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Grandfathering Existing Clients: Price Increase Strategy Guide

How to raise prices for new clients while honoring existing client rates in CoachIQ

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Overview

Raising your prices is a natural part of business growth, but you want to reward loyal clients who’ve been with you from the start. CoachIQ gives you the flexibility to increase rates for new clients while automatically maintaining existing clients at their current pricing—a strategy known as “grandfathering.” This guide walks you through the complete process of implementing a price increase that protects your existing client relationships while positioning your business for sustainable growth.
Business impact: Coaches who implement strategic price increases see an average 20-30% revenue boost within 6 months while maintaining 95%+ client retention through grandfathering.

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Why grandfather existing clients?

Grandfathering demonstrates loyalty and builds long-term relationships. Your existing clients:
  • Took a chance on you when you were building your reputation
  • Provide testimonials and referrals
  • Create predictable recurring revenue
  • Cost less to retain than new clients to acquire
Meanwhile, new pricing reflects your increased experience, improved services, and current market value.

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Your grandfathering strategy: Choose your situation

The right approach depends on where you are in your CoachIQ journey:

New to CoachIQ

Migrating from another platform or manual systems with existing clientsYour need: Set up legacy products for current clients while displaying new pricing publicly

Active on CoachIQ

Already using CoachIQ with clients on active subscriptionsYour need: Raise prices for new clients while active subscriptions stay at current rates

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Strategy 1: New to CoachIQ (Migration scenario)

Your situation: You’re switching to CoachIQ from another platform, spreadsheets, or manual processes. You have existing clients paying at your old rates, and you want to use this transition to implement new pricing for future clients.

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How it works

You’ll create two separate product sets in CoachIQ:
  1. Legacy products - For existing clients only, not visible on your public website
  2. New products - For future clients, displayed on your website and athlete portal
1

Plan your product structure

Before creating anything in CoachIQ, map out your offerings:Legacy products (for existing clients):
  • List each service/membership you currently offer
  • Note the current price each existing client pays
  • Determine if any clients have custom rates
New products (for future clients):
  • List the same services with your new pricing
  • Decide on your new rate structure
Pro tip: Create a simple spreadsheet with columns for “Service Name,” “Legacy Price,” “New Price,” and “Existing Clients on This.” This becomes your reference guide during setup.
2

Create your legacy products first

Start by setting up products for your existing clients:
  1. Navigate to Dashboard → Products
  2. Click Create Product (or your new product button)
  3. Name it clearly to distinguish it as legacy:
    • Example: “Monthly Training (Legacy - $199)”
    • Example: “Group Sessions - Existing Clients”
  4. Set the price to your current/old rate
  5. Configure all other settings (billing frequency, description, etc.)
  6. Important: Do NOT add this product to your website or athlete portal
  7. Save the product
Repeat this process for each service you offer at your current pricing.
Naming convention: Include “(Legacy)” or the price in the product name so you can easily identify it in your admin panel. Clients will see a cleaner name on their invoices if you customize the client-facing display name separately.
3

Create your new public-facing products

Now set up products at your new pricing:
  1. Navigate to Payments → Products
  2. Click Create +
  3. Name it with your public-facing name:
    • Example: “Monthly Training”
    • Example: “Group Sessions”
  4. Set the price to your new rate
  5. Configure all settings identically to the legacy version
  6. Save the product
  7. Display this product on your website and athlete portal
These are the products new clients will see and purchase from your public pages.
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4

Send legacy products to existing clients

Now you need to get your existing clients signed up for their legacy products:
  1. Copy the direct link or checkout page for the legacy product
  2. Send personalized emails to existing clients with their specific signup link
  3. Include clear instructions and the price they’ll be paying
  4. Follow up with clients who don’t complete signup
Critical: Do not share legacy product links publicly or on your website. Only send them directly to existing clients who should receive that pricing.
5

Verify your setup

Confirm everything is configured correctly:For legacy products:
  • Created with old pricing
  • Named clearly for internal identification
  • NOT visible on website or athlete portal
  • Assigned to existing clients only
For new products:
  • Created with new pricing
  • Public-facing professional names
  • Visible on website and athlete portal
  • Ready for new client purchases
Success! New clients see and purchase at new rates, while existing clients are protected at their legacy pricing.

