|
|
Like this article? PLEASE +1 it! |
|
Eight Steps to Testing a New Pricing Strategy
Written by: John BrennanArticle Overview: Setting prices can be a process that is researched, objective and tested, or one that is reactive, emotional and impulsive. Follow the steps below and feel confident that your pricing strategy will be a success.
![]() |
Free Download - Adapting to Technology and the Internet By John Brennan |
Eight Steps to Testing a New Pricing Strategy
1. Know your value proposition. If your pricing strategy and value proposition aren't aligned, you're contradicting yourself, confusing the market and limiting your opportunities.
2. Group your products/services into categories: Commodities, partially differentiated, substantially differentiated, custom. And remember that your opinion may be different than that of your target market - while you may view your products as "highly" differentiated, they may think "partially."
3. Evaluate your competition for each group of products. How do your prices compare to those of your competitors?
For many B2B companies, this step is easier said than done -- you're less likely to find specific pricing info for your competitors. If that's the case, you can try to "secret shop" your competitors, ask prospects for feedback or just estimate a range.
4. Talk to your sales reps. If they're very close to their prospects and customers, they may be able to provide solid estimates.
Give them a chart and ask them "If our price was X, how many incremental deals do you think you could have won (or lost)?" Provide 3-5 values for X.
5. Survey your lost prospects and customers. As in the previous step, you're trying to project the number of deals you could have won or lost at different price levels.
You can have your sales reps contact prospects and customers or you can use an independent third party or formal survey. Your goal is to find out whether they would have bought from you (or whether existing customers would buy more/less) at different price points.
6. Calculate your total estimated profit at each price point. First, calculate your total current profit at your existing price(s).
Units sold * (Price - Cost of Goods Sold) = Total current profit
Then look at your surveys and estimates and calculate the number of additional units you could sell (or lose) over the same time period.
(Existing units sold + incremental units sold) * (New price - Cost of Goods Sold) = Total projected profit
7. Test your theory. If possible, before you implement a company-wide pricing change, set up a statistically valid test to evaluate your new pricing.
8. Develop a communication plan. If you're raising prices, your sales reps and materials will need to easily overcome any objections they face. Consider giving existing prospects a window of time to buy at the current price. And if you are lowering prices, it's a great time to plan a major campaign to announce your news.
To learn how Interpersonal Development can assist with this or other marketing issues call John Brennan at 1-585-230-5765
Article Tags: pricing strategy
|
About the Author: John Brennan RSS for John's articles - Visit John's website John Brennan Ed.D. Dr. Brennan is President of Interpersonal Development, LLC, a training and development firm. Interpersonal Development has provided sales training and coaching to more than 3,000 sales reps from over 100 companies. A native of Australia, Dr. Brennan received his doctorate from the University of Rochester. His dissertation researched the effectiveness of Behavioral Modeling Technology in training people in interpersonal skills. While he has spent most of his career designing or delivering training, he was also a Vice-President of Sales of a training and development franchise with operations in 25 markets. Dr. Brennan has designed and delivered sales training in North America, Asia, Europe, Australia and the Middle East. He has been a guest speaker at numerous national and regional professional conferences. When Microsoft wanted Best Practices articles on sales for their web site, they called Dr. Brennan. The results are at http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/FX011387391033.aspx His firm’s clients have included Volvo, The Prudential, Merrill Lynch, Eastman Kodak, Gannett, Equifax Europe, the Economist Group and countless small businesses. Click here to visit John's website Internet Marketing Campaigns Webinar Plan Measure Customer Loyalty Campaigns to Customers |
Related Forum Posts
Share this article with your friends. Fund someone's dream.
Leave a comment below or share on the left and you'll help support entrepreneurs in Africa through our partnership with Kiva. Over $50,000 raised and counting - Please keep sharing! Learn more.
Get advice & tips from famous business
owners, new articles by entrepreneur
experts, my latest website updates, &
special sneak peaks at what's to come!
Work at Home Moms and Their Bad Rap?
A New Year in the Pharmaceutical Industry
How To Be A Management Legend
Email us your ideas on how to make our
website more valuable! Thank you Sharon
from Toronto Salsa Lessons / Classes for
your suggestions to make the newsletter
look like the website and profile younger
entrepreneurs like Jennifer Lopez.



