One of the most important (and sometimes most difficult) topics for a small business is pricing. Fortunately, the Business Center has a lot of information about pricing to help you figure out what to charge for your products or services. Here are some of the better resources we’ve found regarding pricing.
Business Center Online Resources
“Pricing” in the e-book Encyclopedia of Small Business
Available from any CCPL Library or at home with a CCPL Library card number.
This article outlines pricing basics and gives practical tips on how to decide on a price. (Note: If the link for the article does not work, visit http://tinyurl.com/ccpldatabases, login to the Encyclopedia of Small Business, then look in the Index for “pricing”)
Pricing keyword search in the Small Business Resource Center
Available from any CCPL Library or at home with a CCPL Library card number.
This database search yields business plans, trade magazine articles, overviews, directory entries, and websites on all aspects of small business pricing practices. (Note: if the link for the keyword search does not work, visit http://tinyurl.com/ccpldatabases, login to the Small Business Resource Center, then choose “Pricing” under Business Topics.)
Pricing subject search in General BusinessFile ASAP
Available from any CCPL Library or at home with a CCPL Library card number.
You’ll find over 2,000 articles on pricing topics from trade journals and other periodicals in this database. (Note: If the link for the subject search does not work, visit http://tinyurl.com/ccpldatabases, login to the General BusinessFile ASAP, then enter “Pricing” in the Subject Guide Search box.)
Free Websites
Pricing your products by the U.S. Small Business Administration
Available online at http://tinyurl.com/6foj6x
A free publication from the SBA which explains the basics of how to price a product or service.
Professional Pricing Society
Available online at http://www.pricingsociety.com
One good way to find help for just about any small business topic is to find a professional association which deals with the topic you need. This website offers on-demand webinars, blogs, and white papers on pricing topics. This organization also offers more advanced training, certifications, and other education and support for pricing.
“Pricing Competitively in World Markets” on Export Institute USA
Available online at http://tinyurl.com/62rhku
“Pricing, Quotations, and Terms” in A Basic Guide to Exporting
Available online at http://tinyurl.com/5o9dxj
An article and a list of common questions on how to price exported goods.
CCPL Book Collection
Here are some books on pricing that are part of the CCPL nonfiction book collection. If you have a CCPL library card, you can reserve any of these titles online or over the phone for pickup at your local branch. Click the title you’re interested in or call us at 805-6930 to get started.
- The Art of Pricing: How To Find the Hidden Profits To Grow Your Business by Rafi Mohammed (658.816 Mohammed)
- The Crafter’s Guide to Pricing Your Work by Dan Ramsey (745.5068 Ramsey)
- Power Pricing: How Managing Price Transforms the Bottom Line by Robert J. Dolan, Hermann Simon (658.816 Dolan)
- Priced To Sell: The Complete Guide To More Profitable Pricing by Herman Holtz (658.816 Holtz)
- Winning the Profit Game: Smarter Pricing, Smarter Branding by Robert G. Docters, et al. (658.816 Winning)
See also
- CCPL Business Center’s Business Verticle File: “Pricing” folder (Contains 2 older but useful articles from lowe.org which are no longer available online)
- Subject heading for Pricing in the CCPL Catalog (You’ll see the books that I’ve already listed and any new ones that may have been added to the collection)
I hope that these sources help you get started with pricing your goods and services! Don’t forget that you can also to try to work out what your competitors are charging for similar services by checking up on their promotional materials. Some brave folks even get friends to pose as potential clients to try to get some information directly from competitors, so remember to be creative with your research, too!
