University of Wisconsin–Madison

Pricing for Profit: Build a Price That Supports Your Business (and Your Life!)

Pricing your products and services can be an overwhelming process. Charge too little, and your business may struggle to grow sustainably. Charge too much, and you may worry about losing customers. The reality is that effective pricing is both marketing and math—balancing what your customers value with what your business needs to succeed.

In this practical, hands-on workshop, you’ll explore how pricing communicates value, brand position, and customer expectations while also learning the financial foundations behind sustainable pricing decisions. Through guided activities, you’ll begin building a pricing approach that aligns with your goals, customers, and costs.

You’ll also explore common pricing structures and strategies—including hourly pricing, packages, subscriptions, value-based pricing, competitive pricing, and psychological pricing—and learn why most businesses use a combination of approaches rather than a single formula.

Whether you are launching a new business, introducing a new product or service, or reevaluating your current pricing, this workshop will help you move forward with greater clarity and confidence.

Learn how to:

  • Build a draft pricing direction or range for their business (note: please review the “helpful information to gather before the workshop” section for more information
  • Understand how pricing connects to customers, positioning, and profitability
  • Identify key financial numbers and market research needed to finalize pricing decisions
  • Learn how costs, competition, and customer perception influence pricing
  • Explore pricing models and strategies commonly used by small businesses
  • Develop a short list of next steps to finalize your pricing with confidence

Who is this for:

This workshop is designed for entrepreneurs and small business owners who want a more intentional, sustainable approach to pricing their products or services.

  • Early-stage entrepreneurs who are unsure what to charge
  • Existing business owners who want to refine or validate their pricing

What to bring:

You do not need to have your pricing figured out before attending this session. This workshop is designed to help you think through your options, identify gaps, and build a starting point for your pricing strategy.

You’ll get the most value from the workshop if you come with any information you already know about:

  • Your products or services (how do you/will you make money? What are your units of sale?)
  • Your estimated business expenses or costs
  • Competitor pricing or market comparisons
  • Your target customers and what they value
  • Your revenue or income goals for the business

Don’t worry if you don’t have all of these answers yet. Part of the workshop will focus on helping you identify the numbers, research, and customer insights you may still need before making a final pricing decision. The goal is not to leave with a “perfect” price, but with a clearer process and greater confidence in how to evaluate your pricing moving forward.

Registration Information

Schedule: 12:30 pm – 2:30 pm CST

Location:  Live Virtual

Flow chart starting at "Bookkeeping (tracking)," then to "Accounting (understanding)," and finally to "Financial Management (planning)."

Which financial class is right for you? 

Learn more about Introduction to Financial Management and Intermediate Financial Management

Registration Fall 2026

Date: November 16, 2026
Time: 12:30 pm – 2:30 pm CST
Location: Live Virtual
Fee: $200

The cost of this course is being paid by the Main Street Bounceback Program for eligible businesses. Eligible businesses must be in business (not pre-venture), located in the state of Wisconsin, and employing fewer than 500 employees. These businesses may register here:

Nonprofits, pre-venture (not yet started) businesses, and those participants from a company of over 500 employees, register below:


Registration Types & Dates

Early Bird Closes: 10/26/2026

Late Registration Begins: 11/8/2026

Course Registration Closes: 11/15/20266

Registration Fees

Early Registration Fee: $180

Late Registration Fee: $220


Cancellation Policy: Due to program costs and space limitations for these programs, participants are expected to cancel their registration at least 24 hours ahead of the program. Cancellations that occur less than 24 hours prior to the start of the program will be considered no-shows and may be removed from future programming and/or charged a course fee. 

Disability Statement: Reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities will be made if requested at least two weeks in advance. Contact the UW-Madison SBDC office at sbdc@bus.wisc.edu to request accommodations.

Note: Payment will be required at time of registration. You must have either a credit card or valid UW-Madison funding string to be able to register.

Michail Walker

Instructor

Michail Walker

Michail “Mike” Walker, MBA, is the founder of MW Business Consulting LLC, where he helps entrepreneurs and organizations make smarter financial decisions through practical, hands-on training. With 15+ years of experience in business strategy, financial planning, and government contracting, Mike specializes in simplifying complex financial concepts into tools leaders can use immediately. He’s presented for statewide business academies and economic development groups, and is the creator of the FinanceEDGE™ framework.