POPULARITY
Pricing and packaging can either bog down your go-to-market engine or fuel it to peak performance.This week's SaaS Backwards podcast features Dan Balcauski, Founder and Chief Pricing Officer at Product Tranquility, a consultancy that helps high-volume B2B SaaS CEOs define pricing and packaging for new products. In this episode, Dan discusses the critical role pricing plays in a SaaS business model and why leadership teams must view it as a dynamic lever, not a "set-it-and-forget-it" element. He dispels the common myth that success hinges solely on what you charge, emphasizing instead that who and how you charge are the real determinants of success.Breaking this down, Dan walks through the four key elements of SaaS packaging: price metric, price model, offer configurations, and price fences.Our conversation also explores how to conduct a pricing study, realigning pricing strategies, AI's role in pricing decisions, and the ever-debated topic: should pricing be displayed on the website?This episode offers actionable insights for SaaS leaders looking to harness pricing as a powerful tool for growth and market alignment.Key takeaways from this episode:The impact of pricing and packaging on revenue, profitability, and valuationWhy pricing is a critical lever for growth in SaaS businesses that shouldn't be overlookedSigns a new CMO or CRO should look for to determine if pricing needs attention at a prospective employerOther resources to check out:Interview with Vinay Bhagat, Founder and CEO of TrustRadius who publishes a yearly report about how B2B buyer behavior is changing.The Lead Gen Mistake I Guarantee You're Making – how to create content that better identifies intent from today's b2b buyer.And, if you want an outside look at your content with actionable advice, take advantage of our Content Audit. Valued at $20K in free consulting---Thanks for listening to the SaaS Backwards Podcast, brought to you by Austin Lawrence Group. We help SaaS firms reduce churn, accelerate sales, and generate demand. Learn more at AustinLawrence.com.---Is your messaging a sales ally or sneaky saboteur? Let us help with our free messaging audit.We'll look at your website's messaging, content, and conversion potential from the eyes of today's buyer and deliver a presentation with new combinations to more sales conversations and demos. And the best part? It's absolutely free. Get started today!
Dan Balcauski is the founder and Chief Pricing Officer at Product Tranquility and expert in pricing and packaging for high-volume B2B SaaS companies. In this episode, we explore a variety of pricing strategies, uncover industry-specific practices, and discuss the growing influence of AI in pricing. Dan also shares valuable tips for sales reps and entrepreneurs looking to sharpen their pricing tactics and strengthen their market positioning. Packed with actionable advice, this episode is a must-listen for anyone aiming to elevate their pricing game. (edited)Are you interested in leveling up your sales skills and staying relevant in today's AI-driven landscape? Visit www.jbarrows.com and let's Make It Happen together!Connect with John on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnbarrows/Connect with John on IG: https://www.instagram.com/johnmbarrows/Check out John's Membership: https://go.jbarrows.com/pages/individual-membership?ref=3edab1 Join John's Newsletter: https://www.jbarrows.com/newsletterConnect with Dan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/balcauski/Check out Dan's Website: https://www.producttranquility.com/
In this episode, Jaryd Krause tackles the fascinating world of SaaS pricing with expert Dan Balcauski. Dan, the founder and Chief Pricing Officer at Product Tranquility in Austin, Texas, specializes in helping high-volume B2B SaaS CEOs determine optimal pricing and packaging for their new products. With extensive experience across both B2C and B2B sectors, from startups to publicly traded companies, Dan brings a wealth of knowledge to the discussion. Throughout the episode, Dan shares how he began his journey in pricing SaaS products and reveals the three main levers for scaling a SaaS business. He discusses the often-overlooked importance of pricing in the marketplace and provides insights on how to determine if a business is overcharging or undercharging for its products. Additionally, Dan explains the willingness to pay equation for customers and highlights common pitfalls in pricing strategies. Tune in to gain key insights into how corrective pricing can significantly impact scaling a SaaS company. Episode Highlights 05:00 - What is LUCK? 13:00 - How does net revenue retention work? 20:20 - Tackling the 3 pricing orientation 31:00 - Sales is an emotional job 39:00 - How value engineering works? Key Takeaways ➥ Pricing is often overlooked, even in large corporations. Effective pricing strategies can significantly impact a company's growth and profitability. ➥ Companies often focus too much on acquisition and neglect monetization and retention. Understanding and addressing these areas can lead to substantial growth opportunities. ➥ Competitor-based pricing can be risky as it assumes competitors have the right strategy and can lead to undifferentiated pricing. Value-based pricing focuses on the perceived value to the customer, aligning price with the benefits and outcomes the product delivers. About The Guest Dan Balcauski is the founder and Chief Pricing Officer at Product Tranquility, based in Austin, TX. He focuses on helping high-volume B2B SaaS CEOs define pricing and packaging for new products. Over his career, he has worked in both B2C and B2B companies, ranging from startups to publicly traded enterprises. Connect With Balcauski ➥ https://www.linkedin.com/in/balcauski/ ➥ https://www.producttranquility.com/ Resource Links ➥ Sell your business to us here - https://buyingonlinebusinesses.com/sell-your-business/➥ Buying Online Businesses Website - https://buyingonlinebusinesses.com ➥ Download the Due Diligence Framework - https://buyingonlinebusinesses.com/freeresources/ ➥ Hostinger (Website Hosting) - https://bit.ly/3HUqW0s ➥ Market Muse (Content Marketing software) - https://bit.ly/3Me39L0 ➥ Active Campaign (Email Software Provider) - https://bit.ly/3DCwYQH
