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Announce a $29 to $39 price increase to loyal customers
- For Marketing and content
- You practice Getting the tone right
- Time about 5 minutes
- Level Intermediate
About this exercise
Tallybook, a 4-year-old invoicing app, raises its price on Jan 1, and long-time customers are already complaining on social. Write the email that goes to every current customer, from Jo at Tallybook, as plain text under 150 words. Start with a subject line that has both prices. The first two sentences must state the change and the date plainly, with no "exciting news" or "thrilled". Then give the honest why, what existing customers get, and how to lock the annual price. Legal's rules: no urgency language such as "limited time", "act now" or "last chance", and no promise that the price will never rise again. End with the help link.
Common mistakes when you ask AI for this
- Burying the price. The AI opens with warm thanks and news about features, so the price shows up three paragraphs down. Try: Say: "The first two sentences state the change and the date plainly."
- Corporate spin. The AI writes "We're excited to announce" about a price people will not like. Try: Add: "No exciting, thrilled or pleased. Give the honest why with the real facts."
- Inventing urgency. The AI adds "limited time" or "act now" to push the annual plan. Try: Add: "No urgency language. Only the real date, Apr 1, for the monthly lock."
- Forgetting what loyal customers get. The AI mentions the new price but skips the $29 until Apr 1 and the $348 annual lock. Try: Add: "Say existing customers stay at $29 until Apr 1 and can lock $29/month with the $348 annual plan."
- Trusting the AI to count words. AI runs long when you only give a total, and adds markdown. Try: Say "under 120 words, plain text" and cap the parts, like "6 short sentences".
What a strong prompt includes
- Price and date first
- Honest why, no spin
- What loyal customers get
- Annual lock
- No fake urgency
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