This Is What Raising Your Rates Actually Takes
Behind the Brand: How We Earned the Right to Charge $20K+
How I Went From $800 Pages to $20K Projects: Lessons in Offer Building, Positioning & Growth
Good evening, folks—
Appreciate you being here. Today, I want to break down how we’ve been able to raise our rates and communicate the value of our work to high-ticket clients.
There was a tweet I shared recently about an offer—what I didn’t mention is that it was for a larger organization with the room (and budget) for research and strategic rollout. That level of engagement is great, but everything still starts with a core offer—and that’s what I want to talk about today.
Before we jump in, let me be clear: I didn’t just tell a good story, hire a few people, and suddenly find myself charging five figures. It took time, intention, and a lot of behind-the-scenes work in three key areas:
Offer development
Client experience
Team development
Let’s dig in.
1. Offer Development: From Capabilities to Clarity
One of the biggest shifts I made this year was refining our offer. Not a list of services. Not “what we can do.” A real offer—one that prospects could immediately connect with.
A good offer puts you in the driver’s seat. It sets expectations, filters out poor-fit leads, and makes sales conversations smoother and more human. If you’ve ever been pulled in a hundred directions on a discovery call, chances are, you didn’t lead with a clear offer.
Now, our conversations sound more like:
“If we’re a good fit, here’s what we can do together.”
It’s less pressure, more alignment.
A strong offer gives you range too. Maybe someone isn’t ready for your $20K solution—but they might be a fit for a $10K version with a different scope or payment plan. That’s not “discounting your worth.” That’s creating access within defined boundaries.
2. What Makes a Great Offer?
Imagine someone building something just for you—an experience that feels tailored, thoughtful, and made to solve your problem. That’s what a great offer does. It’s not just what you do—it’s how you deliver it.
Crafting a great offer takes time, and it should. It’s not a plug-and-play thing. It’s shaped by:
Your skill set
Your experience
Your niche
Your belief that you can make a difference
Notice I didn’t say “your team”—I’ll come back to that.
Your background, your lived experience, your personality—all of it plays a role in what you bring to the table. For me, I realized I’m more passionate about strategy and vision than I am about design itself. I’m energized by sales calls, by asking questions, by solving real problems. That became part of the offer.
3. Niche ≠ Narrow
I’ve never fully subscribed to the “super tight niche” mindset—but I have found it powerful to define the kind of client we serve best.
Our sweet spot? Companies at a growth point—outgrowing their brand or website, and ready for a studio to help them level up.
It’s not as narrow as “only SaaS,” but it’s focused. It’s a niche based on problems, not industries.
When you know who you serve, it’s easier to design a process that gets them results. It also makes your content, marketing, and referrals way more effective.
4. Client Experience: Make It Memorable
One of our most impactful upgrades this year was building a custom project management system. Shoutout to Chris, our lead dev, for bringing that to life.
Clients can now track their project in real time, see updates, leave comments, and even view payment progress—all in one custom-built space. It’s been a game changer. It gives off that “in-house team” feel, which matters when you’re charging premium rates.
But even beyond tech, it’s about making the process feel thoughtful, seamless, and collaborative. That kind of experience gets remembered—and referred.
5. Team Development: Build Around the Offer, Not the People
Here’s where that earlier point comes full circle. Your offer—not your team—should be at the center of your business.
Why? Because people come and go. If your whole model depends on one star player, what happens if they leave? You’re stuck.
A strong offer, documented processes, and a clear vision make it easier to onboard, train, and scale. SOPs aren’t busywork—they’re insurance. They protect your business and your people.
I’m still growing in this area. I’ve never led a team before this, but I’m learning—and making sure we’re building something that lasts beyond any one individual.
Bonus: A Few Thoughts on Raising Your Rates
Invest in high-level services yourself.
Book that $5K package. Go through the process. Watch how they onboard you, communicate, deliver, and upsell. Learn from the experience.Check your positioning.
Are you showing up where the right clients are? Are your value props aligned with your audience’s real goals?Don’t outpace your audience.
Just because you can raise your rates doesn’t mean your current audience is ready. Match the pace with your market.It’s a mindset game too.
Confidence is key—but don’t underestimate the work. Raise your rates and raise your game.
Recap
Raising your rates isn’t just a financial decision—it’s a strategic and mental one.
You want to build an offer that lasts. One that can outlive staff changes, scale sustainably, and feel aligned at every step.
There’s more to explore here—and in my next post, I’ll share how we’ve marketed Crafted Studios and built brand loyalty with both clients and fellow creatives.
If you’ve got thoughts, challenges, or wins of your own, I’d love to hear them. Drop a comment, reply to the email, or DM me anytime.
Talk soon,
–Dexter