The cost of living in San Francisco is high, and most people there can’t afford to buy homes unless they move away from the city. So if you’re looking for an investment opportunity, you can’t go wrong writing a guidebook about the city.
The trick is in setting the right price. You can’t charge what the rental market will bear or what tourists will pay. You need to find the right mix of pricing for your audience so that you make enough money to afford a coffee shop habit while still having enough left over for food and fuel.
Here’s a rough guide to the pricing of a San Francisco guidebook:
Cost Of Living
The first and most important thing you should consider is how much does it cost to live in San Francisco? You should look at a range of costs:
- Food
- Fuel (petrol, diesel, etc)
- Groceries (food shopping)
- Healthcare
- Rent (for offices, bedrooms, etc)
- Transport (bus, taxi, private hire car)
Make a note of the overall average cost of living in San Francisco. You can then decide what you want to charge for your book.
Attracting The Right Readers
You want to attract the right readers to your guide. People who live in the city and in the surrounding areas. People who want to visit the city and learn more about it. People who work in the city and who want to learn more about the area. People who have an interest in the city and may not have heard much about it.
You should look at the demographic of your target audience and consider what they’ll really value in your guide. What will make them pick up your book instead of others on the subject? You can then use this to determine the pricing. You may want to consider:
- Cost
- Value
- Exclusivity
Traveling In The Guide
While you can’t control how travelers will interact with your book (they may love it or hate it), you can influence how much they’ll value it. You can put yourself in the shoes of a first-time visitor to San Francisco and ask yourself: What will I need while I’m there? Will I want to stay in a hotel or an Airbnb? How much do I want to spend on food, transport, and entertainment? You can then use this information to work out the price of your book.
These questions and many more can help you set the right price for your San Francisco guide. Good luck out there.