Impact Pricing

Fede de la Balze is the Co-CEO at Staff Schedule Care and former VP at Pacific Lake Partners, a unique private equity firm specializing in entrepreneurship through acquisition (search funds). With extensive experience in pricing strategy for small and mid-sized businesses, Fede has been instrumental in developing pricing bootcamps for private equity portfolio companies. His journey from supporting searchers to becoming a CEO himself provides valuable insights into the intersection of pricing strategy and business acquisition. In this episode, Fede shares his fascinating experience with search funds, the critical role of pricing in business valuation, and the unique challenges of implementing pricing strategies as a first-time CEO. Together with Mark, they explore how pricing power indicates business quality, the importance of incremental testing over analysis paralysis, and the evolution of the search fund industry.   Why you have to check out today's podcast: Learn about the unique world of search funds and entrepreneurship through acquisition. Discover how pricing power serves as a key indicator of business quality and investment potential. Understand the practical challenges of implementing pricing strategies as a new CEO.   "Come up with something that's a little bit better than what you have and put it in front of someone and test it. I think that's worth a lot."  – Fede de la Balze   Topics Covered: 01:41 – What is Pacific Lake Partners and how search funds differ from traditional private equity 04:15 – The story that sparked the need for pricing bootcamps in the search fund world 06:33 – Why pricing isn't just about changing numbers - it's about market segmentation and value delivery 08:20 – Who owns pricing in small and mid-sized businesses 09:49 – How pricing power became a key criteria in Fede's business search process 13:22 – The reality of being a searcher - "like floating in midair" with binary outcomes 17:16 – Why the search fund industry is becoming oversaturated with email outreach 18:42 – The three types of knowledge every new CEO must master 21:02 – Dealing with legacy pricing decisions and constraints as a new business owner   Key Takeaways: "If you don't think there's a pricing opportunity, it's probably not a good business to buy. Not because you're going to depend on pricing to grow the business necessarily, but because if you don't think there's a pricing opportunity, there's probably not enough value differentiation." – Fede de la Balze "The CEO needs to think and understand that this is their calling. No one's going to figure this out other than them." – Fede de la Balze "Pricing is not a one-time event. It's how you think about how you're adding value and you should continually be thinking and tweaking your pricing model as you go to align with value." – Fede de la Balze   Resources and People Mentioned: Pacific Lake Partners: https://www.pacificlake.com/ Staff Schedule Care: https://www.staffschedulecare.com/ Impact Pricing Bootcamps: https://impactpricing.com/value-optimization-bootcamp/   Connect with Fede de la Balze: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/federico-de-la-balze-7387a42a/    Connect with Mark Stiving: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stiving/ Email: mark@impactpricing.com  

This is an Impact Pricing Blog published on April 21, 2025, turned into an audio podcast so you can listen on the go. Read Full Article Here: https://impactpricing.com/blog/moving-hearts-and-minds/ If you have any feedback, definitely send it. You can reach us at mark@impactpricing.com.  Now, go make an impact.   Connect with Mark Stiving: Email: mark@impactpricing.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stiving/  

Join Mark Stiving for a unique dual-guest conversation with Jon Jennings, longtime Impact Pricing sponsor and successful pricing recruiter, and Ryan Walter, a pricing veteran with over 15 years of leadership experience who recently transitioned into recruiting. Together, they reveal the insider's view of private equity pricing transformations, from deal diligence to exit strategies. In this episode, they explore why private equity firms are investing heavily in pricing capabilities, how to determine the right level of pricing leadership for different situations, and the evolving landscape of pricing careers.  The conversation covers everything from pre-acquisition planning to AI's impact on pricing roles, offering valuable insights for both pricing professionals and business leaders.   Why you have to check out today's podcast: Learn the critical difference between hiring a pricing person and orchestrating a pricing transformation. Understand the decision framework for determining whether you need a manager, director, or VP-level pricing leader. Explore why portfolio companies often resist pricing initiatives and how to overcome that resistance.   “In the private equity space, part of the diligence is we think there's an opportunity of pricing improvement of some dollar amount to go get. In order to get that, you're going to need to transform the way things are working, which is building out a team.” – Ryan Walter   Topics Covered: 02:05 – Ryan's journey into pricing: From MBA analytics to solving 7-Eleven's cigarette pricing crisis in Florida 03:29 – Pricing transformation strategies: Why PE's 5-year timeline perfectly aligns with pricing capability building 07:49 – Pricing as a center of excellence: The evolution from analyst roles to VP-level positions and what's next 11:05 – Private equity hiring differences: Stakeholder dynamics, investment thesis pressure, and the "shorter leash" reality 14:30 – Pricing problems in portfolio companies: When port cos don't see the problem PE firms see and how to bridge that gap 17:37 – Pricing transformation explained: Why it's all-encompassing and requires strategy, finance, data, and leadership skills 20:48 – Transformational roles in organizations: The difference between backfilling and building, and why transformation always wins 23:41 – Hiring pricing professionals for PE: Building pricing advisor roles at the firm level and sharing resources across portcos 26:17 – AI's impact on pricing: Data foundation requirements and immediate use cases like rebate design and negotiation prep 29:13 – AI in pricing strategies: Competitive data matching, SKU comparison, and the 80% solution approach 32:06 – Promoting the pricing field: Building the next generation of talent and educating people into pricing careers   Key Takeaways: "In the private equity space, part of the diligence is we think there's an opportunity of pricing improvement of some dollar amount to go get. In order to get that, you're going to need to transform the way things are working, which is building out a team." – Ryan Walter "The reason I like that word [transformation] is it's all encompassing because it's not really one thing. It's not, oh, we need to get a director of FPA in here. We need to get somebody who understands strategy, who understands finance, who understands data and IT tools, and is a leader that can influence others." – Ryan Walter "If you're going to go for a pricing transformation, you have to dive in with both feet. Halfway doesn't typically work." – Jon Jennings   Resources and People Mentioned: 7-Eleven: https://www.7-eleven.com/   Connect with Jon Jennings & Ryan Walter: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonjennings/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-walter3141/   Connect with Mark Stiving: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stiving/ Email: mark@impactpricing.com  

This is an Impact Pricing Blog published on April 14, 2025, turned into an audio podcast so you can listen on the go. Read Full Article Here: https://impactpricing.com/blog/willingness-to-pay-is-not-rational/ If you have any feedback, definitely send it. You can reach us at mark@impactpricing.com.  Now, go make an impact.   Connect with Mark Stiving: Email: mark@impactpricing.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stiving/  

Mark Stiving is a pricing expert and the host of the Impact Pricing podcast, where he explores the intricate relationship between pricing, value, and context. With a wealth of experience in pricing strategies, Mark is passionate about helping companies maximize their revenue through effective pricing techniques. Steven Forth is the co-founder and Managing Partner at Ibbaka, a leading pricing strategy consultancy. With deep expertise in B2B SaaS pricing and value-based pricing models, Steven has been at the forefront of pricing innovation for over two decades. He's passionate about the intersection of pricing strategy, customer value, and emerging technologies like AI agents. In this episode, Steven turns the tables on Mark to explore context-driven pricing – Mark's revolutionary framework that's changing how pricing professionals think about willingness to pay. Together, they dive deep into the four contexts that drive every pricing decision, the three-layer business framework that organizes pricing strategy, and why perfection is the enemy of progress in pricing.   Why you have to check out today's podcast: Discover the concept of context-driven pricing and its significance in today's market. Learn how different contexts, such as environmental and customer factors, influence pricing decisions. Understand the importance of defining the problem to effectively implement pricing strategies.   “Willingness to pay is contextual.” – Mark Stiving   Topics Covered: 01:37 – What motivated Mark to think about Context-driven Pricing? 03:15 – The four categories of context: problem, customer, behavioral, and environmental. 04:52 – How environmental factors influence willingness to pay? 06:01 – The role of competitors in shaping pricing strategies. 08:13 – Understanding the foundational problem and its impact on pricing decisions. 14:01 – The intersection of context-driven pricing and AI. 24:58 – Key takeaways on implementing context-driven pricing effectively.   Key Takeaways: “Pricing is about understanding the context in which a buyer operates.” – Mark Stiving “Defining the problem is crucial to determining willingness to pay.” – Mark Stiving “Perfection is impossible; focus on being better every day.” – Mark Stiving   Resources and People Mentioned: Steven Forth: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevenforth/ Ibbaka: https://www.ibbaka.com/ Craig Zawada: https://www.linkedin.com/in/craig-zawada-a0a39029/ Pros: https://pros.com/ Stephan Liozu: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephanliozu/ Zilliant: https://zilliant.com/ Gabe Smith: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gabesmith/ PriceFX: https://www.pricefx.com/   Connect with Mark Stiving: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stiving/  Email: mark@impactpricing.com  

This is an Impact Pricing Blog published on April 7, 2025, turned into an audio podcast so you can listen on the go. Read Full Article Here: https://impactpricing.com/blog/tariffs-are-a-second-chance/ If you have any feedback, definitely send it. You can reach us at mark@impactpricing.com.  Now, go make an impact.   Connect with Mark Stiving: Email: mark@impactpricing.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stiving/  

