Resistance to price increases

Sales people dislike price increase almost as much as customers because they think it makes the product harder to sell. If your own sales force is resistant to increases, you must train them to put greater emphasis on the quality, reliability and service (QRS) features of your products, and sell on that basis. When they're selling value, higher prices should be less of an issue, but you must be able to deliver the QRS to substantiate the new pricing.

If you're sales force has been selling only on price, they're right to be concerned. But you should be, too, because by definition, small business can't succeed based on price only. You must be able to charge enough to create the gross profit margin levels that allow you to capitalize your future growth.