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Managing your dual product structure

This requires a business decision:Scenario: Client on “Monthly Training (Legacy - $199)” wants to upgrade to “Weekly Training”Options:
  1. Maintain loyalty: Create a legacy version of the new service at a proportional old rate
  2. New pricing applies: Client moves to the new public product at current rates
  3. Hybrid approach: Offer a discounted rate between legacy and new pricing
Document your policy and communicate it clearly when clients inquire about changes.
Best practices:
  • Never mention specific new pricing in group communications
  • When discussing services with existing clients, reference “your current rate”
  • If clients browse your public website, they’ll see new pricing—be prepared to explain your loyalty pricing structure
  • Consider adding an FAQ to your website: “Current clients: Your rate remains unchanged. Contact me for your pricing.”
Decide this policy before migration and include it in your communications:Option 1 - Grace period: “If you cancel and return within 30 days, your rate is protected”Option 2 - Permanent protection: “Your legacy rate is yours for life, even if you pause and restart”Option 3 - One-time protection: “If you cancel, new pricing applies to any future rejoining”In CoachIQ, you can:
  • Keep their client profile with notes about their legacy status
  • Reassign them to their legacy product if they return (Option 1 or 2)
  • Assign them to new products if your policy is Option 3
Only if you have multiple existing clients at that rate:Create separate legacy products when:
  • 3+ clients paying the same rate
  • Significantly different price points
  • Different service levels or frequencies
Use client notes for exceptions:
  • 1-2 clients with unique pricing
  • Custom negotiated rates
  • Temporary promotional rates
Add detailed notes to these clients’ profiles about their special pricing and manually adjust invoices if needed.

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Strategy 2: Active on CoachIQ (Price increase scenario)

Your situation: You’ve been using CoachIQ and have active client subscriptions running through Stripe. You want to raise your prices for new clients, but existing subscriptions should remain at their current rates automatically.

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How it works

When you update your product pricing in CoachIQ, existing active subscriptions in Stripe automatically maintain their current rates. Only new subscriptions will use the updated pricing.
Good news: CoachIQ’s integration with Stripe handles grandfathering automatically for active subscriptions. You don’t need to create duplicate products or manually manage existing clients.
1

Review your current products and subscriptions

Before making changes, understand your current state:
  1. Navigate to Payments → Products
  2. Note which products have active subscribers
  3. For each product, review:
    • Current pricing
    • Number of active subscriptions
    • Billing frequency
Documentation tip: Take screenshots of your current pricing structure. This helps you reference the legacy rates and communicate with clients who have questions.
2

Update your product pricing

Simply change the price on your existing products:
  1. Go to Payments → Products
  2. Select the product you want to update
  3. Navigate to the Pricing section
  4. Enter your new price
  5. Click Save Changes
That’s it! Any new customer will be pay your new rate while your existing customers are locked in to the previous rate.
What happens behind the scenes: CoachIQ updates the product price for new purchases, but Stripe maintains existing subscription rates unchanged. Your existing clients continue paying their original rate automatically.
3

Verify existing subscriptions remain unchanged

Confirm that active clients weren’t affected:
  1. Go to Dashboard → Clients
  2. Select a few existing clients with active subscriptions
  3. View their subscription details
  4. Confirm their billing amount shows the old rate
You can also check Stripe directly:
  1. Log into your Stripe dashboard
  2. Navigate to Subscriptions
  3. Review a few existing subscriptions
  4. Verify the price hasn’t changed
Success! Your new product pricing is live for new clients, while existing subscriptions continue at their original rates.
4