Alastair Dryburgh is the Chief Pricing Architect at Intelligent Pricing Architecture and the author of the book “Pricing Genius.” With a background in commercial direction for a marketing consultancy in the pharmaceutical industry, Alastair has spent years honing his expertise in pricing strategies, particularly for creative agencies and consultancies. He believes in the power of value capture and the importance of differentiation in a competitive market. In this episode, Alastair shares his insights on the significance of value over pricing, the necessity of focusing on unique offerings, and how consultants can effectively communicate their value to clients. Together, they discuss the challenges of pricing in a crowded marketplace and the impact of AI on consulting practices.   Why you have to check out today's podcast: Discover how to capture value effectively in your pricing strategies. Learn the importance of differentiation in a competitive consulting market. Explore the relationship between pricing, value, and client outcomes.   “Consider seriously the possibility that you are ten times as good as your competitors in at least part of what you do, and you should not rest until you have found a way of getting paid in accordance with that.” – Alastair Dryburgh   Topics Covered: 01:16 – Meet Alastair Dryburgh, a pricing expert with a unique background in the pharmaceutical industry. 01:55 – Discover the pivotal moment in the pharmaceutical sector that reshaped Alastair's career. 05:22 – Learn why successful pricing hinges on value capture rather than value creation. 05:52 – Understand the oxygen vs. coffee analogy that clarifies the pricing dilemma. 07:37 – Explore the consultant's dilemma of "Will I" vs. "Which one" decisions. 09:33 – Find out why many consultants appear the same and how to differentiate yourself. 11:04 – Uncover the proprietary process strategy inspired by McKinsey that can set you apart. 13:45 – Understand why specialization simplifies your business and enhances your appeal. 16:43 – Learn how to position yourself as the only choice for potential clients. 24:17 – Examine the impact of the AI revolution on consulting pricing models. 28:18 – Get final advice on recognizing and leveraging your 10x advantage in the market.   Key Takeaways: "It's about value capture, not value creation - you may be creating vast amounts of value but capturing only a tiny fraction of it." – Alastair Dryburgh "Every time I got more specialist, things got easier - your marketing becomes clearer and clients know immediately if they're your target." – Alastair Dryburgh "If you're using AI to reduce costs with a cost-plus pricing model, it will kill you - you're just saving your way out of business." – Alastair Dryburgh   Resources and People Mentioned: Intelligent Pricing Architecture: https://www.linkedin.com/company/intelligent-pricing-architecture/  Pricing Genius (book): https://www.amazon.com/Pricing-Genius-Getting-Properly-Advice/dp/1908770783 McKinsey & Co.: https://www.mckinsey.com/    Connect with Alastair Dryburgh: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alastairdryburgh/  Free resource: http://alastairdryburgh.com/guide/   Connect with Mark Stiving: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stiving/ Email: mark@impactpricing.com  

This is an Impact Pricing Blog published on March 31, 2025, turned into an audio podcast so you can listen on the go. Read Full Article Here: https://impactpricing.com/blog/price-segmentation-at-national-parks/ If you have any feedback, definitely send it. You can reach us at mark@impactpricing.com.  Now, go make an impact.   Connect with Mark Stiving: Email: mark@impactpricing.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stiving/

Marcos Rivera is the founder of Pricing I/O and author of "Street Pricing." He brings 25 years of pricing experience, including a three-year tenure as an operating executive at Vista Equity Partners where he worked on pricing strategies across multiple portfolio companies. He's been running Pricing.io since 2019 and is passionate about the intersection of pricing and AI. In this episode, Marcos shares his insights on the evolving landscape of pricing in the age of AI, the importance of capturing value, and how companies can differentiate themselves in a competitive market. Together, they discuss the shift from traditional pricing models to outcome-based pricing and the role of AI in enhancing pricing strategies.   Why you have to check out today's podcast: Discover how AI is changing the pricing landscape and what it means for businesses.  Explore the relationship between pricing, value, and customer outcomes. Learn about the importance of low-friction entry points in pricing strategies.   “AI forces you to walk the walk versus talk the talk.” – Marcos Rivera   Topics Covered: 02:48 – The evolution of pricing in SaaS where the system gets credit for capturing more value using AI. 05:36 – The significance of capturing value quickly and efficiently. 08:09 – Differentiation in a competitive market and the role of pricing power. 12:16 – The importance of entry points and reducing friction for customers. 14:44 – How product design and pricing design are interconnected. 17:07 – The challenges of pricing in the AI landscape. 18:59 – Marcos's approach to using AI in pricing strategies. 28:56 – Pricing advice from Marcos.   Key Takeaways: “Pricing is about capturing value, and AI opens up new opportunities for that.” – Marcos Rivera  “Entry points matter; make them as low friction as possible.” – Marcos Rivera  “Understanding how to differentiate your offering is crucial in a crowded market.” – Marcos Rivera   People and Resources Mentioned: Steven Forth: https://impactpricing.com/podcast/691-pricing-in-the-agent-economy-the-future-beyond-subscriptions-with-steven-forth/ Vista Equity Partners: https://www.vistaequitypartners.com/ Pricing.io: https://www.pricingio.com/ Finn AI: https://www.glia.com/ Zendesk: https://www.zendesk.com/ Cursor: https://www.cursor.com/ HubSpot: https://www.hubspot.com/ Salesforce: https://www.salesforce.com/ Snowflake: https://www.snowflake.com/en/ Netflix: https://www.netflix.com/ Slack: https://slack.com/ 99designs: https://99designs.com/ DeepSeek: https://www.deepseek.com/en ChatGPT: https://openai.com/ Claude: https://claude.ai/ Grok: https://grok.com/ Perplexity: https://www.perplexity.ai/   Connect with Marcos Rivera: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcoslrivera/ Website: https://www.pricingio.com/    Connect with Mark Stiving: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stiving/  Email: mark@impactpricing.com  

This is an Impact Pricing Blog published on March 24, 2025, turned into an audio podcast so you can listen on the go. Read Full Article Here: https://impactpricing.com/blog/reasons-why-b2b-salespeople-discount/ If you have any feedback, definitely send it. You can reach us at mark@impactpricing.com.  Now, go make an impact.   Connect with Mark Stiving: Email: mark@impactpricing.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stiving/

Steven Forth is the Co-founder & CEO of Ibbaka and a recognized expert in generative AI in pricing. With extensive experience in the intersection of artificial intelligence and pricing strategies, provides valuable insights into how agents are transforming the pricing landscape. In this episode, Steven discusses the concept of AI agents, their role in pricing, and how they can deliver value in various contexts. Together, they explore the implications of AI-driven agents on user interfaces, pricing strategies, and the future of business interactions.   Why you have to check out today's podcast: Understand what agents are and how they differ from general-purpose AI. Discover how pricing strategies for agents can be structured around value delivery. Learn about the future of agent-to-agent interactions and their impact on pricing.   “Understanding what job your agent is going to do is critical for pricing.” – Steven Forth   Topics Covered: 02:07 – Definition of agents and their functionality.  03:17 – Differences between agents and general-purpose AI like ChatGPT.  05:11 – User interface simplicity and complexity in agent design. 08:16 – The AI agent layer cake and its implications for pricing.  11:12 – Access and usage-based pricing for agents.  14:03 – Outcomes-based pricing and its challenges.  16:16 – Tokenization. 20:27 – The importance of understanding the job an agent performs for pricing.  24:31 – Steven's insights on the evolving landscape of pricing strategies. 31:28 – Steven's pricing advice around agents. 31:53 – How to connect with Steven.   Key Takeaways: “Agents make it easier to do things, and if those things are valuable, we're going to do them a lot more.” – Steven Forth “Pricing agents will require a shift in how we think about value delivery.” – Steven Forth   Resources and People Mentioned: Jakob Nielsen: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jakob_Nielsen_(usability_consultant)  OpenAI: https://openai.com/  Zilliant: https://zilliant.com/  Perplexity: https://www.perplexity.ai/  Salesforce's Agent Force: https://www.salesforce.com/ap/agentforce/  Marc Benioff: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marc_Benioff  AI Agent Layer Cake: https://www.ibbaka.com/ibbaka-market-blog/how-to-price-ai-agents   Connect with Steven Forth: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevenforth/  Email: steven@ibakka.com   Connect with Mark Stiving: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stiving/  Email: mark@impactpricing.com  

This is an Impact Pricing Blog published on March 17, 2025, turned into an audio podcast so you can listen on the go. Read Full Article Here: https://impactpricing.com/blog/practical-pricing-in-a-world-with-tariffs/ If you have any feedback, definitely send it. You can reach us at mark@impactpricing.com.  Now, go make an impact.   Connect with Mark Stiving: Email: mark@impactpricing.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stiving/

Mike Blake is the founder of High Score Strategies, with over 26 years of experience in business valuation and M&A markets. He specializes in advising small to medium-sized businesses (SMBs) on increasing their valuations. Mike is passionate about the relationship between pricing and value, and how effective pricing strategies can significantly impact a company's worth. In this episode, Mike shares his insights on how pricing affects valuation, the importance of differentiation in a competitive market, and the shift from growth to profitability in business models. Together, they explore the concept of context-driven pricing, the significance of signaling in pricing strategies, and how companies can leverage their unique data to enhance their market position.   Why you have to check out today's podcast: Discover how pricing communicates a company's brand and market position. Explore the relationship between pricing, profitability, and business valuation. Learn about the importance of differentiation and how to create a competitive moat.   “Pricing is language. It communicates to the market what kind of brand you are.”  – Mike Blake   Topics Covered: 01:37 – The relationship between pricing and valuation.  02:30 – The importance of pricing in determining profitability and cash flow. 03:39 – Differentiation and competitive moats in pricing strategies.  04:53 – The shift from growth to profitability in business models. 08:36 – Signaling in pricing and its impact on investor perception.  11:17 – How to differentiate in a market dominated by larger players.  13:23 – The relevance of pricing strategies for SMBs, and how service-based companies offer consulting as value-ad. 17:04 – What Mike does. 19:36 – Why businesses that don't know their business model. 20:53 – Why value-based pricing is excruciatingly difficult. 25:53 – Mike's advice on pricing and negotiation.   Key Takeaways: “Pricing is the stem cell for all of that. [Cash flow, revenue, and profitability]” – Mike Blake “Companies that get pricing right are the most valuable.” – Mike Blake “If you're selling 100% of your deals you're probably not optimizing your revenue because you're selling too cheaply.” – Mike Blake “Understanding your unique data can create alternative revenue streams.” – Mike Blake   Connect with Mike Blake: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/unblakeable/ Email: mblake@highscoresstrategies.com   Connect with Mark Stiving: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stiving/  Email: mark@impactpricing.com  

This is an Impact Pricing Blog published on March 3, 2025, turned into an audio podcast so you can listen on the go. Read Full Article Here: https://impactpricing.com/blog/pricing-ai-the-rules-havent-changed-but-your-strategy-should/ If you have any feedback, definitely send it. You can reach us at mark@impactpricing.com.  Now, go make an impact.   Connect with Mark Stiving: Email: mark@impactpricing.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stiving/

