too cheap. Healthy pricing has 20-30% resistance.
What she did:
Week 1: Decided on 18% price increase (from $4,000 to $4,720/month).
Week 2: Announced to email list: “Effective [30 days from now], pricing increases to $4,720/month for new clients. Current clients locked at $4,000.”
Week 3-4: Three prospects in the pipeline locked old price (closed before the deadline). Expected behavior.
Week 5+: All new proposals at $4,720/month.
Results after 90 days:
Closed clients:
5 new clients at $4,720 (new price)
Revenue from new pricing: $23,600/month
If old pricing: $20,000/month
Gain: $3,600/month from 5 clients
Resistance data:
5 quoted, 5 closed (100% close rate maintained)
0 price objections
0 negotiation attempts
0% price resistance at the new price
Signal: Still underpriced. Raised again to $5,200 at month 6.
12-month impact:
Average client value: $4,000 → $4,850 (blended old + new)
Monthly revenue: $71K → $83.8K (+$12.8K, +18%)
Annual revenue gain: $153,600
Client loss from price increase: 0 clients (feared 1-2)
What if she’d done this 22 months earlier:
22 months × $12.8K = $281,600 left on table
That’s almost 4 months of gross revenue lost to never checking
The check took 10 minutes. The price increase took 30 days to implement. Revenue increased 18% permanently.
Why Most Price Checks Fail
Failed approach #1: Asking clients if the price is fair
They’ll always say too high (even if they’d pay more). Self-interest. Useless data.
This check: Behavior-based. Did they negotiate? That’s the signal.
Failed approach #2: Comparing to competitors
Competitors might be underpriced, too. Race to the bottom. Positioning different. Not comparable.
This check: Internal signal. Your price resistance score tells you what your market will bear.
Failed approach #3: Raising prices “because it’s been a year”
No data. Might raise too much or too little. Arbitrary.
This check: Evidence-based. Raise based on actual resistance data.
The pattern: Guesswork and asking people’s opinions fail. Behavior reveals truth.
When to Run This Check
Immediately if:
Haven’t raised prices in 12+ months
Close rate >80% (too easy = underpriced)
Zero price objections ever
Working at capacity with a waitlist
Quarterly if:
Actively testing pricing
Price resistance 20-35% (healthy range)
Optimizing revenue per client
Annually if:
Price resistance 35-50% (near ceiling)
Stable pricing is working well
Focus is on other growth levers
Thea’s mistake: Never checked for 22 months. Left $281,600 on the Table.
Common Pricing Mistakes by Business Type
Service Business ($50K-$100K)
Common mistake: Set prices at launch, never raised.
Price resistance pattern: Usually 0-15% (severely underpriced).
Recommended action: Raise 15-20% immediately for new clients.
Expected impact: +$10K-$15K monthly.
Agency ($75K-$150K)
Common mistake: Pricing per hour or per project instead of value.
Price resistance pattern: 10-25% (underpriced but less severe).
Recommended action: Shift to value pricing + 10-15% increase.
Expected impact: +$12K-$20K monthly.
Consulting ($50K-$150K)
Common mistake: Hourly billing caps revenue. Not raising with expertise growth.
Price resistance pattern: 5-20% (underpriced for expertise level).
Recommended action: Package pricing + 12-18% increase.
Expected impact: +$8K-$18K monthly.
How This Connects to The Foundation
This 10-minute check is tactical. It shows if you’re underpriced right now.
For systematic pricing strategy:
Read The 3% Lever: Tiny shifts that 10X revenue over 12 months
Read The Revenue Multiplier: Double your earnings without working more
For value-based positioning:
Read The Positioning Shift: Stand out or race to the bottom
For client acquisition at higher prices:
Read The Repeatable Sale: Turn one yes into ten without more pitching
This check gives you the data. Those frameworks give you systematic pricing and positioning power.
