Consulting Fees Study 2019 (And How To Raise Your Rates)
You don’t need a perfect “market rate” to price well—you need clarity on value, positioning, and outcomes.
Even back in the 2019 era, many common consulting fee discussions pointed to the same pattern: consultants who price based on outcomes and specialize tend to earn more than generalists who price by the hour.
Step 1: Identify your value metric
What do you improve?
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Revenue
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Cost reduction
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Risk reduction
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Time savings
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Retention/engagement
Step 2: Package your work
Hourly pricing punishes efficiency. Packages reward results.
Example packages:
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“HR Handbook + Compliance Setup”
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“Hiring Process Build + Interview System”
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“Manager Training + Performance Framework”
Step 3: Raise rates in a structured way
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Increase for new clients first
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Add scope tiers (Good / Better / Best)
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Improve positioning before increasing price (case studies, outcomes)
Step 4: Communicate with confidence
Use: “To maintain quality and capacity, our rates are being updated. Existing clients can renew by X date at the current rate.”