Deepak Bhootra is the CEO of Jabulani Consulting, with over 19 years of experience in the tech industry, including significant roles at Hewlett Packard and Sun Microsystems. Deepak has a deep understanding of pricing strategies and their impact on sales performance. He is passionate about helping organizations navigate the complexities of pricing and sales operations. In this episode, Deepak shares his journey into pricing and sales, discussing the cultural nuances of negotiation in India and how they influence pricing strategies. Together, they explore the challenges salespeople face with pricing, the importance of understanding value from the customer's perspective, and how AI can play a role in pricing strategies.   Why you have to check out today's podcast: Discover the common pitfalls salespeople face when discussing pricing. Explore the importance of aligning pricing with customer value and the psychological aspects of pricing. Learn how AI can enhance pricing strategies and sales effectiveness.   “Pricing is something that companies use to control sales behavior. Salespeople don't like to be controlled.” – Deepak Bhootra   Topics Covered: 01:46 – Deepak introduces himself and shares his background in pricing. 03:10 – The cultural significance of negotiation in India and its impact on pricing. 07:44 – The relationship between sales and pricing and the challenges salespeople face. 14:21 – Discussion on the emotional aspects of pricing and how they affect sales decisions. 17:12 – Insights into the importance of understanding value from the customer's perspective. 23:09 – The role of AI in enhancing pricing strategies and sales effectiveness. 30:35 – Deepak's pricing advice. 33:18 – Connect with Deepak.   Key Takeaways: “Salespeople need to understand the value of pricing and how it relates to customer perception.” – Deepak Bhootra “Value is in the eye of the beholder. Understand what the customer values before discussing pricing.” – Deepak Bhootra “When you ask a budget question right up front, you're actually setting yourself up for a pricing discussion.” – Deepak Bhootra “Pricing is one of those conversations where you have complete control of your CRM updates, you have complete control over your forecast, your relationship, but you do not have control over the price because someone else dictates the price.” – Deepak Bhootra “When you are looking at price, giving a discount is the easiest lever to pull right up front. And typically (salespeople) they do it because they can also bamboozle you with a lot of stuff.” – Deepak Bhootra   People/Resources Mentioned: Jabulani Consulting: https://jabulaniconsulting.com Amartya Sen: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amartya_Sen   Connect with Deepak Bhootra: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/deepakbhootra/ Email: deepak@jabulaniconsulting.com   Connect with Mark Stiving: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stiving/ Email: mark@impactpricing.com  

This is an Impact Pricing Blog published on February 24, 2025, turned into an audio podcast so you can listen on the go. Read Full Article Here: https://impactpricing.com/blog/the-single-perfect-price/ If you have any feedback, definitely send it. You can reach us at mark@impactpricing.com.  Now, go make an impact.   Connect with Mark Stiving: Email: mark@impactpricing.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stiving/  

Vladyslav Podoliako is the founder and CEO of Belkins.io, a leading B2B appointment setting agency, and Folderly, an email deliverability system. With a strong entrepreneurial spirit and a focus on performance-based results, Vlad has successfully navigated the complexities of pricing in the B2B space. He is passionate about helping companies scale their businesses through effective client acquisition strategies. In this episode, Vlad shares his journey from launching Belkins to evolving his pricing strategies as the company grew. Together, they explore the critical role of pricing in business growth, the importance of aligning pricing with customer value, and the unique challenges of pricing in the B2B landscape.   Why you have to check out today's podcast: Understand the significance of aligning pricing with customer value and performance. Discover the importance of testing pricing strategies and gathering client feedback. Explore the psychological aspects of pricing and how they influence customer decisions.   “Pricing is like blood in the veins for a growing company. You should have a great pricing model that is scalable and profitable.” – Vlad Podoliako   Topics Covered: 01:10 – Vlad introduces himself and discusses the common misinterpretation of his company names. 02:15 – The importance of pricing in Vlad's entrepreneurial journey and how it evolved over time. 04:36 – Overview of Belkins and its approach to client acquisition. 06:51 – Discussion on the pricing model based on sales qualified leads (SQLs) and its correlation with client ROI. 09:32 – Insights into product packaging and the pricing strategy for Folderly. 13:15 – The impact of high pricing on customer expectations and delivery pressure. 15:42 – The psychological aspects of pricing and how they relate to perceived value. 19:41 – Discussion on the entrepreneurial spirit in Ukraine and its impact on business success. 24:21 – In scaling your company, how often should you revisit your pricing? 26:50 – Vlad's advice on being courageous with pricing and testing strategies. 28:01 – Thoughts on ChatGPT pricing for pro. 30:01 – Connect with Vlad.   Key Takeaways: “Be courageous about your pricing. Test it out more than you strategize theoretically.” – Vlad Podoliako “(on pricing) It's about how much tries you do before you succeed and how resilient you do that. All of these events, historically, we kind of have this in our blood, adaptability, resilience, and hard work.” – Vlad Podoliako   People/Resources Mentioned: Belkins: https://belkins.io/ Folderly: https://folderly.com/ OpenAI: https://openai.com/ Sam Altman: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sam_Altman NVIDIA: https://www.nvidia.com/en-us/ Google: https://www.google.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/   Connect with Vlad Podoliako: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vladPodoliako/  Email: vlad@belkins.io   Connect with Mark Stiving: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stiving/  Email: mark@impactpricing.com  

This is an Impact Pricing Blog published on March 10, 2025, turned into an audio podcast so you can listen on the go. Read Full Article Here: https://impactpricing.com/blog/creating-pricing-power-that-lasts-a-guide-for-long-term-holdings/ If you have any feedback, definitely send it. You can reach us at mark@impactpricing.com.  Now, go make an impact.   Connect with Mark Stiving: Email: mark@impactpricing.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stiving/

Jared Smith is the CEO of PriceSmith, a consulting firm specializing in pricing strategies for distributors and light manufacturers. With a background in pricing systems from Vendavo and experience as an adjunct professor at Oklahoma State, Jared brings a wealth of knowledge to the table. He is passionate about helping companies optimize their pricing strategies to capture more value. In this episode, Jared shares his journey from Frito-Lay to leading pricing innovation in the B2B distribution space. Together, they explore the key distinctions between B2B and B2C pricing models, especially the negotiation-heavy and data-rich nature of distribution.   Why you have to check out today's podcast: Learn about the differences between B2B and B2C pricing strategies. Understand the role of pricing systems in managing large SKU portfolios in distributorship. Discover how to effectively segment customers for better pricing strategies.   “Invest in your master data and keep chipping away at it. Start with 80/20 of your products and get that right.”  – Jared Smith   Topics Covered: 01:42 - Jared shares how he got into pricing after his MBA and experiences at Frito-Lay and in B2B distribution. 02:57 - Discussion on the differences between B2C and B2B pricing, including transparency and data access. 06:06 - Challenges in understanding why customers buy and the limitations of data analytics. 12:55 - Jared explains his focus on distribution and the unique challenges it presents. 14:40 - Discussion on the relevance and limitations of cost-plus pricing in distribution. 19:17 - Exploration of how to implement good, better, best pricing in distribution. 25:28 - Discussion on whether distributors publish prices or rely on quotes for transactions. 26:33 - Jared shares insights from Uber experiences and how they relate to distribution pricing. 31:27 - The impact of customer loyalty on pricing strategies and potential risks. 32:55 - Jared's key piece of advice on investing in master data for better pricing strategies. 33:58 - Connect with Jared.   Key Takeaways: “Distribution is an amazing thing. Obviously, it's worldwide. And the simple fact of it, it has two very unique aspects. The first one, a lot of SKUs. And then, the second one is that you have a lot of customers.” – Jared Smith   People/Resources Mentioned: PriceSmith: https://www.pricesmith.com/ Vendavo: https://www.vendavo.com/ Oklahoma State University: https://www.okstate.edu/ Pepsi: https://www.pepsi.com/ Frito-Lay: https://www.fritolay.com/ Coca-Cola: https://www.coca-cola.com/ Apple: https://www.apple.com/ LG: https://www.lg.com/ Uber: https://www.uber.com/ Lyft: https://www.lyft.com/   Connect with Jared Smith: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaredpaulsmith/ Email: jared@pricesmith.com   Connect with Mark Stiving: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stiving/ Email: mark@impactpricing.com  

This is an Impact Pricing Blog published on February 17, 2025, turned into an audio podcast so you can listen on the go. Read Full Article Here: https://impactpricing.com/blog/the-secret-to-using-ai-in-pricing-ask-expert-questions/ If you have any feedback, definitely send it. You can reach us at mark@impactpricing.com.  Now, go make an impact.   Connect with Mark Stiving: Email: mark@impactpricing.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stiving/

James Wilton is the founder and managing partner of Monevate, a consulting firm focused on pricing strategies. With a background in consulting from McKinsey and A.T. Kearney, James has a wealth of experience in helping companies capture value through effective pricing. He recently published a book titled "Capturing Value," which delves into the strategic importance of pricing in business. In this episode, James discusses the nuances of pricing and its critical role in understanding value within a company. He shares insights on how businesses can develop pricing strategies that align with their value propositions and enhance their overall success. James emphasizes the importance of aligning pricing strategies with corporate goals and understanding customer needs, particularly in the SaaS and B2B sectors.   Why you have to check out today's podcast: Learn about the relationship between pricing, value, and corporate strategy. Gain insights on the differences between B2B and B2C pricing strategies. Understand the evolving landscape of usage-based pricing and its implications.   “Being a little bit more thoughtful of thinking about, what are those different levels of offering that I can give? What is the right price metric that really does help me scale across a few different segments? That can make a massive difference to how much value you're able to extract from your market.”  – James Wilton   Topics Covered: 01:22 – James' journey into pricing and consulting. 03:35 – The strategic importance of pricing in business. 04:47 – Understanding value and its impact on pricing decisions. 06:24 – The role of pricing in SaaS and B2B companies. 08:12 – Pricing strategy and corporate valuation. 15:05 – James shares insights on pricing AI, arguing that the fundamental principles of pricing remain the same, despite the unique challenges AI presents. 17:08 – James discusses how Monevate is using AI to analyze qualitative research, improving efficiency in summarizing interview results. 20:36 – Exploration of usage-based pricing, with James explaining its advantages and the importance of aligning pricing metrics with the value delivered to customers. 27:32 – James offers key pricing advice for companies, stressing the importance of creating a differentiated pricing structure to maximize value extraction from the market. 28:45 – Connect with James   Key Takeaways: "Capturing value is about understanding what pricing should do for your company, to capture a fair portion of the value that you create for your customers." - James Wilton "With AI models these days, you're seeing token-type models that fundamentally focus on the amount of work the system is doing. This results in a cost-based metric rather than a value-based metric." - James Wilton "Value really is getting some kind of utility from something in its basic way." - James Wilton   People/Resources Mentioned: Monevate: https://www.monevate.com/ McKinsey: https://www.mckinsey.com/ Capturing Value: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DRDVPQJ9 A.T. Kearney: https://www.kearney.com/ RELX: https://www.relx.com/ Steven Forth: https://impactpricing.com/podcast/665-the-future-of-ai-monetization-trends-and-challenges-with-steven-forth/ PayPal: https://www.paypal.com/   Connect with James Wilton: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamesdwilton    Connect with Mark Stiving: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stiving/ Email: mark@impactpricing.com  

