Customer comms
How to write a price-increase letter your customers won't resent
Raising prices is how you stay in business. Saying it badly is how you lose accounts. Here's a template that explains the increase without apologizing for it.
Every landscaper has to raise prices eventually — fuel, labor, and materials don't wait. The accounts you lose usually aren't lost to the increase itself. They're lost to a letter that sounds defensive, vague, or like you feel guilty about charging fairly for good work.
What a good price-increase letter does
- States the new price and date plainly — no burying it in paragraph four.
- Leads with value, not apology — you're not sorry for staying in business.
- Gives reasonable notice — about 30 days.
- Stays short — the longer you explain, the more you sound unsure.
The structure that keeps customers
- Thank them and name the relationship.
- State the increase: old price → new price, effective date.
- One line on why (rising costs), with the same or better service.
- Reaffirm your commitment and the crew they know.
- An easy way to reply or ask questions.
Copy-paste template
Subject: An update to your [service] pricing
Hi [First name],
Thank you for being a [Company] customer — it's been a pleasure keeping your [lawn/property] looking its best.
Starting [effective date], the price for [service] will move from [$old] to [$new] per [visit/month]. It's our first increase in [time period], and it reflects rising labor and material costs. Your schedule, your service, and the crew you know all stay exactly the same.
We're committed to the same reliable work that earned your business. Any questions, just reply here or call me directly at [phone].
Thanks for your continued trust,
[Your name], [Company]
Tailor it with AI
Paste the template into ChatGPT, Claude, or Gemini with this:
Rewrite this price-increase letter for a [residential / commercial] landscaping customer named [name] whose price is going from [$old] to [$new]. Keep it under 150 words, warm but matter-of-fact, and don't over-apologize. Here's the letter: [paste template].
Get all three versions
The $47 Starter Pack includes this as a tested prompt with three openings — gentle, matter-of-fact, and value-led — so you can match the tone to the customer. Plus nine more prompts for the writing you do every week.
FAQ
How much notice should I give?
About 30 days — enough to feel fair, not so far out that it's forgotten by the time it lands.
Should I explain why?
One honest line about rising costs is plenty. The more you justify, the more it reads as an apology.