Pricing Services

Buyer: We need about 100 seats, can you share pricing with us? Rep: You bet, at that volume it's $1400 a seat, so $140,000. 😑😑😑😑😑😑😑😑😑😑😑😑😑😑 I've heard this on discovery calls 1000 times - we get a direct ask on pricing and we give a direct answer. Or worse, we dance around it and don't answer because we've been taught to withhold price until we can prove value. But telling a buyer "Poof, you need 140K, thx!" is rarely the right answer. Instead, here's my script: "You bet! A quick note that we have a ten-seat minimum for starters, and that's at $1600 a seat. So, worst case, we could start you there. However, we have discounting tiers that kick in at 25, 50 and 100 seats, with 100 being $1400/license. In addition, we have discounts that we can add in if we can look at a multi-year agreement. All that to say, there are a few directions we can go to get you started with us and also to give you the best rate." 1. Be honest about where the buyer can start. 16K can earn you the opportunity to keep talking and prove value on that and future calls. 2. Be transparent about your price - if you have a minimum threshold on seats, price, or size of engagement, be honest and save everyone the hassle and time if it's not a fit. If they need one seat and you can't sell less than ten, tell them to buy online or let them find nine friends - don't burn multiple calls only to disappoint you both. 3. Talk about discounts (and competitors) early. I've never shied away from telling buyers exactly how they can reduce their price with us - it's not artificial discounting, it's things that are in their control. If you struggle here, I could NOT recommend Todd Caponi's new book Four Levers Negotiating more. Bonus: your conversation will be different than the ones they're having with "well, I'm going to need to prove more value before I can give you a number..." reps and you'll stand out positively. #samsales

Pricing shouldn’t feel like a fight. It should feel like a fair conversation between adults who both want the relationship to last. When costs keep rising and margins start to feel thin, the worst thing we can do is spring a surprise increase and hope customers accept it. The better path is to make small, evidence-based adjustments that people can understand, and to do it with enough notice that trust grows rather than erodes. Here’s how I guide teams through it... We set a simple rule first: price reviews happen on a predictable cadence, anchored to a sensible index, and capped so there are no surprises. Then we give customers a choice. A clear Good / Better / Best set of tiers lets people pick the value that fits, and it means we stop discounting just to “make it work.” For loyal customers, we start with a grace period and then move in small, scheduled steps. It’s respectful, and it smooths cash flow for everyone. We also swap blanket discounts for an early-pay credit that protects the list price while bringing cash forward. We add a few fair boundaries so small, urgent, or high-touch work is priced to match the effort. Where costs have increased in one part of the service, we re-bundle so value is obvious and buyers are never misled. And when it’s time to talk, we keep the message short and human: here’s what changed in our input costs, here’s the adjustment we’re making, and here’s what stays the same in terms of quality and scope. If you track a few signals for 30 days, you’ll see better results like: most eligible accounts receive the scheduled uplift, the overall discount rate falls, more invoices are paid early, average revenue per customer increases, and churn and NPS hold steady. The goal is pricing that is predictable, and defensible. Think caliper, not hammer, with measured moves that protect margin and maintain customer goodwill. How do you explain price changes to customers without losing trust? ------- ➕ Follow Jonathan Maharaj FCPA for finance‑leadership clarity. 🔄 Share this insight with a decision‑maker. 📰 Get deeper breakdowns in Financial Freedom, my free newsletter: https://lnkd.in/gYHdNYzj 📆 Ready to work together? Book your Clarity Session: https://lnkd.in/gyiqCWV2

