How to Set Your Pricing: 3 Practical Steps to Find the Right Price (for Any Business)

Whether you sell a product, a service, an experience or a craft, one thing is certain:

Setting the right price is not easy.

When you launch, you improvise.

When you reposition, you doubt.

And when you start growing, pricing becomes strategic.

Yet your price influences everything: credibility, profitability, positioning, and how your client perceives you.

Here are three simple, universal and actionable steps to define a price that feels right, coherent and intentional.

I— Analyse your market (an Excel or Notion table is enough)

Before setting a price, you need to understand the environment you’re entering.

You don’t need a big market report, a simple comparison table works.

Step 1: Identify 8 to 12 competitors

Same industry, similar offer, same type of clients, or same geographic area.

Step 2: Sort them by positioning

Create three columns:

High-end – Mid-range – Entry-level

Observe their promise, style, perceived quality.

Step 3: Note their price ranges

The goal isn’t to copy, it’s to understand.

This applies to every sector:

consulting, hospitality, retail, craftsmanship, wellness, creative work, e-commerce…

Step 4: Position yourself

Ask yourself:

“Where am I perceived today, and where do I want to be perceived tomorrow?”

That gives you a clear, realistic price zone to work with.

II— Choose a simple method to set your price

Several approaches exist, pick the one that fits your model.

A) Value-based pricing

You set your price according to the value your offer creates for the client: transformation, results, experience, rarity, aesthetic, quality...

Example: Photographer

You deliver photos that help your client to sell more, elevate their brand or attract premium customers.

Even if the shoot lasts one hour, the price reflects the value, not the duration.

B) Time- and expertise-based pricing

You charge based on real time, invisible time (prep, revisions, comms), your skill level and the complexity of the work.

Example: SEO consultant

SEO is never “a few hours”.

It includes keyword research, technical audits, fixes, follow-ups and adjustments.

The price reflects visible + invisible time + expertise.

C) Market- and positioning-based pricing

You define your price according to market standards and where you choose to position your brand.

Example: E-commerce boutique

A swimsuit can cost $40 or $200.

The difference comes from positioning: perceived quality, branding, target market, product universe, not just manufacturing cost.

III— Structure your offer so your client understands your price

Setting a price is not enough, you need to give it meaning.

Whatever your sector, a clear offer includes:

A) Your core offer

Your main service, your bestseller, your signature product.

B) An essential version

A lighter, simpler, more accessible option.

C) An advanced version

Premium pack, full service, limited edition, extended support.

D) A natural next step

Every business can offer continuity:

monthly support, optimisation, membership, new collection, maintenance, reporting, loyalty.

Stability comes from continuity, not from one-off sales.

In short

Setting the right price isn’t guesswork.

It’s analysis, structure and positioning.

The winning trio:

• Understand the real value of your offer

• Measure your time and business reality

• Position yourself clearly in your market

With these foundations, you can set a price that supports your business and respects your work.

Calyose Insight

A price is never just a number, it’s a positioning, an intention and a place you claim in your market.

With Calyose, I help founders, makers, creatives, restaurateurs, consultants and business owners clarify their pricing, structure their offers and build a coherent, durable strategy.

If you want to review your pricing, create a clearer framework or strengthen your commercial strategy, send me a message, few questions are enough to build a more aligned and solid model.

Article written by Teva Mellier — Calyose Strategy