Pricing as a growth lever (With Kyle Poyar, Operating Partner @ OpenView)
Nov 2, 2023
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Kyle Poyar, Operating Partner at OpenView, discusses the power of pricing as a growth lever. They explore steps to change pricing, where to anchor pricing, how to stick the landing, and common pricing mistakes. They also touch on pricing on the website and the difficulties of gathering accurate private company metrics.
Pricing plays a crucial role in achieving growth and finding product-market fit in the early stages of a business.
Changing price points or package offerings is easier and less risky than changing the fundamental pricing model for existing customers.
Deep dives
The Importance of Pricing and Packaging as a Growth Lever
Pricing and packaging can play a crucial role in achieving growth for a business. In the early stages, pricing is critical to finding product-market fit by determining the problem area important enough for customers to pay for. Flexible pricing options for technology companies open up numerous innovative monetization routes. Pricing changes can act as a powerful growth lever, leading to faster revenue growth. Many businesses overlook the importance of pricing and packaging, missing out on the opportunity to increase revenue. A dedicated pricing team or owner is crucial to drive pricing changes, and the involvement of a steering committee helps ensure alignment across departments.
Approaching Pricing Changes and Migration of Existing Customers
Before making pricing changes, businesses should have a clear understanding of their current state, goals, and the impact of their pricing. Researching alternatives and understanding customers' current costs and economic value helps determine the right pricing strategy. Piloting pricing changes with forward-thinking reps and new cohorts of customers can provide valuable insights and success stories. When migrating existing customers to new pricing, it is important to communicate changes to customers in advance and give them lead time to adjust. Providing optionality and choices for customers can assist in a smooth transition and minimize backlash or negative impacts.
Common Pitfalls and Considerations in Pricing Changes
Changing the underlying pricing model for existing customers carries more risk and should be approached cautiously. It is easier to change price points or package offerings rather than the fundamental pricing model. Companies should avoid multiple pricing changes within a short period, as this can lead to customer dissatisfaction and loss of trust. Providing customers with lead time and a sense of choice can alleviate potential backlash. Understanding customer objections and exception criteria is crucial to avoid common pitfalls. Utilizing a pilot phase and working closely with sales teams and customer success managers can help ensure smooth execution and adoption of new pricing.
Website Pricing and Transparency
The decision to showcase pricing on a website depends on factors such as the nature of the business, average deal size, and the need for transparency. For product-led growth (PLG) businesses, transparent pricing is a requirement to attract potential customers. Below a certain deal size threshold, typically around $10k per year, transparency is expected, especially for high-velocity sales. However, for deals above that threshold, transparency becomes less common. Providing pricing options and talk tracks that highlight differences and value propositions can help address potential customer objections and foster better-quality conversations.