This week on the Expert Voices podcast, Randy Wootton, CEO of Maxio, speaks with Dan Balcauski, Founder and Chief Pricing Officer of Product Tranquility. Randy and Dan explore the nuances of pricing from multiple angles and unravel the intricacies of how to structure effective pricing strategies that align with company objectives to drive both revenue and profitability. Dan emphasizes that successful pricing involves far more than just setting the right price—it's about understanding who you charge and how you charge. They also discuss the emerging impact of AI on pricing models and the importance of sophisticated tools and structures for effective pricing governance. Quotes“Who and how you charge determines your success more than what you charge.” -Dan Balcauski [06:50]“One of the major tools in the private equity playbook is pricing. It's one of the first things that they do. And why is that? It's because it's an untapped lever for growth and everyone's afraid to touch it.” -Dan Balcauski [29:28]Expert Takeaways Importance of Objectives: Align pricing strategies with clear, agreed-upon business goals, whether it's maximizing revenue, profit, or growth.Value Conversations Over Pricing Conversations: Engage customers in discussions about the value your product delivers rather than merely focusing on price points.Pricing Governance: Establish a pricing council to ensure cross-functional buy-in and ongoing adjustment to pricing strategies.AI in Pricing: Use AI to enhance existing capabilities and consider outcome-based pricing models rather than just passing token costs to customers.Iterative Learning: Don't fear experimenting with pricing models; learn and adapt rather than aiming for perfection out of the gate.Timestamps(05:44) Dispelling B2B Pricing Myths and Effective Customer Conversations(14:31) Balancing Revenue and Profit in Pricing Strategies(21:44) The Importance of Strategic Pricing and Cross-Functional Alignment(29:43) Overcoming Fear to Unlock SaaS Growth Potential(32:19) Navigating AI Pricing Strategies and Best Practices(41:13) Insights on Metrics, Books, and Influencers LinksMaxioUpcoming EventsMaxio Institute ReportRandy Wootton LinkedIn Dan Balcauski LinkedIn
Dan Balcauski is the founder and Chief Pricing Officer at Product Tranquility, a firm specializing in value creation and helping clients boost productivity and growth and improve customer loyalty. He provides strategic pricing and packaging consultations to high-volume B2B SaaS CEOs. Dan is also a Northwestern University - Kellogg School of Management program leader and is part of Toptal's Top 3% Worldwide Product Management Professionals. Dan joins me today to describe Product Tranquility, its services, and how they help businesses develop pricing strategies that lead to growth. He explains what most companies get wrong about pricing and his definition of pricing from the viewpoint of value. He discusses value cascade and the best ways to understand your customers. Dan also shares why pricing isn't necessarily a primary driver of business growth. “Intelligent price management starts with intelligent value management.” - Dan Balcauski This week on Innovation Talks: ● Product Tranquility and how they got started ● What people get wrong about pricing ● Dan's definition of value in pricing ● Value cascade and the best way to understand your customers Resources Mentioned: ● Book: The Strategy and Tactics of Pricing: A Guide to Growing More Profitably (https://www.amazon.com/Strategy-Tactics-Pricing-Growing-Profitably/dp/113873750X) by Thomas Nagle and Georg Müller Connect with Dan Balcauski: ● Product Tranquility (https://www.producttranquility.com/) ● Dan Balcauski on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/balcauski/) This Podcast is brought to you by Sopheon Thanks for tuning into this week's episode of Innovation Talks. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts. Apple Podcasts (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/innovation-talks/id1555857396) | TuneIn (https://tunein.com/podcasts/Technology-Podcasts/Innovation-Talks-p1412337/) | GooglePlay (https://www.google.com/podcasts?feed=aHR0cHM6Ly9pbm5vdmF0aW9udGFsa3MubGlic3luLmNvbS9yc3M%3D) | Stitcher (https://www.stitcher.com/s?fid=614195) | Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/show/1dX5b8tWI29YbgeMwZF5Uh) | iHeart (https://www.iheart.com/podcast/263-innovation-talks-82985745/) Be sure to connect with us on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/SopheonCorp/) , Twitter (https://twitter.com/sopheon) , and LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/sopheon/) , and share your favorite episodes on social media to help us reach more listeners like you. For additional information about new product development or corporate innovation, sign up for Sopheon's newsletter, where we share news and industry best practices monthly! The fastest way to do this is to go to sopheon.com (https://www.sopheon.com/) and click here (https://info.sopheon.com/subscribe) .
Dan Balcauski is the founder and Chief Pricing Officer at Product Tranquility, a firm specializing in value creation and helping clients boost productivity and growth and improve customer loyalty. He provides strategic pricing and packaging consultations to high-volume B2B SaaS CEOs. Dan is also a Northwestern University - Kellogg School of Management program leader and is part of Toptal's Top 3% Worldwide Product Management Professionals. Dan joins me today to describe Product Tranquility, its services, and how they help businesses develop pricing strategies that lead to growth. He explains what most companies get wrong about pricing and his definition of pricing from the viewpoint of value. He discusses value cascade and the best ways to understand your customers. Dan also shares why pricing isn't necessarily a primary driver of business growth. “Intelligent price management starts with intelligent value management.” - Dan Balcauski This week on Innovation Talks: ● Product Tranquility and how they got started ● What people get wrong about pricing ● Dan's definition of value in pricing ● Value cascade and the best way to understand your customers Resources Mentioned: ● Book: The Strategy and Tactics of Pricing: A Guide to Growing More Profitably (https://www.amazon.com/Strategy-Tactics-Pricing-Growing-Profitably/dp/113873750X) by Thomas Nagle and Georg Müller Connect with Dan Balcauski: ● Product Tranquility (https://www.producttranquility.com/) ● Dan Balcauski on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/balcauski/) This Podcast is brought to you by Sopheon Thanks for tuning into this week's episode of Innovation Talks. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts. Apple Podcasts (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/innovation-talks/id1555857396) | TuneIn (https://tunein.com/podcasts/Technology-Podcasts/Innovation-Talks-p1412337/) | GooglePlay (https://www.google.com/podcasts?feed=aHR0cHM6Ly9pbm5vdmF0aW9udGFsa3MubGlic3luLmNvbS9yc3M%3D) | Stitcher (https://www.stitcher.com/s?fid=614195) | Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/show/1dX5b8tWI29YbgeMwZF5Uh) | iHeart (https://www.iheart.com/podcast/263-innovation-talks-82985745/) Be sure to connect with us on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/SopheonCorp/) , Twitter (https://twitter.com/sopheon) , and LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/sopheon/) , and share your favorite episodes on social media to help us reach more listeners like you. For additional information about new product development or corporate innovation, sign up for Sopheon's newsletter, where we share news and industry best practices monthly! The fastest way to do this is to go to sopheon.com (https://www.sopheon.com/) and click here (https://info.sopheon.com/subscribe) .
