Write a price increase announcement
A practical way to use AI for this job in a small business, with a prompt you can copy.
Your costs have gone up, card fees are biting harder, and you know prices have to move. What you dread is the email: sounding greedy, vague, or apologetic enough that customers ignore the date and complain at the counter.
The prompt
Help me write a price increase announcement for my Australian small business. Business: [business]. What changes: [what changes]. Effective date: [effective date]. Old to new examples: [old→new examples with GST-inclusive prices if applicable]. Reason in plain English: [reason]. Write: (1) a short email to customers (under 200 words, Australian English, no hype), (2) an optional SMS under 160 characters, and (3) website banner text under 25 words. State prices clearly, mention GST-inclusive where relevant, and don't invent reasons or claims I didn't give you.
Replace everything in [square brackets] with your own details. Don't paste in anything you wouldn't want stored by the AI provider.
Steps
- Fill in the brackets with the real change, date and reason.
- Run the prompt and pick the email, SMS and banner versions that sound like you.
- Cross-check every price and date against your price list.
- Update Xero or MYOB, your website and Google Business Profile on the same day you send the notice.
A worked example
A suburban cafe in Newcastle has been absorbing higher milk and coffee bean costs, plus covering merchant fees after the RBA card surcharge ban that took effect on 1 October 2026. The owner decides on a clear, honest lift: flat white from $4.50 to $4.80, bacon and egg roll from $9.50 to $10.20, and a note that prices include GST. Effective Monday 17 November 2026, with about five weeks' notice.
She pastes those facts into ChatGPT with the prompt. Back come a calm customer email, a short SMS, and a website banner: 'Menu prices update Mon 17 Nov — GST inclusive.' She edits one line so it sounds like her, posts the banner, updates the Google Business Profile and the till, then sends the email to her regulars list. Total drafting time: about 25 minutes.
Where it goes wrong
AI softens hard numbers into vague phrases like 'slightly higher'. Put the actual dollars back in. It also invents reasons ('due to unprecedented global conditions') you didn't ask for — delete anything you can't stand behind. And don't let it promise discounts or grandfathering you haven't agreed to. Check every figure against Xero or MYOB before you hit send.
Time saved
Writing a price notice from scratch often takes an hour of rewriting. With clear facts and AI, plan for 20 to 30 minutes including your edits. These are my estimates for a typical small business, not measured results.
What it costs (AUD)
Free plans are fine for a one-off announcement.
The free plans of ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini handle this fine. If you end up using AI every day, the paid plans are roughly: ChatGPT Plus approx. A$30 a month, Claude Pro approx. A$29 a month billed monthly (US$20, or about A$24 a month if you pay yearly), and Google AI Pro approx. A$33 a month through the App Store. Prices approx., October 2026. Some are billed in US dollars, so your bank may add a foreign transaction fee. Check the vendor's pricing page before you buy.
Australian notes
Give customers fair notice where you can — many Australian guides suggest 30 to 60 days for ongoing services; for a cafe menu, a few weeks plus clear in-store signage is common sense. Prices shown to consumers should be the total price, including GST and unavoidable fees. Under Australian Consumer Law, don't mislead about prices or invent reasons (the ACCC takes that seriously). Cash or PayID discounts are fine if you disclose them clearly. Update price lists in Xero or MYOB so invoices match what you told people. If you email a marketing list, the Spam Act 2003 still applies: consent, identify your business, and a working unsubscribe. Strip customer names and emails before pasting lists into an AI tool.
Related: product and service descriptions, draft polite but firm emails, and overdue invoice reminders. For follow-up after people enquire about the change, see the lead follow-up bot on our sister site.
Privacy: the Privacy Act and the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs) cover most businesses turning over more than $3 million, plus some smaller ones such as health providers. Even if you're under the threshold, treat customer details with care: strip names, phone numbers and addresses before you paste anything into an AI tool.
Want this to happen automatically? See the step-by-step guide on our sister site: How to set up a lead follow-up bot.
My verdict
Worth doing properly once. Clear notice beats a surprise on the till.
Common questions
How much notice should I give?
For subscriptions or retainers, 30 to 60 days is a common guide. For a cafe or salon menu, a few weeks plus clear signage is usually enough. Put the effective date in every channel.
Do I have to explain why?
You're not legally forced to, but a plain reason builds trust. Stick to true costs; don't invent stories.
Can I surcharge cards again?
The RBA ban on card surcharges for most consumer cards took effect on 1 October 2026. Many small businesses are covering merchant fees in their prices instead. Check current RBA and bank guidance for your situation.
Should prices on the website include GST?
Yes for consumer-facing prices. Say they're GST inclusive so nobody gets a surprise at checkout.
Do this today
Write down three old→new prices, the effective date, and one true sentence for why. Run the prompt, then update your till and website the same day you send the notice.
More marketing use cases
- Write a month of social media post ideas
- Turn one blog post into five social posts
- Draft a monthly email newsletter
Next: Write a month of social media post ideas · All marketing · Want a bot to do this automatically? See bot setup guides.