Update your website and marketing

Make sure new clients see your updated pricing:
  1. Review your website to ensure it reflects new pricing
  2. Update any marketing materials or rate sheets
  3. Brief team members on the new pricing structure
  4. Prepare talking points for sales conversations

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Important considerations for active subscriptions

When a client cancels their subscription, they lose their legacy pricing protection. If they want to rejoin:By default: They’ll need to subscribe at your new current pricingTo offer legacy pricing: You’ll need to manually process their subscription at the old rate through Stripe or create a custom payment arrangementBest practice: Establish and communicate a clear policy:
  • “If you cancel and return within 30 days, contact me to discuss rate options”
  • “Once cancelled, new pricing applies to future subscriptions”
  • “Pausing is available instead of cancelling to maintain your rate”
Yes, but it requires intentional action in Stripe. Automatic grandfathering is the default, but you can manually update subscription prices when needed:To update individual subscriptions:
  1. Access the subscription in Stripe
  2. Update the price for that specific subscription
  3. Set when the new price takes effect (immediately or next billing cycle)
Common reasons to update:
  • Expiration of grandfather period (with 60-90 day notice to clients)
  • Service level changes requested by client
  • Agreement with client to transition to new pricing
Always communicate first: Never update a subscription price without advance written notice to the client (typically 60-90 days).
When a client changes their service level, they’re technically creating a new subscription:Upgrading:
  • Client cancels current subscription
  • Creates new subscription at the upgraded service level
  • New subscription uses your current pricing
Maintaining loyalty on upgrades: If you want to honor their legacy pricing on the upgrade:
  1. Manually process the upgrade through Stripe
  2. Set a custom price based on their legacy rate ratio
  3. Document the special pricing in the client’s notes
Example: Client paying 200forServiceA(whencurrentpriceis200 for Service A (when current price is 250) wants to upgrade to Service B (currently 300).Loyaltypricing:300). Loyalty pricing: 240 (same 20% legacy discount).
Several tracking methods:Method 1 - Client tags:
  1. Add a tag like “Legacy Pricing” or “Pre-2025 Rate” to grandfathered clients
  2. Use this tag to filter and view all legacy-rate clients
Method 2 - Client notes:
  • Add a note to each client’s profile: “Legacy rate: $X, started [date]”
  • Include any special terms or expiration dates
Method 3 - Stripe metadata:
  • Add custom metadata to subscriptions in Stripe
  • Mark legacy subscriptions for easy identification
Method 4 - Spreadsheet tracking:
  • Export client list with subscription details
  • Track legacy vs. new pricing in a master spreadsheet
  • Update monthly to monitor the transition
If you’re restructuring your offerings significantly (new product names, different service bundles), you’re essentially in the “New to CoachIQ” scenario even though you’re an existing user.In this case:
  1. Create your new product structure at new pricing
  2. Keep your old products for existing subscriptions
  3. Stop displaying old products publicly
  4. Gradually transition clients to new products as their subscriptions renew or they choose to upgrade
This gives you a clean break while still maintaining existing commitments.

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Communicating your price increase

How you communicate the change is just as important as the pricing strategy itself. Here’s a proven approach:

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Announcement timeline

1

60-90 days before: Initial announcement

Send a personal message through CoachIQ Inbox:Subject: Important update about [Your Business Name]Key points:
  • Announce the upcoming price increase
  • Explain the reason (expanded services, increased experience, market alignment)
  • Clearly state existing clients are grandfathered
  • Provide the exact date new pricing takes effect
  • Express gratitude for their loyalty
Messaging template: “As a valued client who’s been with me since [timeframe], your current rate of [amount] will remain unchanged. This is my way of saying thank you for your trust and support. New clients joining after [date] will invest [new amount].”
2

30 days before: Reminder and FAQ

Follow up with:
  • Reminder of the upcoming change
  • Answers to common questions
  • Emphasis that their rate remains unchanged
  • Details on what new clients will pay
  • Explanation of what happens if they pause/cancel
This reinforces their special status and reduces confusion.
3