EPISODE SUMMARYIn the bustling world of SaaS startups, where innovation is critical, and competition fierce, pricing strategies often hold the key to success or failure. It's a topic that can make or break a company, yet it's usually approached with more art than science. This week Dan Balcauski, founder of Product Tranquility, dove deep into the nuances of SaaS pricing. We unearthed valuable insights that every software leader should heed.PODCAST-AT-A-GLANCEPodcast: Scale Your SaaS with Matt WolachEpisode: Episode No. 313, “Is Your Pricing Wrong? - with Dan Balcauski”Guest: Dan Balcauski, Founder & Chief Pricing Officer at Product TranquilityHost: Matt Wolach, a B2B SaaS Sales Coach, Entrepreneur, and InvestorSponsored by: LeadfeederTOP TIPS FROM THIS EPISODEUnderstanding the Who and How of PricingAssessing Pricing EffectivenessUncovering Customer ValueEmbracing Value-Based PricingEPISODE HIGHLIGHTSThe SVCs Framework: A Comprehensive ApproachConclusion: The Choice is YoursTOP QUOTESDan Balcauski[07:11] "Value-based pricing requires a significant organizational commitment and rigorous analysis but offers unparalleled benefits in terms of aligning pricing with customer value."[10:52] "Pricing can either be a lubricant in your go-to-market engine or sand in that engine."[21:52] "Successful pricing is not just about what you charge but who you charge and how you charge them."Matt Wolach[20:02] "Pricing can make or break a company; it's essential to approach it with a strategic mindset and a deep understanding of customer needs."LEARN MORETo learn more about Product Tranquility, visit: https://www.linkedin.com/company/product-tranquility/ You can also find Dan Balcauski on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/balcauski/ For more about how Matt Wolach helps software companies achieve maximum growth, visit https://mattwolach.com.Head over to leadfeeder.com and sign up for a 14-day (no strings attached) free trial: https://www.leadfeeder.com/ Get even more tips by following Matt elsewhere: Sales Tips LinkedIn Twitter Instagram
In the ever-evolving world of SaaS, pricing is not just a number– it's a critical component of a product's success. In the latest episode of the SaaS Fuel podcast, Jeff Mains goes deep into the art and science of SaaS product pricing with Dan Balcauski - Founder and Chief Pricing Officer of Product Tranquility, where he helps high-volume B2B SaaS CEOs define pricing and packaging, market segmentation, competitive analysis, user research, and linking product engagement data to profitability and customer retention.Explore the nuances of various pricing strategies, from value-based pricing to tiered models, and the psychological underpinnings of consumer decision-making that can make or break your pricing approach. Stay tuned to gain knowledge, absorb wisdom, and advance your product's pricing strategy to new heights.Key Takeaways[00:00:52] - Crafting a Winning SaaS Pricing Strategy[00:05:18] - SaaS Open Conference March 2024[00:12:09] - Pricing and Packaging Strategy Insights[00:15:42] - Challenges With Pricing Strategy[00:23:03] - Balancing Competitiveness and Profitability[00:26:05] - Strategic Competition and Profitability[00:33:43] - Importance of Pricing Leadership in Organizations[00:42:45] - Developer Tools and Freemium Model[00:48:16] - Lessons Learned From Unity's Pricing Fiasco[00:54:29] - Wisdom Sharing for Price Paradise PassportTweetable Quotes"Mastering SaaS pricing is like being a poker player – it's all about the strategic finesse and savvy to price your product to perfection.” - 00:00:30 Jeff Mains"Differentiating products in crowded markets is crucial. Treating pricing as a dynamic process, not a static event, is key to long-term profitability.” - 00:26:50 Jeff Mains"Free trials are extremely valuable because software is an experience good where your perceived value of the product changes as you use it." - 00:47:02 Dan Balcauski "Freemium sounds great until you realize best-in-class companies only convert 1-3% of free users into paying customers. That's a 97% who give you nothing." - 00:47:02 Dan Balcauski "Software is what economists would call an experience good. Your perceived value of the product changes as you use it." - 00:47:02 Dan Balcauski SaaS Leadership LessonsPrioritize Value Over Price Tag: Understand the perceived value of your product to your customers rather than fixating on the competition's pricing. Value-based pricing ensures that customers feel they are getting more than their money's worth, which can significantly enhance customer satisfaction and loyalty.Embrace Strategic Flexibility: A one-size-fits-all pricing model is often not the best approach. By employing tiered pricing strategies, businesses can cater to different market segments and allow for scalability. Understand the Impact of Pricing on Growth: Strategic pricing is crucial for the three pillars of growing a SaaS business: acquisition, retention, and monetization. Particularly in competitive markets, differentiating your product and adapting pricing strategies to the dynamic nature of customer value perception is essential for...
