Do you know what you’re really selling? 

Have you been wondering if you’re charging too much… or not nearly enough?

When I owned my photography studio, pricing was something I wrestled with all the time. I wanted to stay competitive, but I also needed to make enough money to stay in business. Every time I saw someone charging less, I started questioning whether my prices were too high.

Then one day, a mentor told me something I'll never forget.

People often complained that her custom portraits were too expensive. They would tell her they could get an 8x10 print for just a few dollars at the local big box store.

She would smile and say, "I'm not selling you a paper picture. I'm creating art for you."

That one sentence completely changed the way I looked at pricing.

She wasn't charging people for a piece of paper. She was charging for years of experience, creativity, the time she spent planning the session, editing every image, and creating something her clients would treasure for years to come. A work of art that would likely hang on the wall for decades.

It made me realize that every business owner has to answer the same question.

What are you really selling?

Maybe you sell plumbing services. Maybe you own a bakery. Maybe you're a consultant or a landscaper. Your customers aren't just paying for your time or your materials. They're paying for your knowledge, your reliability, your customer service, and the confidence that you'll do the job right.

That's why pricing is about so much more than trying to be the cheapest.

If you've been second-guessing your prices lately, spend a little time this week thinking about the value you bring to your customers. You might discover you've been selling yourself short all along.

Insider Tip:

According to the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB), a net 36% of small business owners reported raising their average selling prices in May 2026, the highest level since March 2023. Another 34% said they plan to increase prices in the coming months as they continue to manage rising costs.

If you haven't reviewed your pricing in the last year, now is a great time to make sure it still reflects the true cost of running your business. Raising your prices doesn't always mean charging more than your competitors. Sometimes it simply means making sure your business stays healthy enough to serve your customers for years to come.

Three small business moves to try this week

1. Raise one price you’ve been avoiding

Don't review your entire pricing list. Just identify one product or service that hasn't kept up with your costs and decide whether it's time for an adjustment. 

2. Search for a free alternative to one business tool you use. 

Choose one piece of software your business uses. Spend 10 minutes researching free alternatives. You might discover a tool that does everything you need without the monthly price tag. 

3. Reach out to one past customer 

Not to sell.

Simply check in and ask how things are going since you worked with them.

Some of the best business opportunities come from relationships you've already built.

Check out the latest articles published on Fit Small Business this week:

Every time I open social media, someone is showing off another amazing thing AI can do. You can get suggestions on redecorating your living room, try out 20 new hairstyles with the click of a button, see what your driveway would look like with a new Lamborghini, or turn your family dog into a superhero.

Those videos are definitely entertaining, but as a business owner, that's not the question we’re trying to answer. We need to know how AI can help us save time, better serve our customers, and run our businesses more efficiently.

That's why I wanted to highlight The Neuron Academy as my tool of the week. What I like most is that it skips all the hype and focuses on practical ways to use AI in your everyday work. 

Instead of trying to piece tips together from random videos online, you'll learn things you can put to work right away. I learned how to personalize ChatGPT, build a Custom GPT for my business, and use AI to automate everyday tasks that normally eat up my time.

I also appreciate that the lessons fit into a busy schedule. If you only have 10 minutes, you can jump into a Quick Hit and learn something useful before your next meeting. If you have more time, there are longer courses that walk you through a topic step by step.

If AI is one of those things you've been meaning to learn but just haven't had the time, I think this is a great place to start. You don't need to become an AI expert overnight. You just need to learn enough to save yourself time and work more efficiently, which will make running your business a little easier.

Check it out with a 7- day free trial and test it out for yourself.

If you could hand off one part of your business tomorrow, what would it be?

I think the answer to this question tells us a lot about ourselves as business owners.

For some of us, it's bookkeeping. For others, it's social media, payroll, answering emails, or keeping up with invoices. Maybe even something as simple as cleaning the office every week. 

What's interesting is that the task that saps the bulk of our energy is often the hardest one for us to part with. We hold on to it so tight, refusing to let it go. Not because we enjoy it but because we feel responsible for it. 

Maybe it’s time to think about why. Are we the only ones who know how to do it? Do we worry that if we outsource it, it will not be done the way we like? This is a good time for self-examination. 

Does it hurt us more to hold it tight or to let it go?

Imagine how different your week would look if that responsibility disappeared tomorrow. Would you spend more time with customers or your children? Launch that new product you've been thinking about? Finally, take a day off? Or simply end your workday a little earlier?

This week, spend a few minutes thinking about why you're holding on so tightly.

Sometimes, the biggest thing standing between us and the business we want isn't a lack of time. It's our willingness to trust someone else with a piece of it.

Rayanne Harmon

Senior Small Business Writer and Entrepreneur

Rayanne is an entrepreneur, longtime business operator, and finance professional who has spent decades balancing a full-time career while building businesses of her own on the side. Her perspective comes from personally navigating the realities of entrepreneurship, customer relationships, growth decisions, and the emotional ups and downs that come with running a business. 

Influenced by her father, who balanced a full-time job with multiple side businesses, Rayanne grew up surrounded by entrepreneurship, hard work, and creative problem-solving. 

That mindset led her to own and operate a successful photography studio from 1997 to 2017 while building a career across banking, accounting, and business finance. In 2019, she launched a social media marketing agency focused on helping small businesses increase their visibility, build stronger customer connections, and grow with intention. 

Throughout her career, Rayanne has combined the logical side of business with the creative side of entrepreneurship. Her passion for people, problem-solving, and meaningful work continues to shape the way she writes and advises business owners today.

Through the Small Business Insider, Rayanne shares practical advice, honest conversations, and real-world insights designed to help business owners navigate the emotional and operational realities of building a business.

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