Why You’re Not Charging Enough for Custom Stationery

I remember the first time I charged over $1,000 for a wedding invitation suite. My palms were sweaty. I reread the email ten times before hitting send. And when the client replied with a “Sounds great! Can’t wait to see the designs!” I nearly fell off my chair.

For years, I undercharged. Not because my work wasn’t good, but because I didn’t believe anyone would pay more. I thought keeping my prices low made me more appealing. I thought I had to earn my way to charging what I actually needed to run a sustainable business.

The truth? Pricing low didn’t help me grow. It kept me stuck.

What finally changed everything wasn’t a viral Instagram post or a secret pricing formula. It was learning to look at my business like a business—and understanding that pricing is more about confidence, clarity, and systems than it is about comparison. 

Here’s why you’re probably not charging enough either:

1. You don’t actually know your numbers.

I see this all the time with stationers in their first 1–3 years. You’re working so hard, pouring hours into every design, but you’re still barely paying yourself. You’re not sure what your projects are really costing you in time, materials, or overhead.

When you finally sit down to do the math (and yes, it can be scary!), you might realize you’re making less than minimum wage—or worse, losing money on certain orders. But the good news? You can fix it. You just need the right tools to help you assess your numbers clearly and confidently.

A huge part of this is learning how to determine your actual profit—not just what’s left in your bank account at the end of a project. Once I started digging into product-based profit margins (especially for items like save the dates, add-ons, and day-of goods), I finally saw where I was undercharging without realizing it. I shared more about how I calculate profit margins and evaluate product profitability in this blog post—you can check it out here →.

2. You’re pricing emotionally instead of strategically.

Been there. You send a quote based on what feels reasonable, or what you think someone will pay, not what the work is actually worth. You second-guess everything. You adjust pricing based on the client’s vibe, the season, or your own internal fears. I’ll be the first to admit, I am NOT my own ideal client. And guess what – that’s ok – you don’t have to be.

Strategic pricing means having a formula, a workflow, and a structure behind what you charge. It’s not about being rigid—it’s about being fair to your clients and to your future self.

3. You’re afraid to lose the booking.

This one hits deep. When business is slow or you’re just starting out, it’s tempting to say yes to every project, even if it barely covers your costs. It’s better than nothing, right? Wrong! That is still taking up valuable time that you could be spending on a dream client, or working on a new product or working on business your business systems.  But booking out at prices that drain you doesn’t move you forward—it just burns you out. Trust me, I’ve been there. 

The more clarity and confidence you have in your process, the more you can stand behind your pricing without apology. And funny enough? That energy attracts the right clients. I promise. The kind who trust you, respect your work, and are happy to pay for your expertise.

If this is hitting home, I want you to know you’re not alone—and it doesn’t have to stay this way.

Inside The Stationery Business Roadmap, I walk you through exactly how to price your work with strategy, structure, and confidence. We talk cost breakdowns, value-based pricing, client communication, and how to build a business that supports the life you want.

Because you didn’t start this business to barely get by.

You started it to build something meaningful. Let’s make sure your pricing reflects that.

Check out The Stationery Business Roadmap!