Dan Balcauski is the founder and Chief Pricing Officer at Product Tranquility, a business consulting firm that provides SaaS pricing assessor, optimizer, and product management services. He focuses on helping high-volume B2B SaaS CEOs define pricing and packaging for new products. In this episode Dan and KJ discuss the importance of adapting to customer needs and market dynamics. Dan also emphasizes the need for businesses to sell and build products according to customer preferences. Key Takeaways: The importance of listening to feedback and research in a dynamic market The challenges faced by B2B SaaS companies in daily operations Real-world strategies for growing SaaS companies in today's market How to retain and monetize SaaS businesses in 2024 Quote of the Show (15:00): "I think the fundamental problem that companies are faced with now is that you can't cut your way to growth.” – Dan Balcauski Join our Anti-PR newsletter where we're keeping a watchful and clever eye on PR trends, PR fails, and interesting news in tech so you don't have to. You're welcome. Want PR that actually matters? Get 30 minutes of expert advice in a fast-paced, zero-nonsense session from Karla Jo Helms, a veteran Crisis PR and Anti-PR Strategist who knows how to tell your story in the best possible light and get the exposure you need to disrupt your industry. Click here to book your call: https://info.jotopr.com/free-anti-pr-eval Ways to connect with Dan Balcauski: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/balcauski/ Company Website: https://www.producttranquility.com Podcast: SaaS Scaling Secrets https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/saas-scaling-secrets/id1682338188 How to get more Disruption/Interruption: Amazon Music - https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/eccda84d-4d5b-4c52-ba54-7fd8af3cbe87/disruption-interruption Apple Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/disruption-interruption/id1581985755 Google Play - https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cub21ueWNvbnRlbnQuY29tL2QvcGxheWxpc3QvODE5NjRmY2EtYTQ5OC00NTAyLThjZjktYWI3YzAwMmRiZTM2LzNiZTZiNzJhLWEzODItNDhhNS04MDc5LWFmYTAwMTI2M2FiNi9kZDYzMGE4Mi04ZGI4LTQyMGUtOGNmYi1hZmEwMDEyNjNhZDkvcG9kY2FzdC5yc3M= Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/6yGSwcSp8J354awJkCmJlDSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Legal & General America is one of the nation's strongest life insurers, ranked number two for term life insurance providers in the US. Their sole focus is to safeguard families' financial well-being — and it has been for more than 70 years. Fred Tavan, SVP and Chief Pricing Officer at Legal & General America joined the Life Accelerated podcast to share the importance of constantly reinventing yourself to stay ahead in a rapidly changing world, Legal & General America's mission to offer good value life insurance coverage to as many US families as possible, the importance of embracing innovation and an omnichannel approach, and more. Tune in to hear Fred and Legal & General America's secrets on how they are taking over the life insurance industry. Key Takeaways: Continually reinvent yourself, embrace change, and seek personal and professional growth opportunities. Embrace innovation and disruption to stay ahead of industry trends and leverage new technologies. Be adaptable and responsive to market demands to reach and serve customers effectively. Timestamps: [00:00] Introduction to the episode [00:47] Where Fred began in his career and his experiences along the way [04:28] Who Legal & General America is, and what they're aiming to do [05:55] What Fred's job is, and what it consists of [08:32] Legal & General America's omnichannel strategy [12:05] What Fred sees as the opportunities for disruption and what is the role of innovation in LGA strategy [14:27] How Fred would summarize the competitive environment for term life [17:20] How important digital transformation is for reshaping the term life market [18:20] How LGA has been succeeding in the past couple of years [19:33] What success looks like for LGA within the next few years [22:34] If Fred thinks term life as having more of an emphasis on the health and longevity of the policyholder rather than just their mortality [23:48] Where we can expect LGA to rank in the term life market in the next five years [24:33] Closing Resources: Connect with Fred on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fred-tavan-022b2b9b/ Learn more about Legal & General America: https://www.lgamerica.com/
In this week's podcast, Dan Balcauski shares his thoughts on the challenge of measuring uncertainty in pricing strategy and how tools like Fermi decomposition can be game-changers. Additionally, if you've ever wondered how to manage existing customers when you decide to tweak pricing and packaging, we've got you covered. Tune in for some pragmatic advice on pricing strategy, indicative pricing, and the reasoning behind 'contact us for a quote' approach. Featured Links: Follow Dan on LinkedIn | Product Tranquility | Buy 'How to Measure Anything Workbook: Finding the Value of Intangibles in Business' book by Douglas Hubbard | Fermi Estimate examples | 'Decoding the mysteries of pricing strategies' - Part 1 of Dan Balcauski on The Product Experience
In this week's podcast, we were joined by Dan Balcauski, Founder and Chief Pricing Officer at Product Tranquility. Dan sheds light on the common misconceptions around pricing and gives valuable advice on aligning your pricing strategy with your business objectives. Featured Links: Follow Dan on LinkedIn | Product Tranquility | 'How To Price Your Product: A Guide To The Van Westendorp Pricing Model' feature at Forbes | 'Identifying and multiplying your best customers' - Tamara Grominsky on The Product Experience | Buy 'What Customers Want: Using Outcome-Driven Innovation to Create Breakthrough Products and Services' book by Anthony Ulwick
In this episode, my co-host Gayatri continues her conversation with Dan Balcauski, founder and chief pricing officer at product tranquility, a company that helps high-volume B2B SaaS CEOs define pricing and packaging for new productsGayatri asked him what challenges he faced when he became a consultantDan sharesHow he did a solo backpacking around the world and the transformational experiences he gotHow he had to talk himself away from self-talk that would shoot any ideas for entrepreneurshipWanting to explore a ‘brain for hire' model, to see if he could sell his expertiseValidating the niche to be in - of SaaS pricing advisoryWhy he did not consider a model of being a fractional product manager role, as a consultantWhat some of the inflexion points in his career have beenHow he has been able to support global clients, remotelyHis advice for young professionals who want to take up product management as a careerDan Balcauski, the founder and Chief Pricing Officer at Product Tranquility, dispels B2B SaaS Pricing Illusions.Dan is an expert in helping high-volume B2B SaaS CEOs define pricing and packaging for new products. He has 15 years of experience managing multiple products throughout their life cycles, from start-ups to publicly traded multinationals. A fun fact about him: before founding the company, he took a sabbatical and completed a solo, round-the-world expedition to 21 countries.Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/balcauski/