1 week before: Final notice

Send a brief reminder:
  • New pricing takes effect in one week
  • Their rate is still protected (if applicable)
  • New client pricing listed for their reference
  • Encourage referrals before the rate change
4

On effective date: Confirmation

After implementation:
  • Confirm the change is live
  • Thank existing clients again
  • Update your website and marketing materials
  • Brief team members on how to discuss pricing

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Message tone and positioning

DO say

  • “Your loyalty matters to me”
  • “Your current rate remains unchanged”
  • “This helps me continue providing excellent service”
  • “New clients will invest [new amount]”

DON'T say

  • “I have no choice but to raise prices”
  • “Costs are going up everywhere”
  • “You’re getting a special deal”
  • “I’m sorry for the inconvenience”

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Using CoachIQ’s communication tools

Send your announcement efficiently:
  1. Dashboard → Inbox → New Message
  2. Select clients you want to message
  3. Craft your message using the template above
  4. Schedule for optimal send time
Pro tip: Follow up individually with your highest-value clients. A personal phone call or video message shows extra appreciation for their business.

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Business considerations and FAQs

Industry benchmarks suggest:
  • 10-15%: Standard annual increase for inflation and experience
  • 20-30%: Significant service improvements or market repositioning
  • 30%+: Major business transformation or premium positioning
Test the market by:
  • Researching competitor pricing in your area
  • Surveying new client willingness to pay
  • Calculating your true cost of service delivery
  • Considering your experience and results
Create a clear referral policy:Option 1 - Standard rate: Referrals pay new pricing (most common)Option 2 - Referral discount: Offer referred clients a discount (10-20% off new rate) for a limited timeOption 3 - Legacy rate extension: Allow referrals from grandfathered clients to access legacy pricing (typically for first month only)Document your choice and communicate it when announcing the price increase.
Consider transitioning all clients when:
  • It’s been 18-24 months since the increase
  • Your service offering has significantly changed
  • The price gap becomes too large (40%+ difference)
  • You’re ready for another strategic increase
Always provide 60-90 days notice and consider offering legacy clients something special (bonus sessions, free month) to ease the transition.
For clients with existing payment plans:
  1. Honor the current plan: Let them finish at the agreed rate
  2. Document in their profile: Note when the plan ends
  3. Set a reminder: Schedule follow-up for plan completion
  4. Offer renewal options: When plan ends, offer new pricing with option to renew at a middle-tier rate as a loyalty bonus
In CoachIQ:
  • View payment plans under Dashboard → Payments
  • Add notes to each client’s profile about grandfathered status
  • Client’s scheduled payments will continue at agreed amounts
Maintain the discount structure, not the absolute price:Example:
  • Old pricing: 200/month,siblingsget20200/month, siblings get 20% off (160)
  • New pricing: 250/month,siblingsstillget20250/month, siblings still get 20% off (200)
The discount percentage stays the same, but applies to your current rate structure. Grandfathered clients keep both their base rate AND their discount structure.
Set up safeguards:
  1. Tag legacy clients in CoachIQ with “Grandfathered” tag
  2. Add detailed notes to client profiles about their rate and start date
  3. Create a reference spreadsheet of all legacy pricing
  4. Review before any subscription changes involving legacy clients
  5. Train team members if you have staff on the pricing structure
For Strategy 2 (Active on CoachIQ): The system automatically maintains existing subscription rates, so accidental overcharging is unlikely unless you manually change subscription prices in Stripe.If an error occurs, immediately refund the difference and apologize with a bonus session or credit.
Generally no. This can create several issues:
  • New clients may feel they’re overpaying
  • Creates pressure to negotiate rates
  • Diminishes perceived value of your services
Exception: If directly asked, be honest but frame it positively: “I reward long-term client loyalty with rate protection. Clients who’ve been with me for [timeframe] have locked-in rates as a thank you for their early support.”

