pricing-strategy

Pricing Strategy

Pricing model design, competitive analysis, and pricing page optimization.

Install

git clone https://github.com/thatrebeccarae/claude-marketing.git && cp -r claude-marketing/skills/pricing-strategy ~/.claude/skills/

Pricing Models

| Model | How It Works | Best For | Risk | |-------|-------------|----------|------| | Per-seat | Price per user/month | Collaboration tools | Discourages adoption | | Usage-based | Pay for what you use | APIs, infrastructure | Revenue unpredictability | | Tiered | Feature-gated plans | SaaS with clear feature tiers | Complexity, feature gating frustration | | Freemium | Free tier + paid upgrades | PLG, network effects | Low conversion (2-5% typical) | | Flat-rate | One price for everything | Simple products | Leaves money on table | | Hybrid | Base + usage or seat + usage | Complex products | Pricing complexity | | Per-unit | Price per resource (project, site) | Agencies, multi-property | Usage ceiling anxiety |

Value Metric Selection

The value metric is what you charge for (seats, API calls, revenue managed, etc.).

Good value metric criteria:

1. Scales with customer value — as they get more value, they naturally pay more
2. Easy to understand — customer can predict their bill
3. Measurable — you can track and bill accurately
4. Controllable — customer can influence their usage

| Product Type | Common Value Metrics | |-------------|---------------------| | Email marketing | Contacts, emails sent | | Analytics | Events tracked, monthly users | | CRM | Seats, contacts | | Infrastructure | Compute hours, storage, requests | | E-commerce platform | GMV, orders, SKUs | | Design tools | Seats, projects, exports |

Competitive Pricing Analysis

Analysis Framework

1. Inventory competitors — list all direct and indirect alternatives
2. Map pricing models — how does each charge?
3. Normalize to common unit — price per seat/month at comparable usage
4. Position on value map — plot price vs. feature completeness
5. Identify gaps — underserved price points or segments

Positioning Strategies

| Strategy | Description | When to Use | |----------|-----------|-------------| | Premium | Price above market, justify with value | Strong brand, unique features | | Competitive | Match market prices | Commoditized market, feature parity | | Penetration | Price below market to gain share | New entrant, land-and-expand model | | Value | Price based on ROI delivered | Measurable customer outcomes |

Good/Better/Best Tier Design

Tier Structure

FREE (or Starter): Entry point — enough to get hooked, not enough for serious use
PRO (or Growth):   Primary revenue tier — designed for most customers
ENTERPRISE:        High-touch — custom pricing, premium support, compliance features

Tier Design Rules

1. Most Popular = middle tier — anchor it visually and with a badge
2. Free tier limits should push to paid naturally (not by being crippled)
3. Feature fences should align with customer maturity (not arbitrary gates)
4. Price anchoring — show enterprise price to make pro feel reasonable
5. Annual discount — 15-20% for annual commitment (show monthly equivalent)

Pricing Page Optimization

Best Practices

• Default to annual billing toggle (pre-selected) with monthly option
• Show savings for annual ("Save 20%")
• Highlight recommended plan (visual emphasis + "Most Popular" badge)
• Feature comparison table with max 8-10 rows (not 40)
• CTA per plan with specific text ("Start Free Trial" vs "Contact Sales")
• Social proof per tier ("Used by 500+ teams")
• FAQ section addressing pricing objections
• Money-back guarantee or free trial prominently displayed

Price Testing Methods

| Method | Sample | What It Tests | |--------|--------|--------------| | Van Westendorp | Survey 200+ | Price sensitivity (too cheap, too expensive, bargain, deal-breaker thresholds) | | Gabor-Granger | Survey 300+ | Demand curve at specific price points | | A/B test | Website traffic | Actual conversion at different prices | | Cohort pricing | New signups | Different prices for different cohorts over time |

Integration with Other Skills

• cro-auditor — Pricing page conversion optimization
• ab-testing-framework — Design price tests with statistical rigor
• landing-page-optimizer — Optimize the pricing page layout
• icp-research — Willingness to pay by segment