In this episode, my co-host Gayatri is in conversation with Dan Balcauski, founder and chief pricing officer at product tranquility, a company that helps high-volume B2B SaaS CEOs define pricing and packaging for new productsIn this conversation he talks aboutHis student days in 1999, the peak dotcom eraGot a job in Austin, TexasGetting into engineering manager role, which included envisioning product roadmapsDeveloping an interest in articulating value of solutions Signing up for an MBA and doing work on pricingSeeing some of the mistakes made by others during mergers and acquisitionsSetting up his company about 4 years agoHow he learns from other experts and booksHis views and recommendations on pricing and inflationThe impact of Covid on pricing patterns in hardware and softwareListen on!Gayatri asked him what challenges he faced when he became a consultantThe answer to that question and a lot more interesting stuff in the next episode.Dan Balcauski, the founder and Chief Pricing Officer at Product Tranquility, dispels B2B SaaS Pricing Illusions.Dan is an expert in helping high-volume B2B SaaS CEOs define pricing and packaging for new products. He has 15 years of experience managing multiple products throughout their life cycles, from start-ups to publicly traded multinationals. A fun fact about him: before founding the company, he took a sabbatical and completed a solo, round-the-world expedition to 21 countries.Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/balcauski/
“I ultimately believe that product marketing should own pricing…pricing is a function of your company's positioning.” Dan Balcauski is the founder and Chief Pricing Officer at Product Tranquility, based in Austin, TX. He focuses on helping high-volume B2B SaaS CEOs define pricing and packaging for new products. Over his career, he has worked in both B2C and B2B companies ranging from startups to publicly traded enterprises. Questions and topics we covered include: What do people get wrong about pricing? Defining product management Who should be responsible for pricing decisions in a business? The business objectives that pricing affects The pros and cons of freemium pricing models How businesses can define their product's value using the “value cascade” and “Jobs To Be Done” How market reference prices work How to measure time to value and see its impact on the end-user How do you identify the most effective price metric? Should a company show pricing on its website? How to leverage bundling as an acquisition tactic Why custom packaging only works in one scenario And more! You can connect with Dan via LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/balcauski/ And check out his website - https://www.producttranquility.com/ You can connect with me on LinkedIn here - https://www.linkedin.com/in/kennysoto/ Our Podcast Partner - MarketerHire If you're looking to hire expert freelance talent this year to scale your business (and impress your boss), check out MarketerHire. MarketerHire vets freelance talent so when you hire an SEO expert, Email Marketer, or even a Fractional CMO—you're not wasting your money or your time. You can hire your first freelancer and get a $500 credit by visiting: www.kennysoto.com/hire Music for this podcast comes from www.davidcuttermusic.com
How can B2B SaaS businesses create profitable pricing strategies? View the full video interview here. Dan Balcauski is the founder and Chief Pricing Officer at Product Tranquility, based in Austin, TX. He focuses on helping high-volume B2B SaaS CEOs define pricing and packaging for new products. Over his career, he has worked in both B2C and B2B companies ranging from startups to publicly traded enterprises.
SaaS Scaled - Interviews about SaaS Startups, Analytics, & Operations
On today's episode, we're joined by Dan Balcauski, Founder and Chief Pricing Officer of Product Tranquility, a consulting firm in Austin, Texas focused on helping high-volume B2B SaaS CEOs define pricing and packaging for new products.We talk about:What people often get wrong about pricingPricing questions you should never askWhat to ask instead The right way for companies to raise pricesHow to determine if you should publish pricing online
“Differentiation only matters to a customer in as much as they perceive that it matters,” Dan Balcauski. In this episode of Pragmatic Live, Rebecca Kalogeris, and Dan Balcauski, Founder and Chief Pricing Officer at Product Tranquility, explore how product professionals can influence pricing. They also discuss: Why product managers should deeply understand pricing Where people go wrong when they are working on pricing strategy How to establish a clear understanding of how your customer's value that's not based on opinion The role of competitive analysis in building a pricing strategy Why Dan doesn't recommend freemiums (but does recommend free trials) Ready to master the art of pricing? Learn how to set the right price for your products and services, understand your customers' willingness to pay, and maximize your profits. Learn More
This week's show is entitled, "Modern B2B Pricing Best Practices". My guest is Dan Balcauski, Founder and Chief Pricing Officer at Product Tranquility. Tune in to: Explore why pricing is often overlooked and underestimated in B2B marketing, and how it can be a crucial factor in business success. Rethinking Freemium: Understand the limitations of freemium pricing in B2B SaaS and why a free trial approach is often more effective. Discover why freemium can attract the wrong customer segments and distract from building a product that real target customers are willing to pay for. Unveiling the Concept of Pricing Fairness: Delve into the notion of fairness in pricing and its influence on customer perception. Explore the importance of considering personal and social fairness, along with the role of voice and choice in ensuring customer acceptance of pricing changes. Watch the video, listen in below and/or read the transcript on the Heinz Marketing Blog. Matt interviews the best and brightest minds in sales and Marketing. If you would like to be a guest on Sales Pipeline Radio send an email to Sheena@heinzmarketing.com.