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Advanced grandfathering strategies

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Progressive price increases

Instead of one large jump, implement gradual increases: Year 1: Grandfather existing clients, new clients at +15%
Year 2: Previous “new clients” grandfathered, newest clients at +15%
Year 3: All clients moved to unified rate with 90-day notice This creates multiple price tiers that gradually converge over time.

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Grandfather expiration with benefits

Set a 12-18 month grandfather period with this promise: “Your rate is protected for the next 18 months. When pricing adjusts, you’ll receive:
  • 60-day advance notice
  • A free month of service
  • Priority booking privileges
  • First access to new programs”
This gives clients long-term security with a known eventual transition.

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Value-add instead of price freeze

Rather than maintaining old rates indefinitely, offer enhanced value: “Your monthly rate increases to [new amount], but you now receive:
  • Extra session per month
  • Access to group training
  • Priority scheduling
  • Monthly video programming”
This lets you standardize pricing while still honoring loyal clients with increased value.

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Quick reference checklist

Print or save this checklist when implementing your price increase:

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For New CoachIQ Users (Migration)

Pre-migration (60-90 days before):
  • Map out all current services and pricing
  • Decide on new pricing structure
  • Create client list with current rates each pays
  • Draft announcement message for existing clients
  • Finalize referral and cancellation policies
Setup phase (30-60 days before):
  • Create all legacy products in CoachIQ at old rates
  • Create all new products at new pricing
  • Ensure only new products are visible on website/portal
  • Test that legacy products are not publicly visible
  • Prepare client signup instructions
Migration week:
  • Import or add all existing clients to CoachIQ
  • Assign each client to appropriate legacy product
  • Send personalized signup links/instructions
  • Process initial payments or set up subscriptions
  • Verify all existing clients are set up correctly
  • Enable new products for public purchase
  • Update all marketing materials

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For Active CoachIQ Users (Price Increase)

Pre-increase (60-90 days before):
  • Decide on new pricing structure
  • Document current pricing and active subscriptions
  • Tag all current clients as “Grandfathered”
  • Add notes to client profiles about legacy rates
  • Draft announcement message
  • Review and finalize referral policy
Announcement period (30-60 days before):
  • Send initial announcement to all existing clients
  • Make yourself available for questions
  • Send FAQ follow-up at 30 days
  • Make personal calls to top clients
  • Update internal documentation
Implementation (1 week before to launch day):
  • Send final reminder to existing clients
  • Update product pricing in CoachIQ
  • Verify existing subscriptions maintained old rates
  • Update website pricing
  • Update all marketing materials
  • Brief team on new structure
  • Send confirmation message on launch day
Post-increase (first 90 days):
  • Monitor client retention daily for first week
  • Respond quickly to any pricing questions
  • Track new client conversion rates
  • Review for any accidental billing errors
  • Collect feedback from new clients on pricing
  • Celebrate your business growth!

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Next steps

Now that you understand how to implement grandfathered pricing:
  1. Identify your situation: Are you migrating to CoachIQ or already active?
  2. Choose your strategy: Follow Strategy 1 or Strategy 2 based on your situation
  3. Set your timeline: Pick an implementation date 60-90 days out
  4. Set up your products: Configure CoachIQ according to your chosen strategy
  5. Draft your message: Write your client announcement
  6. Get feedback: Run your approach by a mentor or business coach

Need help with pricing strategy?

Connect with other CoachIQ users in the Community Forum to discuss pricing strategies and learn from coaches who’ve successfully implemented increases.Visit Community Forum →

Product setup guide

Learn the complete product configuration process

Client communication

Master CoachIQ’s messaging features

Payment processing

Understand how payments work in CoachIQ
Important: Price increases are business decisions with legal and tax implications. This guide provides technical instruction on using CoachIQ’s features, not financial or legal advice. Consult with your accountant or attorney regarding your specific situation.