When to raise rates?

Most people wait until January to raise their prices.

New year, new rates, clean slate.

I think you should do it in December, not January.

Here’s why.

1. January makes rejection feel louder.

In January, everything resets. Revenue starts at zero.

Refilled budgets. Larger financial goals. Stronger vigilance.

That means you’ll hear more “no’s” or “not yets” even from good prospects.

And those early rejections hit harder than they should.

They shake your confidence, make you second-guess your new rate, and sometimes send you spiraling back to your old one.

2. December money feels different.

For most, December expenses means a reduction in taxable income.

In January, it doesn’t

Same buyer. Same logic. Different math.

3. You need practice saying your new price anyway.

I’ve told clients to practice saying their price in the mirror (out loud).

Your tongue needs reps before your brain believes it. So if your plan was to start in January, start rehearsing now.

Even one or two closed deals at the new rate will reset your internal baseline.

4. December sells into decision bias.

People’s brains crave closure this time of year.

They’re finishing projects, using unspent dollars, checking boxes.

That “wrap-it-up” energy makes decisions faster, especially strategic work that feels like cleaning the slate.

So, yeah…raise them in December.

Lower stakes, higher upside.

Sounds like an asymmetric bet to me.

Thank you for reading.

Be well. Talk soon.

— Peter

When you want to know exactly what to charge, I’m here.