On today's episode of the Entrepreneur Evolution Podcast, we are joined by Dan Balcauski. Dan Balcauski is the founder and Chief Pricing Officer at Product Tranquility, based in Austin, TX. He focuses on helping high-volume B2B SaaS CEOs define pricing and packaging for new products. Over his career, he has worked in both B2C and B2B companies ranging from startups to publicly traded enterprises. To learn more about Product Tranquility, visit https://www.producttranquility.com/ We would love to hear from you, and it would be awesome if you left us a 5-star review. Your feedback means the world to us, and we will be sure to send you a special thank you for your kind words. Don't forget to hit “subscribe” to automatically be notified when guest interviews and Express Tips drop every Tuesday and Friday. Interested in joining our monthly entrepreneur membership? Email Annette directly at yourock@ievolveconsulting.com to learn more. Ready to invest in yourself? Book your free session with Annette HERE. Keep evolving, entrepreneur. We are SO proud of you! --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/annette-walter/support
Product pricing is one of the challenges we have in Product Management, but we either shy away from it, or alternatively, only use our gut feeling to set up a price, or even worth, price our products compared to our competition.That's why we invited SaaS pricing expert, Dan Balcauski, Founder and Chief Pricing Officer at Product Tranquility. Dan helps high-volume B2B SaaS CEOs define pricing and packaging for new products. In this episode, Matt and Moshe learned from Dan about the right price for beer, but more importantly, what it takes to come up with software product pricing, as well as some of the tools used in the process.In this episode you will learn:The differences in pricing between different types of productsDifferent type of pricing modelsIs pricing a one time process or ongoing?Who owns pricing in the team?How do we come up with the “right” price?What type of research can one do to determine pricing?Framing your product and changing people perception to how much they are willing to pay for itTools used for the pricing decision supportDifferent way to package our products and how it drives pricingAnd much more!You can connect with Dan at:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/balcauski/Product Tranquility: https://www.producttranquility.com/You can find the podcast's page, and connect with Matt and Moshe on Linkedin:Product for Product Podcast - linkedin.com/company/product-for-product-podcastMatt Green - linkedin.com/in/mattgreenanalytics/Moshe Mikanovsky - linkedin.com/in/mikanovsky/Note: any views mentioned in the podcast are the sole views of our hosts and guests, and do not represent the products mentioned in any way.Please leave us a review and feedback ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Dan Balcauski is the founder and Chief Pricing Officer at Product Tranquility, based in Austin, TX. He focuses on helping high-volume B2B SaaS CEOs define pricing and packaging for new products. Over his career, he has worked in both B2C and B2B companies ranging from startups to publicly traded enterprises. Outline Why Dan does what he does. How to dispel pricing illusions in business. When does it work? When does it not? What is the difference between lowering price and offering a flanking product? The jobs to be done framework and the value cascade. Why is the Buddha Dan's hero?
Dan Balcauski is the founder and Chief Pricing Officer at Product Tranquility, based in Austin, TX. He focuses on helping high-volume B2B SaaS CEOs define pricing and packaging for new products. Over his career, he has worked in both B2C and B2B companies ranging from startups to publicly traded enterprises. Outline Why Dan does what he does. How to dispel pricing illusions in business. When does it work? When does it not? What is the difference between lowering price and offering a flanking product? The jobs to be done framework and the value cascade. Why is the Buddha Dan's hero?
"Your customers are looking at your product and asking for discounts. The key is to demonstrate the value of your product so that they understand the price is justified." - Mark Stiving, Chief Pricing Officer for Impact Pricing In this episode of the Pragmatic Live, host Rebecca Kalogeris, Vice President of Product at Pragmatic Institute, interviews Mark Stiving, Ph.D., Chief Pricing Officer for Impact Pricing, who shares six ways to raise product prices effectively. They discuss pricing strategies such as focusing on products that are add-ons, using market segmentation to adjust prices, and creating a new product version by taking away some features and charging a lower price. These strategies can help companies increase revenue without causing too much disruption or risking losing customers. The conversation contains valuable insights and practical tips to help professionals elevate their products, company, and career. Tune in to this episode to learn more about effective pricing strategies and take your product management skills to the next level. Do you want to learn how to be more market-driven? Enroll in Foundations You'll learn how to understand the market and its problems, use that knowledge to build and sell products people want to buy, and master the Pragmatic Framework to bring successful products to market. Learn More
Dan Balcauski was a program leader for Northwestern University, where he also went to school seven years prior. He is the founder and Chief Pricing Officer of Product Tranquility, a company that helps high volume B2B SaaS CEOs define pricing and packaging for new and existing products. In this episode, Dan talks about pricing and packaging and how he applies its principles in helping B2B SaaS companies. Why you have to check out today's podcast: Learn about the similarities and differences of pricing model and pricing metrics Discover the fundamental principles of how to decide which features to put on which packages Understand why there is no such thing as absolute and optimal pricing “You don't really have a choice of whether you will have a pricing conversation with your customer. The only decision you get to make is when you're going to have that conversation. So I recommend having it as soon as possible.” – Dan Balcauski Topics Covered: 01:13 – How Dan got the title “Chief Pricing Officer” 02:04 – The work that Product Tranquility does 02:16 – Dan's thoughts on packaging 04:31 – How Dan defines pricing metrics and pricing model 10:24 – How Dan decides which features go to which packages 16:50 – Dan's thoughts on good, better, best packaging 18:51 – How to decide if a specific feature shall go to good, better, or best packages 