This is an Impact Pricing Blog published on February 10, 2025, turned into an audio podcast so you can listen on the go. Read Full Article Here: https://impactpricing.com/blog/the-psychology-of-price-increases-why-a-two-stage-approach-might-work/ If you have any feedback, definitely send it. You can reach us at mark@impactpricing.com.  Now, go make an impact.   Connect with Mark Stiving: Email: mark@impactpricing.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stiving/

Amit Godbole is the founder of ProdSquad, dedicated to simplifying e-commerce technology through improved product management practices. He serves as a fractional chief product officer at FCI CCM and coordinates regional product tank events with Mind the Product, a leading networking organization for product managers. In this episode, Amit discusses the importance of pricing in product management and how it can significantly impact a company's success. He shares insights on how product managers can leverage pricing strategies to enhance value for customers and drive revenue. Amit emphasizes the need for product managers to take ownership of pricing decisions, especially in the SaaS industry, and highlights the value of understanding customer needs and market dynamics.   Why you have to check out today's podcast: Discover how product managers can influence pricing strategies to drive business success.  Learn about the evolving role of pricing in product management and why it should be a core focus.  Gain insights on how to articulate value in terms of revenue, cost reduction, and risk mitigation.    “Discounting typically means you do not value your product, your services, as much as your client does. So, discount should not be part of the strategy.” – Amit Godbole   Topics Covered: 01:55 – Amit's unexpected journey into pricing  03:37 – The traditional view of product management and its evolution  04:55 – The importance of pricing in SaaS and B2B companies  05:54 – How product managers can experiment with pricing strategies  07:33 – The significance of understanding customer value and willingness to pay  09:30 – The role of pricing pages in B2B and B2C contexts  11:23 – Strategies for creating effective pricing pages that communicate value  12:34 – The impact of subscription models on pricing strategies  14:50 – The importance of honesty in pricing and customer communication 19:12 – Value-based to context driven pricing 24:19 – Amit's best pricing advice for product managers 25:10 – Mark's advice to new pricing analyst   Key Takeaways: “Pricing, revenue, and commercial aspects were the biggest levers somebody could pull in to get a product to the success they want.” – Amit Godbole “Product management professionals must understand that value has to be tied to revenue, or a dollar value, because that's the real value you can create.” – Amit Godbole “More companies need to be honest or need to help customers choose the right solution. If that's not right for them, don't upsell that.” – Amit Godbole   People/Resources Mentioned: Mind The Product: https://www.mindtheproduct.com/ Figma: https://www.figma.com/ Zoom: https://zoom.us/   Connect with Amit Godbole: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amitgodbole   Connect with Mark Stiving: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stiving/ Email: mark@impactpricing.com  

This is an Impact Pricing Blog published on February 4, 2025, turned into an audio podcast so you can listen on the go. Read Full Article Here: https://impactpricing.com/blog/stop-thinking-of-rebates-as-discounts-heres-what-they-really-do/ If you have any feedback, definitely send it. You can reach us at mark@impactpricing.com.  Now, go make an impact.   Connect with Mark Stiving: Email: mark@impactpricing.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stiving/  

Mathew Kerbis is The Subscription Attorney who is on a mission to affordably serve latent legal market clients at scale via the subscription model and inspire attorneys to abandon the billable hour. He founded the law firm Subscription Attorney LLC. In this episode, Mathew shares how he's leveraging subscription pricing to disrupt the traditional billable hour model in the legal industry, making legal services more accessible. He highlights his strategy of targeting an underserved market while offering premium pricing options for higher-value clients. Mathew emphasizes his business's profitability, operating with minimal expenses while maintaining a large margin and serving both small and large-scale clients.   Why you have to check out today's podcast: Discover how subscription-based pricing is disrupting traditional legal service models, making legal help more accessible and predictable. Learn how addressing the vast underserved legal market can create new opportunities for both clients and lawyers. Gain insights on how offering premium pricing options alongside accessible subscription plans can balance profitability with customer satisfaction.   “Don't be afraid to experiment and to try something new. I experiment with my pricing to find what works. And so, you should experiment, too, and listen to Mark.” - Mathew Kerbis   Topics Covered: 01:37 - How he was led into pricing 03:24 - Discussing the similarities between doctors transitioning to direct primary care (DPC) and lawyers adopting subscription-based pricing 05:05 - Explaining his flexible subscription model 08:48 - Sharing how instead of tracking time or focusing on cost accounting, he views his business costs as fixed expenses 11:03 - Optimizing efficiency and delivering value through his subscription model 14:04 - Arguing that while clients can access AI tools themselves, they can't match the expertise of a lawyer using them effectively 16:04 - Emphasizing that while AI can generate rapid insights, it requires human judgment to interpret results accurately 18:52 - What he meant when he said he drives prices down and discussing the unmet demand creating a significant opportunity despite price competition in the legal industry 21:53 - Targeting underserved clients while maintaining flexibility to serve both small businesses and larger clients 24:26 - Maintaining accessible pricing while using tiered subscription pricing to price higher 26:30 - Highlighting the importance of strategic pricing to remain competitive without risking client loss or revenue instability 27:30 - Mathew's best pricing advice   Key Takeaways: "Ron Baker has educated me on how cost accounting isn't the way to think about what your actual costs are as a business owner." - Mathew Kerbis "What's great about a month-to-month subscription is, I could drop the client just like they could drop me. And the fact that they have the flexibility to leave at any time actually makes them not leave." - Mathew Kerbis “I still want to offer the accessible pricing, but I will have super premium pricing for the best customers that need it.” - Mathew Kerbis "I don't assign any dollar number to my time or the hours that I spend because things don't take as long as they used to. I was using AI when I launched my firm because I knew less time equals more money doing what I do when you're not billing by the hour." - Mathew Kerbis "Sure, you could use the legal AI tools that I'm using, but are you able to get the same output that a lawyer who is actually using the tool in the way in which it was designed can get better output?" - Mathew Kerbis "Judgment is really important. I don't think AI replaces subject matter experts, frankly ever." - Mathew Kerbis   People/Resources Mentioned: Ron Baker: https://impactpricing.com/podcast/497-classic-trash-the-timesheet-exploring-opportunities-in-subscription-businesses-with-ronald-j-baker/ Calendly: https://calendly.com Adobe Photoshop: https://www.adobe.com/ ChatGPT: https://chatgpt.com ClaudeAI: https://claude.ai Perplexity Pro: https://www.perplexity.ai/hub/faq/what-is-perplexity-proUber:https://www.uber.com Grandview Research: https://www.grandviewresearch.com Walmart: https://www.walmart.com Target: https://www.target.com Sam Walton: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sam_Walton Jeff Bezos: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeff_Bezos   Connect with Mathew Kerbis: Website: https://mathewkerbis.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kerbisverse/   Connect with Mark Stiving: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stiving/ Email: mark@impactpricing.com  

This is an Impact Pricing Blog published on January 27, 2025, turned into an audio podcast so you can listen on the go. Read Full Article Here: https://impactpricing.com/blog/overcoming-fud-how-to-reduce-fear-uncertainty-and-doubt-in-pricing/ If you have any feedback, definitely send it. You can reach us at mark@impactpricing.com.  Now, go make an impact.   Connect with Mark Stiving: Email: mark@impactpricing.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stiving/