The 15-minute energy prices will have a significant impact on the value of flexible production and consumption. This is good for you if you own a battery energy storage system or an Electric vehicle, and will be introduced throughout Europe on October 1st.   The average 15-minute prices might be equal to the 60-minute price, but I expect the price fluctuations within the hour to be of a similar magnitude to those we now see within a day.   The day-ahead market price is set by the marginal price of each period, so, naturally, prices will differ significantly within the hour as the availability of production differs.   Solar power production follows a ramp pattern, with the first 15 minutes having a lower volume than the last 15 minutes of the morning hours. The consumption is much more stable, meaning each morning hour starts with a high price and ends with a low price. Conventional generation cannot ramp up and down in this short time span, so the supply and demand curve will shift, impacting prices.   This is what should happen as the market moves closer to the physical reality with a more accurate pricing of the energy.   These price differences will significantly increase the value of flexibility and energy trading.   ☀️ For PV, it will result in even lower capture rates. 🔋 For a BESS, it means that there are four times more products to trade but probably ten times more spreads to deliver on. This will double the value that can be captured from the day-ahead market.   🚗 It can result in lower charging costs. Instead of charging your car for two hours straight, the optimal charging plan would spread the process over the best 15-minute periods throughout the night. It requires the charging optimiser to pause and restart the charging several times during the night to take advantage of the cheap periods. Optimal planning will increase in value compared to a fixed charging schedule.   Some of the Danish DSOs have been very slow at introducing 15-minute readings for the consumption customers. You may be settled on a 60-minute basis after October. In this case, the DSO will take your hourly consumption and spread it out equally in the 4 periods. In some cases, it might require a new meter, but the regulation states that everyone has the right to be settled at the same resolution as the market time unit. Hybrid Greentech - Energy Storage Intelligence

In business, there's a huge difference between price and value. If a client starts the conversation by focusing solely on price, chances are they're not going to buy—or worse, they may not be the right client for your business at all. When a customer is only interested in negotiating the lowest price, they often don't appreciate the value you bring to the table. We realized that as soon as we increased our prices, everything changed. Not only did our revenue grow, but more importantly, our client profile shifted dramatically. We began attracting clients who truly valued the quality and expertise we offer. These clients understood the investment they were making and trusted us to deliver results that justified the price. By raising our prices, we set a new standard, and the clients who recognized that were the ones we wanted to work with all along. Remember, when you charge what you’re worth, you attract clients who value what you offer. It’s not just about making a sale—it’s about building relationships with clients who understand the value behind your work.

While competitors sold mattresses at ₹10,000, we launched at ₹29,900. Amazon and Flipkart said it wouldn't work, because our price was 3X what sells on their platforms. Today, The Sleep Company is the fastest-growing mattress brand in India. People ask how we convinced customers to pay a premium for a mattress. The answer isn't about pricing. It's about understanding value. Indian customers are willing to pay ₹1 lakh for an iPhone, and ₹2 lakh for a Royal Enfield. It’s not because they're "affordable”, but because the value is clear. So, the real question isn't "Can they afford it?" It's "Do they believe it's worth it?" Most brands price like this:  Cost + Margin = Price But, we flipped it to Value-Based Pricing:  What's the transformation worth to the customer? = Price Our product wasn't just 3x the price, it also delivered 5x the outcome. And every touchpoint communicated that. But most of the brands end up making these mistakes: 📍Underpricing to "get traction"  📍Overpricing without differentiation  📍Changing prices too often Here’s what worked for us instead: 📌 The sweet spot wasn't the lowest. 📌 Focused on value perception - packaging, unboxing, communication reinforced "premium." 📌 Invested in experience - website, stores, after-sales. Premium pricing demands premium delivery. As a result: 📍₹60,000 became our best-selling price point 📍Customers didn't ask "Why is it so expensive?" They asked, "When's the next collection?" Premium isn't about charging more. It's about being worth more. And if you deliver on that, the market will pay.