21:21 – How you should name your packages if you want to call them other than “good, better, and best” packages 23:24 – Dan's favorite thing to share people about pricing and packaging 26:08 – Do product managers use the word “value” the same way that pricing people do? 28:27 – Dan's pricing advice 29:58 – Connect with Dan Balcauski Key Takeaways: “When it comes to, especially SaaS pricing, most executives think that what you charge determines your success. In fact, who and how you charge determines your success. And the packaging is a huge element of how you charge. It really helps tell and align your value story so your sales and go-to market teams can really get your message across of the differentiated value that you bring.” – Dan Balcauski “In general, the principle by which I look at this through, is that your bundles, offer configurations, and packages, in Mark's terms, should align to a particular customer segment.” – Dan Balcauski “If we understand at a deep level what our customer segments need, what their constraints are, what they value, then we can make that decision much easier for them, which increases our sales velocity, reduces our customer acquisition costs, et cetera.” – Dan Balcauski “If we don't understand the customer we're going after, the problems they have, the outcomes they want, the constraints that they face upfront, the rest of the conversation gets very muddled.” – Dan Balcauski “There's the right price for the right moment in time for your stage of company, for the life cycle of your industry, for your competitive environment. But you're going to learn, you're going to get better.” – Dan Balcauski Connect with Dan Balcauski: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/balcauski/ Website: https://www.producttranquility.com/ Connect with Mark Stiving: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stiving/ Email: mailto:mark@impactpricing.com
Dan Balcauski is the founder and Chief Pricing Officer at Product Tranquility, based in Austin, TX. He focuses on helping high-volume B2B SaaS CEOs define pricing and packaging for new products. Over his career, he has worked in both B2C and B2B companies ranging from startups to publicly traded enterprises. In this episode of the Product Science Podcast, we cover Dan's SVCS model for working through pricing and packaging, how to figure out what different customers value, and how to use the 3 common pricing orientations. Read the show notes to learn more: www.h2rproductscience.com/post/the-dan-balcauski-hypothesis-the-most-important-part-of-product-pricing-is-who-and-how-you-charge
Dan Balcauski is the founder and Chief Pricing Officer at Product Tranquility, a firm specializing in value creation and helping clients boost productivity and growth and improve customer loyalty. He provides strategic pricing and packaging consultations to high-volume B2B SaaS CEOs. Dan is also a Northwestern University - Kellogg School of Management program leader and is part of Toptal's Top 3% Worldwide Product Management Professionals. Dan joins me today to describe Product Tranquility, its services, and how they help businesses develop pricing strategies that lead to growth. He explains what most companies get wrong about pricing and his definition of pricing from the viewpoint of value. He discusses value cascade and the best ways to understand your customers. Dan also shares why pricing isn't necessarily a primary driver of business growth. “Intelligent price management starts with intelligent value management.” - Dan Balcauski This week on Innovation Talks: ● Product Tranquility and how they got started● What people get wrong about pricing● Dan's definition of value in pricing● Value cascade and the best way to understand your customers Resources Mentioned: ● Book: The Strategy and Tactics of Pricing: A Guide to Growing More Profitably by Thomas Nagle and Georg Müller Connect with Dan Balcauski: ● Product Tranquility● Dan Balcauski on LinkedIn This Podcast is brought to you by Sopheon Thanks for tuning into this week's episode of Innovation Talks. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts. Apple Podcasts | TuneIn | GooglePlay | Stitcher | Spotify | iHeart Be sure to connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn, and share your favorite episodes on social media to help us reach more listeners like you. For additional information about new product development or corporate innovation, sign up for Sopheon's newsletter, where we share news and industry best practices monthly! The fastest way to do this is to go to sopheon.com and click here.
Dan Balcauski is the Founder and Chief Pricing Officer at Product Tranquility, a consulting firm that helps B2B SaaS CEOs define pricing and packaging for new products. On the podcast today, he outlines the three core value drivers (functional, emotional, social) and delves into the psychology of value. He shares why freemium models almost never work and why he hates the term “product market fit.” 0:00 Intro 1:02 Dan's background 5:55 Value and pricing 7:15 3 core value drivers 8:00 Value cascade 11:55 Brand and Positioning 18:48 Pricing 21:15 Product market fit 22:10 Packaging 26:30 Who's responsible 29:10 Rolling out internally 33:42 Freemium 42:18 Connect with Dan 42:45 Closing words Join The JuiceFollow The Juice:| Website | Blog | Twitter | LinkedInFollow Dan: | LinkedIn | Website Follow Brett:| Twitter | LinkedIn
Dan is the Founder & Chief Pricing Officer at Product Tranquility, a consulting firm that accelerates product growth and increases customer loyalty. They bring world-class product management and strategy practices to B2B SaaS and Marketplace companies in the small-to-mid market. Dan has managed multiple products throughout the product life-cycle from new concept incubation, product launch, product maintenance, platform transitions, and end of life over the last 15 years. In this episode we cover: 00:00 - https://byldd.com/ (Byldd - MVP Development Agency Based in New York) 01:12 - Intro 03:00 - What Is Product Value? 09:18 - Perceived Value Vs Cheap Price 13:00 - Strategy For Getting An Effective Price 16:31 - What Some SaaS Founders Get Wrong About Pricing 17:59 - How Often The Price Should Be Changed 20:34 - Adjusting The Price When Adding New Features 23:14 - Advantages Of Using Free Trials Or Freemium 32:02 - https://dofollow.io (Dofollow.io - Premium Link Building) 33:20 - Should Companies Show Pricing On Their Websites? 