Paolo De Angeli is currently leading the Customer Experience and Customer Value Management teams at Borealis AG. He has a strong background and passion for Customer Value, from Value Creation to Value Based Pricing. In this episode, Paolo shares the importance of persistence for pricing practitioners, encouraging them to confidently share their insights even when facing resistance. He highlights that pricing is not just about numbers but also about effective change management and influencing senior leaders. By staying committed and focusing on both soft skills and strategy, pricing professionals can drive impactful results.   Why you have to check out today's podcast: Gain actionable strategies for understanding customer needs, framing value propositions, and making data-driven pricing decisions. Dive into valuable lessons on building strong supplier-customer relationships. Learn how pricing is as much about effective communication and influencing as it is about numbers, with tips on navigating resistance.   “If you are a pricing practitioner, you spend time learning, investing. Maybe like I did, taking some certification like the Professional Pricing Society, or you've been involved in the network. You are entitled to share your opinions.” - Paolo De Angeli   Topics Covered: 01:47 - How he found himself in pricing and what made him embrace it 03:45 - Reflecting on the evolution of the pricing profession 05:32 - Articulating the strategic reasoning behind his role as Head of Customer Experience and Customer Value Management 09:09 - Explaining how customer experience and customer value management are interconnected within a continuous commercial operations cycle 14:28 - Emphasizing the importance of having more customer value conversations, highlighting that customers are generally receptive to it 15:33 - Explaining how companies often fear customer value conversations due to the risk of their assumptions being challenged 20:08 - What process he employs when customers suggest improvements 22:05 - The importance of leading value discussions and identifying and addressing specific KPIs that matter to the customer to demonstrate value 25:20 - Highlighting the need to understand the customer's needs before discussing KPIs 27:11 - Why you need to look beyond customer feature requests to uncover the underlying problems 28:56 - How effective value management benefits both the supplier and the customer, creating a win-win scenario 30:13 - Paolo's best pricing advice   Key Takeaways: “Everything that we do internally, when we challenge our value proposition, and we try to understand where our differential value is, comes not only from our internal perception but also and above all from what our customers are telling us.” - Paolo De Angeli “Companies are afraid that customers will not talk, will not share, and will destroy these hypotheses and negotiate on price. And the solution for this is to build a relationship that is more going in the direction of partnership than a transaction with your customers.” - Paolo De Angeli “If we want to simplify two main applications for customer value management, one is when you launch a new solution in the market, you need to have a differential value, a compelling value proposition, so that you need to be convincing both internally and externally and explain why anyone in the world should be interested in buying from you this new solution and not an existing one.” - Paolo De Angeli “Managing expectations is the most important thing, it's not because they ask for something that they will get it, but it's, I think that what we owe our customers is to listen to them. Have a conversation on why certain things are possible and others are not, and then have a joint collaboration on what's possible.” - Paolo De Angeli “Before understanding the KPIs, we need to understand their [customers] needs. We need to understand what their problems are.” - Paolo De Angeli “It's important to agree on the KPIs, but what matters is, to understand what their[customers] problems are and help them understand the profit equation.” - Paolo De Angeli   People/Resources Mentioned: Professional Pricing Society: https://www.pricingsociety.com/ European Pricing Platform: https://www.pricingplatform.com/about-epp Syngenta: https://www.syngenta.com/   Connect with Paolo De Angeli: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paolo-de-angeli-cpp-b232b85/   Connect with Mark Stiving: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stiving/ Email: mark@impactpricing.com  

This is an Impact Pricing Blog published on January 20, 2025, turned into an audio podcast so you can listen on the go. Read Full Article Here: https://impactpricing.com/blog/sam-altman-was-right/ If you have any feedback, definitely send it. You can reach us at mark@impactpricing.com.  Now, go make an impact.   Connect with Mark Stiving: Email: mark@impactpricing.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stiving/

Mark Herring is a passionate marketing leader with strong technical roots and deep knowledge of how to market cloud and enterprise software to open-source developers and DevOps audiences. He is the Chief Marketing Officer at HiveMQ. In this episode, Mark shares his approach to cold outreach, explaining why leading with recognizable brands before introducing value creates engagement. He explores effective email strategies, emphasizing the power of short, curiosity-driven messages over long, detailed pitches. He also discusses pricing from the buyer's perspective, highlighting how perceived value—rather than just function—drives purchasing decisions.   Why you have to check out today's podcast: Learn proven strategies for grabbing attention in cold calls and emails, using brand credibility and psychological triggers like FOMO. Discover how to price based on what buyers truly value, rather than just cost or features, using real-life analogies. Get practical tips on structuring sales conversations to keep prospects engaged without sounding like a typical salesperson.   “Try and understand the value in the eyes of your buyer. I think far too many times as vendors, we think there's intrinsic value because it costs us much to produce or we think it looks like that. It's trying to understand from a buying perspective, what is the value you're providing.” - Mark Herring   Topics Covered: 01:29 - How his journey from development to product marketing led him to pricing 03:41 - How his early pricing research focused on how customers would use a product rather than explicitly asking about the problem it solved 04:59 -  To what is the short tenure of CMOs in B2B and consumer goods attributed to 06:25 - Explaining what a pipeline is and how pipeline generation involves value demonstration 10:38 - Comparing pipeline to running a marathon, emphasizing that while MQLs and SQLs are useful stepping stones, the ultimate goal is generating real sales opportunities 12:02 - Differentiating a pipeline from a SQL 14:18 - Demonstrating how a successful cold outreach combines multiple touchpoints 18:57 - How to make prospects more receptive in a cold call  21:13 - Why he uses big brand names as conversation openers in cold calls rather than starting with a value statement 22:27 - What an effective cold email should be 24:42 - Highlighting  the importance of A/B testing cold emails and continuously refining outreach strategies to improve open rates 25:55 - Mark's best pricing advice   Key Takeaways: “It's cold because you've never had the interaction, but usually they've interacted somewhere with you. It's like they might have seen you at an event, or they might have seen some of your outreach to you already and going, ‘Okay, I'll give this guy a bone.'” - Mark Herring “One of the sales guys was talking about this [cold calls] at the conference we were at together, and I just loved it. And he is like, ‘Don't over research, because there's never a good time to know everything.' Because you got to keep on dialing.” - Mark Herring “You can't stop doing it [cold outreach] because it's like getting dice and trying to get the six, the more you throw it, the better chance you're going to get to the six.” - Mark Herring “I lead [cold call] with brands, not with value. And when you do that type of thing, they're then shocked going, ‘Oh, he didn't do a sales pitch on me. He's asking me about these companies. Well, maybe it is something interesting.'” - Mark Herring   People/Resources Mentioned: FedX: https://www.fedex.com/en-us/home.html UPS: https://www.ups.com/us/en/home   Connect with Mark Herring: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/herringmark/ Email: mark.herring@hivemq.com   Connect with Mark Stiving: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stiving/ Email: mark@impactpricing.com  

This is an Impact Pricing Blog published on January 13, 2025, turned into an audio podcast so you can listen on the go. Read Full Article Here: https://impactpricing.com/blog/the-last-mile-of-pricing/ If you have any feedback, definitely send it. You can reach us at mark@impactpricing.com.  Now, go make an impact.   Connect with Mark Stiving: Email: mark@impactpricing.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stiving/

Dan Foster is a Chief Operating/Revenue Officer, who built and transformed profitable businesses across technology and telecom start-ups as well as industry powerhouses. Companies turn to him to revive struggling businesses by redefining sales, marketing and customer service strategy, scaling infrastructure, and promoting product innovation. In this episode, Dan shares how bundled solutions increase value and close rates. He discusses AI's growing role in B2B sales and procurement. And stresses using data to understand customer needs and justify pricing.   Why you have to check out today's podcast: Learn how bundling products and services can enhance perceived value, increase close rates, and prevent price-sensitive buyers from deconstructing your offerings. Gain insights into how AI is transforming the sales landscape, from optimizing product recommendations to procurement teams using AI to negotiate better prices. Understand why pricing should be tied to the customer's business outcomes and how to communicate the true value of your solutions effectively.   "You take the data around a pricing example and you really understand the value from the end user's perspective, so you got to have that empathy back in to say what moves their business. And when we understand what moves their business with a few numbers, then you start to give the underpinning for why value pricing matters." - Dan Foster    Topics Covered: 02:01 - How his early consulting work made him think about value and led him to pricing 03:23 - Asking about typical reactions to pricing presentations 04:24 - Explaining that selling value starts with understanding product-market fit  07:03 - Highlighting the importance of teaching distribution partners how to sell value, using the Home Depot-SolarCity partnership as an example 10:43 - How can ROI calculators be convincing 14:07 - Explaining that while they don't track proven value directly due to lack of data, anecdotal feedback and supplier insights indicate improved close rates for partners 15:09 - How AI is reshaping product offerings, expanding technology advisors' roles, and influencing cost-cutting for innovation 19:10 - Highlighting that while AI may drive procurement efficiencies complex digital transformation solutions still rely on expertise 20:27 - How bundling simplifies purchasing and reinforce the value of an all-in-one solution 24:27 - Dan's best pricing advice   Key Takeaways: "If you want to buy a ton of storage and it's a commodity, we get that. That could go through the marketplace earlier than not. If you want a digital transformation, if you want to change your customer experience, if you want to make your business run faster, if you want business process automation and robotic process automation, that's not going through a dynamic pricing model on a marketplace near-term. Now, can I go out and look at, like, UiPath Licensing versus Automation Anywhere versus whoever Microsoft scooped up next and look at pricing models? The procurement folks are probably smart to do that." - Dan Foster "But the bundled solution specifically is, I think, fundamental because otherwise, when you offer them the menu-based pricing, oftentimes they don't see the full value." - Dan Foster "It [selling value] starts with that product-market fit. We do a lot of enablement of our partners or downstream almost like a two-tier distributor. And in doing that we provide the ability for them to see a higher close rate when they use tools and resources. It alleviates that conversation and it's inherent that there's value pricing there." - Dan Foster "It's critical to think through in a subscription-based model what that value is, because that customer acquisition cost versus the long-term value of a customer, it's a critical ratio to understand when you're thinking through pricing." - Dan Foster   People/Resources Mentioned: Cummins Engine Company: https://www.cumminsenginepart.com/ Unilever: https://www.unilever.com Alcoa: https://www.alcoa.com/global/en/home/ Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Selling-Value-Deals-Higher-Prices/product-reviews/1737655217/ref=cm_cr_dp_d_show_all_btm?ie=UTF8&reviewerType=all_reviews& SolarCity: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SolarCity Home Depot: https://www.homedepot.com Azure: https://azure.microsoft.com/ Google: https://www.google.com/?client=safari Lowe's: https://www.lowes.com Sun Power: https://us.sunpower.com Sunrun: https://www.sunrun.com TD Synnex: https://www.tdsynnex.com/na/us/ Ingram Micro: https://www.ingrammicro.com Five9: https://www.five9.com Genesys: https://www.genesys.com/en-sg/ NICE inContact: https://www.nice.com/ Zoom: https://zoom.us Dialpad: incontact.com/content/home.htm ChatGPT: https://chatgpt.com Wall Street Journal: https://www.wsj.com/ Automation Anywhere: https://www.automationanywhere.com Microsoft: https://www.microsoft.com/en-ph/ UiPath Licensing: https://licensing.uipath.com/ Hulu: https://www.hulu.com/welcome?orig_referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2F Roku TV: https://www.roku.com/products/roku-tv?srsltid=AfmBOoomwWI9G8ZABYW7gSPFzBHc87xVmartPBXAWzj7GfPfAJQYjTtO Super Bowl: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Super_Bowl Xfinity: https://www.xfinity.com/   Connect with Dan Foster: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jdanfoster/ Email: dfoster@telarus.com   Connect with Mark Stiving: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stiving/ Email: mark@impactpricing.com  