The 10-Minute Challenge
Here’s what you do right now:
Step 1: Count the last 12 months of client acquisitions (2 minutes)
Step 2: Categorize by resistance level (3 minutes)
Step 3: Calculate price resistance score (1 minute)
Step 4: Determine recommended increase (2 minutes)
Step 5: Plan implementation (2 minutes)
Total time: 10 minutes
Then act on it:
If 0-10% resistance (severely underpriced):
Raise prices 18-25% for new clients, effective in 30 days
Announce to the pipeline now
Lock existing clients at the old price
Expect 0-5% client loss (worth it)
If 10-20% resistance (underpriced):
Raise 12-18% for new clients
Test for 90 days
Monitor close rate and objections
If 20-35% resistance (appropriately priced):
Raise 5-10% annually for inflation/value
Focus on value delivery to justify
Continue monitoring quarterly
If 35%+ resistance (near/at ceiling):
Don’t raise
Focus on efficiency and positioning
Consider if you’re in the wrong market
The costly mistake: Thea left $281,600 on the Table over 22 months because she never ran this check. Most founders at $50K-$100K monthly are leaving $15K-$30K annually by never testing price resistance.
10 minutes. Run the check. See if you’re underpriced. If you are, raise immediately.
Your turn. Pull the data. Calculate the score. Raise the prices.
FAQ: 10-Minute Price Resistance System
Q: How does the 10-Minute Price Resistance System actually work?
A: You pull 12 months of client data, categorize each deal into five price-response scenarios, calculate a single price resistance percentage, then pick a 5–25% price increase based on the band you’re in.
Q: How much money are $68K–$96K/month operators usually leaving on the table by not testing price resistance?
A: Most operators in this band quietly leave $15K–$30K annually uncollected, and cases like Thea’s show this can compound to $281,600 lost over 22 months just from never revisiting prices.
Q: How do I use the 10-Minute Price Resistance System with its five scenarios before I raise prices?
A: You classify each of the last 12 months’ clients as immediate yes, minor hesitation, negotiation attempt, successful negotiation, or lost on price, then use the formula (Scenario 3 + 4 + 5) ÷ total clients × 100 to get your resistance score and choose the right 12–25% increase.
Q: What happens if my price resistance score is between 0–10%?
A: A 0–10% score means you are severely underpriced, can usually raise prices 18–25% immediately for new clients, and at $70K/month that can add about $14K in monthly revenue with only 0–5% expected client loss.
Q: What happens if my price resistance score sits between 10–20% instead?
A: A 10–20% score signals you are underpriced but less severely, so a 12–18% increase is often safe, typically unlocking $8K–$15K in extra monthly revenue at $70K/month even if you lose 1–2 clients.
Q: How much revenue did Thea recover by running this 10-minute price check and acting on it?
A: Thea raised prices 18% from $4,000 to $4,720 per month, added $12.8K in monthly revenue (from $71K to $83.8K), and created a $153,600 annual gain without losing any clients, after leaving a potential $281,600 on the table over the prior 22 months.
Q: What happens if I keep my prices flat for 12–22 months like Thea did?
A: With 0% price resistance, you keep closing nearly 100% of prospects at too-low rates, which at $70K–$71K/month can mean forfeiting $10K–$15K in monthly upside and accumulating six-figure losses like Thea’s $281,600 over 22 months.
Q: When should I run this 10-minute price check during the year?
A: Run it immediately if you haven’t raised prices in 12+ months, your close rate is above 80%, you rarely hear price objections, or you’re at capacity with a waitlist, then quarterly if resistance is 20–35% and annually if it’s 35–50% and pricing is already near the ceiling.
Q: How quickly can I see results after adjusting prices with this system?
A: Most operators can decide on a new price within 10 minutes, roll it out to new clients over 30 days, and see 12–25% revenue lifts—like Thea’s $12.8K monthly increase—within the first 90 days.
Q: Why do most pricing checks fail while this 10-minute version keeps working?
A: Opinion-based methods rely on client surveys, competitor comparisons, or arbitrary annual raises, while this system uses actual buyer behavior—negotiations, discounts, and lost-on-price deals—so your 12–25% increase is tied to real resistance instead of guesswork.
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What this prevents: Leaving $15K–$30K per year, or even $281,600 over 22 months, untouched because prices never move.
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