Asking For More YOU GET WHAT YOU pay for. It’s a reality we all recognize. So why are we in business sometimes so hesitant to ask for more? Right now, plenty of businesses – maybe yours, maybe your clients’ – are worried sick about raising prices. Economic pressure is real. In the promo world especially, tariff pressure is real. And buyers are acting cautious. Competition is fierce. None of us wants to make the wrong move at the wrong time. You worry about sticker shock and losing customers you worked hard to earn. You worry about how a higher price tag might tarnish your brand’s image or scare away uncertain buyers. But here’s the thing: Hesitation is normal. Fear is normal. And raising your prices anyway – when it’s the right thing for your business – is called leadership. Sometimes, the reasons for changing rates are obvious to a client. Inflation and import costs will make sense to anyone reasonable. Other times, the improvements are less tangible. Maybe you’ve added stronger customer support or invested in faster turnaround times. Those things come at a cost, but the customer experience improves. Costs have been going up since the stone age, and the sky never falls. PPAI itself is now a year removed from raising membership dues for the first time in more than a decade. Thankfully, our members didn’t bolt. In fact, most barely blinked. You understood, and you believed in what we could provide. When people want better, they’re willing to pay for better. Here’s what I’ve learned – and what I want you to know – about why raising prices is not just safe, but smart: 1 Premium prices reflect premium value. Let’s face it: Cheap doesn’t impress anyone. If you’re a distributor with a knack for steering clients into As margins are threatened by rising costs from tariff uncertainty, it’s time to become comfortable charging for your premium service. By Michele Schwartz 24 • JULY 2025 • PPAI Voices | Your Business CHOTTHANIN THITIAKARAKIAT / ImagePixel / Shutterstock.com
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