This is an Impact Pricing Blog published on January 6, 2025, turned into an audio podcast so you can listen on the go. Read Full Article Here: https://impactpricing.com/blog/understanding-context-4-key-factors-that-influence-customer-willingness-to-pay/ If you have any feedback, definitely send it. You can reach us at mark@impactpricing.com.  Now, go make an impact.   Connect with Mark Stiving: Email: mark@impactpricing.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stiving/

Rich Mironov provides product management leadership and coaching to large and small tech companies, with more than 150 clients since 2001. His focus includes: Coaching VPs of Product and CPOs, Organizing the product organization, and Stepping in (occasionally) as a 'smokejumper' VP of Product Management. In this episode, Rich shares that product managers must define economic value before development. He believes sales teams should communicate, not calculate, value using simple tools. And he advises focusing on broad market data instead of over-relying on top accounts.   Why you have to check out today's podcast: Learn how to define and communicate economic value effectively. Understand how sales teams and product managers can align for better pricing decisions. Gain actionable tips on framing value in sales conversations without overwhelming buyers.   “You want to look for an aggregate set of data about what's happening in your marketplace as opposed to attaching a lot of overweight to your two largest accounts.” - Rich Mironov   Topics Covered: 01:22 - Describing his journey into product management and an overview of his role here 03:40 - Differentiating B2C pricing versus B2B pricing as it relates to product management 09:33 - Discussing the balance between standardized pricing for most customers and the reality of frequent one-off deals in B2B 11:28 - How to systematize B2B pricing to reduce one-off deals and encourage standardization 16:59 - Aligning sales compensation with margin to protect long-term profitability 18:39 - Highlighting how enterprise sales teams generalize individual client demands as market-wide needs 20:26 - Why product teams must define economic value before development 25:00 - Agreeing that product teams must define value early but debates how to present it, with Mark favoring customer-driven insights and Rich emphasizing the need for quantifiable justification to close deals 26:25 - Acknowledging that while ROI calculators aren't inherently trusted, they're valuable as a conversational tool 28:37 - Rich's best pricing advice   Key Takeaways: "I believe a fundamental obligation of product management if we're building something that needs this kind of discussion [communicate economic value], is to do the economic math before we start the development. Not after." - Rich Mironov "Expecting my sales team to be economists is unrealistic. And so, on the product side, I feel like I owe my sales team some narrative that they can read off the page, yes, fill in the numbers, fill in the values, or fill in the quantities. But the value story has to be baked into the product." - Rich Mironov "We lead with benefits, we lead with stories, we lead with vignettes, we lead with problems. But the last two paragraphs of that have to justify somebody actually signing a contract." - Rich Mironov   People/Resources Mentioned: JPMorganChase: https://www.jpmorganchase.com New York Stock Exchange: https://www.nyse.com/index   Connect with Rich Mironov: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richmironov/ Website: mironov.com Email: rich@mironov.com   Connect with Mark Stiving: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stiving/ Email: mark@impactpricing.com  

This is an Impact Pricing Blog published on December 23, 2024, turned into an audio podcast so you can listen on the go. Read Full Article Here: https://impactpricing.com/blog/dynamic-vs-stable-context-a-framework-for-smarter-pricing/ If you have any feedback, definitely send it. You can reach us at mark@impactpricing.com.  Now, go make an impact.   Connect with Mark Stiving: Email: mark@impactpricing.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stiving/  

Ed Arnold works with B2B companies to develop their value-based pricing strategies. His specialty is translating a company's competitive advantage into a viable customer value pricing strategy, as well as advising on commercial execution. In this episode, Ed shares when value conversations are most effective. He highlights the need to tailor value models to each prospect through open-ended questions that uncover key business drivers. Because when value is clearly demonstrated, price becomes a secondary concern, resulting in smoother sales and fewer pricing objections.   Why you have to check out today's podcast: Learn why guiding customers to do their own value math is more persuasive than presenting a pre-made ROI model. Discover how value conversations shift the focus from cost to impact, making price negotiations smoother. Understand why dumping numbers on customers backfires and how to engage them in a way that builds trust and buy-in.   "As customers, we have a good sense of what a great deal is. But as sellers, we're much less certain about what that value is. You need to have value conversations to get at that." - Ed Arnold   Topics Covered: 00:57 - How he accidentally got into, left, and keeps returning to pricing 03:25 - Explaining how pricing challenges often signal deeper business issues 08:46 - Why customers distrust ROI calculators 11:05 - What value conversation is all about and how to effectively go through it 14:00 - Emphasizing that trust is built through reliability and honest engagement 16:57 - How many good salespeople are there and what make good salespeople 19:17 - The importance of market focus and playbooks in sales 20:49 - Showing the most effective value conversation to have  25:03 - How he trains salespeople on value conversations 29:53 - Noting that while he focuses on larger customers, the same value-based principles apply to marketing lower-ACV products 30:24 - Ed's best pricing advice   Key Takeaways: "You cannot solve any pricing issue without tackling the strategy. And if the strategy is flawed, then the pricing isn't going to help you." - Ed Arnold "...and this is the thing that I think about value stories. It's not about the product. It's about the customer. The customer is the star of the story." - Ed Arnold   People/Resources Mentioned: Steven Forth: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevenforth/ Forrester: https://www.forrester.com/bold/ Monitor Deloitte: https://www.deloitte.com/global/en/services/consulting/services/monitor-deloitte.html Leverage Point: https://www.leveragepoint.com/   Connect with Ed Arnold: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/edarnold1/   Connect with Mark Stiving: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stiving/ Email: mark@impactpricing.com  

This is an Impact Pricing Blog published on December 16, 2024, turned into an audio podcast so you can listen on the go. Read Full Article Here: https://impactpricing.com/blog/value-drivers-vs-value-tables-when-to-go-broad-and-when-to-be-specific/ If you have any feedback, definitely send it. You can reach us at mark@impactpricing.com.  Now, go make an impact.   Connect with Mark Stiving: Email: mark@impactpricing.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stiving/

Steven Forth is Ibbaka's Co-Founder, CEO, and Partner. Ibbaka is a strategic pricing advisory firm. In this episode, Steven shares the potential commoditization of AI pricing agents, explaining how their replication and standardization could drive down differentiation and value. He explores the interplay between AI-driven sales and buying processes, emphasizing that businesses must consider how AI will influence purchasing decisions. He also touches on the potential of AI to simplify legal tasks.   Why you have to check out today's podcast: Learn how AI-powered pricing agents compare to SaaS models and why they might face rapid commoditization in the evolving AI landscape. Discover why AI-driven buying decisions are just as important as AI-powered selling strategies—and what that means for the future of pricing. Find out how DeepSeek's approach to AI training and pricing could shake up the industry, with potential implications for OpenAI and other major players.   "I think that they need to put themselves in the buyer's shoes and ask themselves, how would I be using AI to make a buying decision?" - Steven Forth   Topics Covered: 01:23 - Explaining the four types of AI products and how they impact pricing, automation, and value creation 09:51 - Exploring whether AI agents will become commoditized 12:46 - How complex pricing workflows require multiple AI agents working together as a service, rather than a single standalone pricing agent 14:17 - Explaining that differentiated AI agents with better performance will still command higher prices 19:20 - Highlighting how DeepSeek's advancements in post-training optimization and lower pricing could drive broader AI adoption 21:20 - What makes AI agents more prone to commoditization  23:22 - How SaaS solutions are less prone to commoditization than AI agents  26:32 - Suggesting that tasks like real estate conveyance could be automated by AI agents 29:02 - Steven's best pricing advice   Key Takeaways: "A lot of the use cases for outcome-based pricing or results-based pricing really only become relevant when an action is taken on your behalf. And you can evaluate the value of that action and the success of that action." - Steven Forth "Are all agents by nature more subject to commoditization than other parts of the ecology, like copilots or service as software or generators? My gut feeling is that there are going to be agents that are highly differentiated because they rely on highly customized underlying language models and highly tuned prompt sequences that would not be easy for someone else to recreate. And that they'll be able to make better decisions." - Steven Forth "Apart from very specific and narrow cases, I don't think pricing is going to be done by agents. Pricing will be service as software." - Steven Forth   People/Resources Mentioned: Grammarly: https://www.grammarly.com Copilot: https://copilot.microsoft.com/onboarding ChatGPT: https://chatgpt.com/ Hugging Face: https://huggingface.co Hubspot: https://www.hubspot.com FinnAI: https://www.finnai.io/en LegalZoom: https://www.legalzoom.com Zendesk: https://www.zendesk.com Microsoft: https://www.microsoft.com/ Pros: https://pros.com Vendavo: https://www.vendavo.com Zilliant: https://zilliant.com Pricefx: https://www.pricefx.com Maxio: https://www.maxio.com DeepSeek: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DeepSeek   Connect with Steven Forth: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevenforth/ Email: steven@ibbaka.com   Connect with Mark Stiving: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stiving/ Email: mark@impactpricing.com  

This is an Impact Pricing Blog published on December 9, 2024, turned into an audio podcast so you can listen on the go. Read Full Article Here: https://impactpricing.com/blog/unlocking-portfolio-value-through-strategic-price-increases/ If you have any feedback, definitely send it. You can reach us at mark@impactpricing.com.  Now, go make an impact.   Connect with Mark Stiving: Email: mark@impactpricing.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stiving/

