How to Raise Prices When Everything Feels Unsteady

There comes a point in every agency where the numbers speak louder than anything else.

Costs are going up. Talent is harder to retain. And suddenly, the margins that once felt comfortable start to thin out.

I hit that point in our agency during the first year of COVID.

On paper, it looked like we should freeze prices and play it safe in an uncertain market. But I knew what that really meant: a slow erosion of sustainability.

We chose the harder path. We raised prices.

It wasn’t easy. 

And it definitely wasn’t a decision made with perfect certainty.

But what made it possible wasn’t chance, it was how we’d positioned ourselves, the trust we’d built, and the way we packaged the value of our work.

What Actually Creates Pricing Power

Pricing power doesn’t come from “confidence alone.” And it doesn’t come from waiting for the market to magically improve.

It comes from a few deliberate levers you can pull in your agency:

• Specific positioning that makes you the go-to choice in your space.
• Packaging offers so clients see you adapting with the times, not standing still.
• Financial leadership that grounds pricing decisions in reality, not fear.
• Value-based pricing that ties fees to outcomes clients actually care about.
• Client relationships strong enough that trust smooths the way for change.

These aren’t standalone fixes. They work together to create the kind of stability where raising prices doesn’t feel reckless it feels like the right move. 

How Agencies Are Holding Pricing Power Right Now

In this week’s episode of Small But Mighty Agency, I break down each of these five levers and share how agencies are using them right now to grow their pricing power.

You’ll hear:

• Why specialists hold pricing power while generalists get squeezed.
• How to repackage your offers so clients see you as adapting, not stagnating.
• Why financial leadership means more than “knowing your numbers.”
• A simple way to frame value-based pricing so clients see your fees as an investment.
• How client relationships act like a “trust bank account” that makes price increases easier.

If you’ve ever asked yourself, “How can I raise prices right now?” — this episode will give you a clear answer and the tools to act on it.

Thanks for tuning into the Small But Mighty Agency Podcast! If you enjoyed today’s episode, head over to Apple Podcast to follow the pod, and let’s continue the conversation on LinkedIn.