39:34 - When To Bring A Pricing Expert To Your Product Marketing Team 42:26 - Dan's Favorite Activity To Get Into a Flow State 43:27 - Dan's Piece of Advice for His 25 Years Old Self 43:45 - Dan's Biggest Challenges at Product Tranquility 44:38 - Instrumental Resources for Dan's Success 46:17 - What Does Success Means for Dan Today 47:24 - Get In Touch With Dan Get in Touch With Dan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/balcauski/ (Dan's LinkedIn) https://www.producttranquility.com/home-extended/blog/ (Product Tranquility Blog) Mentions: https://www.linkedin.com/in/patrickccampbell/ (Patrick Campbell) Books: https://www.amazon.com.br/Strategy-Tactics-Pricing-growing-profitably-dp-1138737518/dp/1138737518 (The Strategy And Tactics Of Pricing by Thomas T Nagle) https://www.amazon.com.br/Monetizing-Innovation-Companies-Design-Product/dp/1119240867 (Monetizing Innovation by Madhavan Ramanujam & Georg Tacke) Magic Mind, The World's First Productivity Drink - You can get 40% off on your subscription for the next 10 Days. Try it out, go to https://my.captivate.fm/magicmind.co/SaaS (magicmind.co/SaaS) and use our Discount Code SAAS20 Tag Us & Follow: https://www.facebook.com/SaaSDistrictPodcast/ (Facebook) https://www.linkedin.com/company/horizen-capital (LinkedIn) https://www.instagram.com/saasdistrict/ (Instagram) More About Akeel: https://twitter.com/AkeelJabber (Twitter) https://linkedin.com/in/akeel-jabbar (LinkedIn) https://horizencapital.com/saas-podcast/ (SaaS Podcasts) https://horizencapital.com/saas-consulting-services/ (SaaS Consultants) https://horizencapital.com/how-to-value-saas-business/ (Learn How to Value a SaaS Company)
“An effective price helps you capture fair value for the value that you're delivering to customers,” says Dan Balcauski, who specializes in B2B SaaS, which stands for business-to-business Software-as-a-Service. Balcauski is the Founder and Chief Pricing Officer at Product Tranquility, a business consulting and value creation firm, where he helps businesses optimize their pricing models. This includes dispelling a number of myths. One of these myths is the “freemium” pricing model, where users are offered basic features of a product or service for free while they are charged a premium for higher-tier features. Dan explains that as tempting and seemingly effective as these models may be, they are almost never a good idea. Constantly churning out new features takes a toll on a company's development team, and creates an illusion of free growth. In this episode of Billion Dollar Tech, you'll learn the four pillars of a successful SaaS package, the three Cs of pricing, and the subtle but crucial difference between value metric and price metric. Quotes: “In terms of a company's objective, I believe that an effective price maximizes the company's long term profitability.” (1:04-1:10 | Dan) “When it comes to SaaS pricing, most executives think that what you charge will determine your success, in fact, who and how you charge determines your success.” (4:09-4:14 | Dan) “Without a product manager there to be the voice of all the stakeholders inside the building and the voice of the customer when the customer's not represented at the table, it's hard to make decisions in an efficient manner to move the conversation forward about what should be built and when.” (11:36-11:48 | Dan) “With segmentation you really have two fundamental directions that you can start with: you can start with who customers are or what customers want.” (15:48-15:54 | Dan) “When I think about value drivers in jobs to be done, there's three categories of value drivers: the economic value drivers, (or economic function market value drivers), there's emotional value drivers, or there's the social, or community value drivers.” (23:50-24:07 | Dan) “For most B2B, you have to do research. So that's talking to customers or doing surveys. Testing your pricing and packaging is highly problematic.” (35:54-36:05 | Dan) “Software is what economists call ‘an experience good,' which means my perception of value changes as I use it.” (49:28-49:36 | Dan) Connect with Brendan Dell: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brendandell/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/BrendanDell Instagram: @thebrendandell TikTok: @brendandell39 Buy a copy of Brendan's Book, The 12 Immutable Laws of High-Impact Messaging: https://www.indiebound.org/book/9780578210926 Connect with Dan Balcauski: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/balcauski More about Dan: https://www.producttranquility.com/home-extended/about-dan/ Please don't forget to rate, comment, and subscribe to Billion Dollar Tech on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts! Use code Brendan30 for 30% off your annual membership with RiverSide.fm Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm
For Episode 86 - our host Bryan Whittington dives deep on a topic that is absolutely key to understand if you want to grow your business - pricing! Bryan brought in an expert for this one...Dan Balcauski is the Founder and Chief Pricing Officer at Product Tranquility. Dan helps high-volume B2B SaaS CEOs define pricing and packaging for new products and he shares his knowledge with us in this informative interview! Connect with Dan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/balcauski/ Connect with Bryan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brywhittington/ www.ebsgrowth.com
An interview with Dan Balcauski. Dan is a pricing & packaging consultant who is aiming to demystify the world of high-volume SaaS pricing and support this via his own consultancy, Product Tranquility. We talk about a lot, including: The mission behind Product Tranquility, the problems they solve and some of the ways they can help you get your product packaging & pricing strategy right The pros & cons of the three main pricing models; cost plus, competition based pricing and value based pricing Why it can be dangerous to "herd", where everyone is following everyone else's pricing models but no one's done the research to see if that pricing's right Some of the early warning signals of bad pricing that you can look out for before you go bankrupt The 4-step plan a company should go through to identify its target market, the value the product brings, the competitive alternatives & the pricing model that can support it The importance of keeping packaging simple so that customers can understand what they're going to get & salespeople are able to sell it effectively Why freemium pricing is "almost always a bad idea" - some of the downsides of this approach and what you can do instead And much more! Contact Dan You can reach out to Dan on LinkedIn or check out his pricing blog on Product Tranquility.
You have Chief Officers for everything under the sun, but you probably don't have a Chief Pricing Officer who is tasked with making sure that your bank is doing everything it can to price your loans in a way to insure profitability and accelerate growth. Dallas Wells makes the case for a Chief Pricing Officer.