Joshua Lowe is a solution-focused pricing professional with a proven track record in pricing (10 years) and pricing transformation (3+ years). He also has an expertise in implementing and utilizing PriceFX, a cloud-native pricing management software.  In this episode, Joshua discusses the evolution of pricing in the auto parts industry, explaining how his company is transitioning from traditional cost-plus pricing to more market-based and value-driven strategies. He highlights the role of data analytics and predictive modeling in optimizing pricing decisions while maintaining fairness and customer retention.    Why you have to check out today's podcast: Learn how a major industry player is shifting from cost-plus pricing to market-based and value-based approaches. Discover how analytics and data science shape pricing strategies, ensuring competitiveness and profitability. Understand why leaving some value on the table fosters long-term customer relationships and repeat business.   "You've got more pricing power than you might realize." - Joshua Lowe   Topics Covered: 01:31 - Joshua describing his journey into pricing 02:55 - Clarifying that Napa Auto Parts is a wholly owned subsidiary of Genuine Parts Company and sharing why he has stayed with Napa Auto Parts 04:27 - How his pricing strategies not only capture value but also reinvest in growth and detailing his role in setting nationwide retail, wholesale, and resale pricing frameworks  06:37 - The evolution of market segmentation in pricing, highlighting shifts between regional and nationwide pricing models and the factors influencing those changes 08:53 - Explaining customer segmentation in pricing, emphasizing the importance of transaction data, value drivers, and willingness to pay 11:27 - Pricing strategies based on delivery distance, emphasizing relationship-based pricing over cost-to-serve 13:09 - Explaining product segmentation and how Napa Auto parts sources products 15:56 - How cost increases from suppliers generally flow through their own pricing 17:03 - The role of cost-plus pricing in the industry and its gradual shift toward market-based and value-based pricing 21:31 - How Napa Auto Parts structures pricing 24:59 - Joshua's best pricing advice   Key Takeaways: “There's a lot of price moves that you use in pricing to extract value, but a lot of times too, you're trying to figure out ways to reinvest those wins back into sales so that you can grow.” - Joshua Lowe “You never try to extract a hundred percent of the value of any single transaction because you might actually start losing customer retention over time. You want to leave 10, 20% on the table. I've always kind of kept that in the back of my mind as we do certain activities of how we keep the fairness in play as we make pricing actions.” - Joshua Lowe   People/Resources Mentioned: Gates Corporation: https://www.gates.com/us/en.html Genuine Parts Company: https://www.genpt.com/ Napa Auto Parts: https://www.napaonline.com/   Connect with Joshua Lowe: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshua-lowe-42034746/   Connect with Mark Stiving: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stiving/ Email: mark@impactpricing.com  

This is an Impact Pricing Blog published on December 2, 2024, turned into an audio podcast so you can listen on the go. Read Full Article Here: https://impactpricing.com/blog/what-is-value/ If you have any feedback, definitely send it. You can reach us at mark@impactpricing.com.  Now, go make an impact.   Connect with Mark Stiving: Email: mark@impactpricing.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stiving/  

Dave Brown is a CEO / Founder of QiiQ Healthcare which is developing an AI assistant for healthcare workers, to invigorate the deep sense of fulfillment in delivering high quality care - frictionlessly. In this episode, Dave shares how AI can improve healthcare by providing clinicians with actionable insights from patient data, making consultations more efficient. He highlights the challenge of adopting new technologies in healthcare due to risks and the complexity of changing established systems. Brown also shares insights on the economic impact of healthcare innovations and stresses the importance of doing thorough homework when entering the healthcare market.   Why you have to check out today's podcast: Explore the impact of AI in healthcare and how it can improve healthcare outcomes and reduce doctor-patient interaction. Gain insights on healthcare pricing challenges and how understanding stakeholder decisions can lead to more effective solutions. Learn to navigate the massive, evolving healthcare industry and the challenges of making a meaningful impact through technology and pricing strategies.   "Do your homework. You cannot wander into this [healthcare] with youthful vigor and expect to change the world easily. And it's certainly not easy to come up with a pricing model that everybody understands and likes." - Dave Brown   Topics Covered: 01:46 - How he got interested in pricing and why it mattered to him 03:13 - Detailing how QiiQ Healthcare technology works and what makes pricing for it complicated 10:58 - Sharing how QiiQ is driven by a social mission, as well as mentioning the real challenge in healthcare technology 13:49 - How QiiQ Healthcare technology is demonstrating its value in a leading Parkinson's clinic 15:29 - Addressing patient willingness to pay and the impact of chronic diseases on society 18:34 - How QiiQ technology streamline doctor-patient interactions and save time 21:06 - Using the trolley problem to illustrate the complexity of decision-making in change management 23:31 - Highlighting the challenge of adopting new technology despite its potential, due to uncertainty and mental workload 25:34 - Discussing the challenges of accepting AI in healthcare, drawing analogies to self-driving cars and the risks involved 28:40 - Explaining how the relationship between cost reduction and profits in healthcare is complex and not solely driven by cynicism 29:45 - Dave's best pricing advice   Key Takeaways: “Everybody that's working with me is driven by a social need or a social urge. It's extremely common in the healthcare industry. But part of what you're hearing [challenges] is motivated by a deeper grasp of the challenge in adoption. Without adoption, you generate no value.” - Dave Brown   Connect with Dave Brown: Website: https://www.qiiq.health/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davecbrown/   Connect with Mark Stiving: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stiving/ Email: mark@impactpricing.com  

This is an Impact Pricing Blog published on November 24, 2024, turned into an audio podcast so you can listen on the go. Read Full Article Here: https://impactpricing.com/blog/confused-buyers-dont-buy-a-case-study-in-how-to-align-saas-pricing-with-customer-value/ If you have any feedback, definitely send it. You can reach us at mark@impactpricing.com.  Now, go make an impact.   Connect with Mark Stiving: Email: mark@impactpricing.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stiving/

Mark Peacock helps B2B Tech & Consulting firms expand margin & revenue growth with tailored pricing solutions & sales enablement. In this episode, Mark shares practical strategies for implementing price increases effectively, including a two-stage communication process to manage customer expectations and reduce resistance. He emphasizes the importance of segmenting clients by price sensitivity and value to tailor pricing strategies and build confidence. Mark also highlighted the need to treat price increases for existing customers with the same care as new business pricing to maximize business impact.   Why you have to check out today's podcast: Learn proven strategies to implement price changes confidently without losing customer trust or loyalty. Discover an innovative approach to preparing customers for price increases minimizing resistance, and maximizing acceptance. Explore techniques for segmenting clients, leveraging value-based pricing, and fostering long-term relationships.   “Treat price increases for existing customers with the same importance that you do pricing for new business, because it can have such a profound impact on your business and it's nothing to be scared of.” - Mark Peacock    Topics Covered: 01:48 - Describing his pricing journey 02:58 - The transformative power of smart pricing strategies 06:13 - Check out Mark's article in LinkedIn, ‘Raise Prices Without Raising Eyebrows' 06:52 - The importance of putting as much effort into planning and communicating price increases with existing customers as devoting to winning new business 09:21 - The two-stage process to make price increase more acceptable to your customers   12:34 - The third step to communicating your price increase 14:49 - Explaining the value reasons why customers should stick with you [the fourth step] 16:55 - Communicate your 'investment story' [fifth step] 18:44 - Give your customers the options and do away with hard sell [sixth step] 21:53 - Talking about frictionless approach to price increase [seventh step] 23:22 - Important thoughts on the 'do something nice' strategy 26:45 - One top tip to help you segment customers based on price sensitivity and stop churn 27:59 - More techniques for customer segmentation 28:59 - Mark's best pricing advice   Key Takeaways: “Communicating a price increase is a sales task, and you would never use negative language in a sales activity.” - Mark Peacock “The most important thing about a price increase communication is that there is no hard sell.” - Mark Peacock “You need to provide them with some ways to come back to you however they want, either to approve it, to reject it, to discuss it, or if you've got upgrade or downgrade paths as well.“ - Mark Peacock “Be as open and transparent as possible so that the buyer has total agency and control over that decision, and you are making it entirely their decision because that's how you build trust.” - Mark Peacock   Connect with Mark Peacock: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-peacock-pricemaker/   Connect with Mark Stiving: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stiving/ Email: mark@impactpricing.com  

This is an Impact Pricing Blog published on November 18, 2024, turned into an audio podcast so you can listen on the go. Read Full Article Here: https://impactpricing.com/blog/perfect-pricing-is-impossible-and-thats-ok/ If you have any feedback, definitely send it. You can reach us at mark@impactpricing.com.  Now, go make an impact.   Connect with Mark Stiving: Email: mark@impactpricing.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stiving/

Mark Gilham is an experienced senior executive with a proven track record in finance, strategy, and consulting. He brings deep expertise in driving commercial success, improving operational efficiencies, and influencing industry best practices.  In this episode, Mark shares the transformative power of rebates as tools for driving both customer behavior and operational efficiency, rather than just cost-cutting mechanisms. He highlights the importance of designing rebates that align with business goals, such as incentivizing desirable customer actions, improving operational processes, and fostering long-term loyalty.    Why you have to check out today's podcast: Learn how rebates can go beyond simple cost-cutting to solve operational challenges, enhance customer loyalty, and drive profitability for your business. Gain insights into how rebates can incentivize customer behaviors that benefit both parties, creating a more collaborative and sustainable business relationship. Discover innovative ways to use rebates to optimize your operations, create efficiencies, and stronger partnerships with customers.   "Get out from behind your desk; get away from the spreadsheet and understand your business. Understand what makes your business tick." - Mark Gilham   Topics Covered: 01:11 - How he transitioned from accountancy to pricing 02:24 - Explaining why accountants' focus on cost-plus pricing 03:52 - Highlighting how understanding pricing enables finance professionals to interpret data more effectively and influence business outcomes 05:35 - Strategic role of rebates in B2B, their challenges, and how they differ from traditional incentives and discounts 08:18 - Importance of structuring rebates and balancing discounts and rebates in B2B to maintain margins 11:11 - Dynamics of incentivizing end consumers versus channel partners 14:59 - Optimizing rebate structures 20:40 - Sharing how rebates can incentivize operational efficiency 25:55 - Advocating for pricing teams to lead rebate strategies to create lasting customer relationships and reduce reliance on discounting 28:11 - Highlighting the potential of rebates to address operational inefficiencies   Key Takeaways: "Immature pricing practices tend to be that cost-plus. And when I say immature, it's not that it's bad, it's just they don't know what good looks like or what's better." - Mark Gilham "A good rebate is a rebate that a manufacturer or supplier wants to pay out." - Mark Gilham "I believe pricing have the tools and the skillset to, and it should be on the sell side, to equip salespeople to go out, not to win an order, but to kind of win a relationship. And make that relationship sticky so that discounting actually is not, it's always going to be important, but hopefully you can take a little bit of that pressure off the table." - Mark Gilham "If you want a better deal from your supplier, think about all the things you could do to make their life easier and ask them, ‘What's that worth to you?' And that's a far better way of getting a bit of extra money out of the contract than just saying, ‘I want my product for less.'" - Mark Gilham   People/Resources Mentioned: Enable: https://www.enable.com   Connect with Mark Gilham: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markgilham/ Email: mark.gilham@enable.com   Connect with Mark Stiving: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stiving/ Email: mark@impactpricing.com  

This is an Impact Pricing Blog published on November 11, 2024, turned into an audio podcast so you can listen on the go. Read Full Article Here: https://impactpricing.com/blog/you-influence-your-customers-willingness-to-pay/ If you have any feedback, definitely send it. You can reach us at mark@impactpricing.com.  Now, go make an impact.   Connect with Mark Stiving: Email: mark@impactpricing.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stiving/

Vance Morris is a former Disney Leader turned entrepreneur, coach, speaker and author. He helps businesses deliver extraordinary customer experiences through workshops, boot camps, and training at Disney. In this episode, Vance shares practical strategies for implementing premium pricing by presenting options and building value through transparency and trust. He emphasizes the importance of creating emotional connections with customers to enhance loyalty and retention, even in B2B environments. Additionally, he advocates for confident implementation of price increases, highlighting that many pricing challenges stem from business owners' mindset rather than market resistance.   Why you have to check out today's podcast: Learn how to confidently set premium prices and create packages that differentiate your business from competitors. Discover how emotional connections, rather than just logic, can drive customer loyalty and enhance sales, even in B2B settings. Get tips on overcoming common pricing hurdles and improving customer retention through simple yet effective strategies.   “People have enough information, they don't have enough implementation; just go do it. You could go out right now, raise your prices 10% and nobody's going to bat an eyelash.” - Vance Morris   Topics Covered: 01:45 - How he found himself in pricing 02:31 - Sustaining a cycle of value and profitability as inspired by Disney's pricing strategies 05:20 - How he justifies premium pricing in his upholstery cleaning business 08:46 - Demonstrating expertise and showcasing value  11:32 - Emphasizing the value of positioning as a premium service rather than competing on being the second cheapest 13:00 - Maintaining pricing integrity 14:21 - Adapting Disney-inspired strategies to differentiate your business making it incomparable to competitors 16:37 - How to differentiate your products or services, even in competitive markets like B2B software 17:57 - How to foster loyalty, enhance customer retention, and make price increases more acceptable 21:09 - Highlighting the value of small, thoughtful gestures to build a positive reputation and stand out in competition 22:42 - Offering premium pricing tiers in clear, non-salesy manner 24:57 - Vance's best pricing advice   Key Takeaways: "Not so much to justify [premium pricing], as it is being able to offer a better experience, which then allows me to charge a higher price, which puts more money in my pocket." - Vance Morris "It's about creating a connection. It's people doing business with people. It's not people doing business with business and creating some kind of emotional connection with the purchasing manager, with whoever's doing the buying. And it just makes selling so much easier." - Vance Morris "When you have that connection, a price increase may not be overlooked, but is a lot more palatable than just hard excel spreadsheets flying around." - Vance Morris "There is no competitive advantage to being second cheapest; if you're not going to be the cheapest, you might as well go the other direction." - Vance Morris   People/Resources Mentioned: Disney: https://www.disney.com/ Ritz-Carlton: https://www.ritzcarlton.com/ Dunkin Donuts: https://www.dunkindonuts.com/en   Connect with Vance Morris: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vancemorris/ Website: https://deliverservicenow.com/   Connect with Mark Stiving: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stiving/ Email: mark@impactpricing.com  

This is an Impact Pricing Blog published on November 4, 2024, turned into an audio podcast so you can listen on the go. Read Full Article Here: https://impactpricing.com/blog/the-fluid-nature-of-willingness-to-pay-how-context-shapes-your-pricing-strategy/ If you have any feedback, definitely send it. You can reach us at mark@impactpricing.com.  Now, go make an impact.   Connect with Mark Stiving: Email: mark@impactpricing.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stiving/

Stephan Liozu is a business executive with deep knowledge in pricing strategy, value-based pricing, monetization, and transformations. He speaks the language of sales, pricing, finance, and the C-suite.  In this episode, Stephan highlights the need to combine value-based pricing with strong change management for successful transformations. He shares practical segmentation strategies tailored to diverse business needs. Reflecting on his move into pricing software, he explores its potential and the challenges of gaining C-suite support.   Why you have to check out today's podcast: Delve into the nuances of value-based pricing and its implementation and practical advice for businesses aiming to maximize profitability while addressing internal and external challenges. Learn about a methodology for effective customer segmentation, practical steps, and real-world applications for targeted strategies. Discover the critical role of change management in successfully implementing pricing strategies and have a deeper understanding of organizational dynamics and leadership in pricing transformations.   "You cannot do advanced pricing without advanced change management and change leadership." - Stephan Liozu   Topics Covered: 01:10 - Significance of the Chief Value Officer (CVO) title 01:58 - The complexity of defining value within companies 02:52 - Contrasting his roles as a Chief Value Officer at Thales and Zilliant 04:35 - Reflecting on the challenges and uncertain future of the pricing profession with his article on LinkedIn 06:27 - Discussing the challenges of B2B pricing which hinders value-based pricing and the scalability of pricing strategies 12:11 - Advocating for internal pricing centers of excellence as cost-effective 14:01 - Explaining his approach to segmentation 17:26 - Stephan expressing excitement about his Zilliant role, exploring pricing software's potential and questioning its limited market growth 19:07 - The challenges of convincing the C-suite to invest in pricing solutions, suggesting on reframing pricing discussions under a new term  22:31 - Stephan's best pricing advice   Key Takeaways: “If you want to industrialize your processes in pricing and value, you have to use an engine, the heart of this engine is software. And be able to touch all the business if possible, at least a large amount of the business.” - Stephan Liozu “Pricing professionals should become certified change managers, it should not be an option.” - Stephan Liozu   People/Resources Mentioned: Thales: https://cpl.thalesgroup.com/software-monetization/software-packaging-pricing Zilliant: https://zilliant.com McKinsey: https://www.mckinsey.com   Connect with Stephan Liozu: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephanliozu/ Website: https://www.stephanliozu.com/   Connect with Mark Stiving: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stiving/ Email: mark@impactpricing.com  

Steven Forth is Ibbaka's Co-Founder, CEO, and Partner. Ibbaka is a strategic pricing advisory firm. In this episode, Steven discusses how AI, particularly transformer models, is revolutionizing business strategies by automating complex tasks like value modeling and scenario planning, making them more efficient. He emphasizes the importance of leveraging AI to explore frameworks and generate innovative solutions, such as using AI to better understand industry problems. Steven also highlights the ongoing development of prompt orchestration tools, which will soon become essential for managing AI workflows and optimizing the use of multiple models.   Why you have to check out today's podcast: Discover how AI is transforming traditional frameworks like value modeling, scenario planning, and pricing, making complex processes faster and more efficient. Gain insights on how AI can help you better understand problems and create innovative solutions, ultimately improving your decision-making process. Dive into emerging concepts like prompt orchestration and how AI is evolving, giving you the tools to enhance your AI workflows for maximum effectiveness.   “Create a series of prompts, create a series of context documents that you can reuse and explore the framework in ways that you never could before and find ways of applying it.” - Steven Forth   Topics Covered: 02:10 - How no single AI model can meet all needs, thus,  advocating for multiple model for diverse perspectives and specialized capabilities 03:11 - Distinguishing between diffusion models and transformer models 05:46 - How does a transformer model work 07:28 - Understanding the [LQMs] Large Quantitative Models, [RAG] Retrieval Augmented Generation and challenges faced by companies like Pros in leveraging customer-owned data  11:39 - How Wolfram/Alpha uses mathematical reasoning to validate and simplify equations and highlighting the emergence of reasoning models for complex problem-solving 15:34 - Steven reflecting on his increasing reliance on AI tools, how they are transforming his thinking, and the need to embrace these technologies as vital partners in enhancing exploration, communication, and decision-making 17:17 - How generative AI enables more dynamic and efficient approaches to scenario planning 23:29 - Emphasizing how leveraging AI with established frameworks accelerates complex tasks like building value models 25:13 - Learning 'prompt orchestration' to optimize prompt sequences and responses 26:52 - Explaining Perplexity's limitations in generating complete outputs   Key Takeaways: “It used to take Ibbaka between 40 and 60 hours of work by a highly trained person to build a value model. It now takes us less than two hours to build a better value model than we could have done before.” - Steven Forth   People / Resources Mentioned: Geoffrey Hinton: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geoffrey_Hinton Bloomberg: https://www.bloomberg.com/asia Attention is All You Need paper: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attention_Is_All_You_Need Sam Altman: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sam_Altman Karen Chiang: https://impactpricing.com/podcast/467-minimize-churn-and-boost-your-net-dollar-retention-with-karen-chiang/ Porter's 5 Forces: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Porter%27s_five_forces_analysis Clayton Christensen: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clayton_Christensen William Gibson: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Gibson Perplexity AI: https://www.perplexity.ai ChatGPT: https://chatgpt.com You.com: https://you.com Hugging Face: https://huggingface.co   Connect with Steven Forth: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevenforth/ Email: steven@ibbaka.com   Connect with Mark Stiving: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stiving/ Email: mark@impactpricing.com  

This is an Impact Pricing Blog published on October 24, 2024, turned into an audio podcast so you can listen on the go. Read Full Article Here: https://impactpricing.com/blog/context-driven-pricing-the-ultimate-pricing-strategy/ If you have any feedback, definitely send it. You can reach us at mark@impactpricing.com.  Now, go make an impact.   Connect with Mark Stiving: Email: mark@impactpricing.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stiving/