The compensation team said, 'Why give her $100K if she's happy with $90K?' This was the EXACT moment I knew the system was broken 💡 I had just been promoted as a new manager. The raise? $10K, which bumped me to $90K. My manager fought for me to get $100K, but that response revealed everything wrong with compensation practices. The compensation team's strategy was clear: give just enough to keep me satisfied, not what I was actually worth. Even after successfully getting bumped to $100K, I later discovered I was still making 30% less than colleagues with similar experience and education. 𝗔𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘄𝗮𝘀𝗻'𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗼𝗻𝗹𝘆 𝗺𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗱𝘂𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗺𝘆 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗿: • I found a compensation review form on the ground by the printer revealing my coworker made $40,000 more than me for the same role • A transparent colleague shared that they were making $8,000 more despite less experience • My client discovered her peer earned $30,000 more through a casual conversation And so many more... As a recruiter, I started breaking the rules. When candidates asked for $80K (before pay transparency laws), I shared that roles paid up to $100K. Against policy? Yes. The right thing to do? Absolutely. Most companies will pay you what they can get away with - not what you're worth. And we always find out. Always. When we do, we leave. And it costs companies significantly more to replace us than if they had paid fairly from the start. This is why I'm so passionate about: - Teaching negotiation skills - Pushing for pay transparency - Ensuring my values align with the companies I work with The truth about compensation? People talk. Information gets shared. Papers get dropped. Don't wait to find out you're being underpaid. Negotiate early. Negotiate often. Know your worth. #aLITTLEadvice -- Hi! I'm April. I help high-achieving women leaders build executive-level influence to break through to Executive roles.

Most founders are terrified of their own worth. The traditional business advice says: "Start low and build up." But after working with hundreds of entrepreneurs, I've learned something counterintuitive: Undercharging by 300% isn't just bad for your wallet, it's bad for your clients. Last year, I watched a brilliant consultant struggle with this exact problem. She was charging what felt "safe" instead of what she was worth. When she finally made the shift to premium pricing, something beautiful happened, and it changed how I think about creating fair value exchanges. Here's what I learned about honoring your worth while believing in mutual success: 1. Commitment Over Comfort When people invest appropriately, they're committed to their transformation. Fair pricing attracts founders ready to do the work, not just observers. I've seen consultants charge too little and watch clients disengage, then price fairly and see those same clients implement everything with dedication. 2. Partnership Filter System Fair pricing attracts the right founding partners for mutual growth. You're not just serving clients, you're choosing who you grow with. This creates beautiful partnerships where both parties are invested in extraordinary outcomes. 3. Excellence Creation Mechanism Appropriate pricing gives you resources to create exceptional experiences and deliver transformation at the highest level. When compensated fairly, you can focus entirely on results instead of worrying about covering costs. 4. Positioning Clarity Tool Your pricing positions the value of the outcome, not just the service. Fair pricing communicates the level of transformation you're committed to delivering and signals your belief in what's possible. 5. Abundance Building Practice Every time you price fairly, you're practicing abundance thinking. You're believing there's enough success for everyone and modeling the mindset your clients need for their own growth. 6. Sustainable Impact Engine Fair pricing creates the foundation needed to truly serve at your highest level. This sustainability allows you to show up fully and build long-term relationships based on mutual respect and shared success. This isn't just about charging more, it's about creating systemized, beautiful partnerships where transformation becomes inevitable. When you price your work fairly, you're not being greedy. You're being generous with your belief in what's possible for the founders you serve. The question isn't "Will people pay?" The question is: "Do you believe enough in the transformation you deliver to price it fairly?" The future belongs to those confident enough to value their impact appropriately. It starts with one conversation where you honor both your worth and theirs. __ Enjoy this? ♻️ Repost it to your network and follow Matt Gray for more. Want help applying this in your business? Send me 'Blueprint' and let's chat. Only for founders ready to scale.

One of the biggest mistakes you can make as a global Nigerian freelancer is thinking in Naira. When I first started freelancing, I used to charge based on how much I felt something was worth not based on the actual value I was offering. I’d say things like, "Ah, $50 is a lot in Naira. Let me not overcharge them." Meanwhile, the client I was trying to “help” was probably paying someone else $500 for the same work. The aha moment for me was when a foreign client paid me x5 of what I charged cause he liked my work and told me I was charging too little lol. That’s when I knew I had to stop pricing like a Nigerian trying to survive, and start pricing like someone who brings value, no matter where they live. So if you’re a freelancer in Nigeria with global clients (or who wants), here’s how to price smart: ✅ 1. Stop converting USD to Naira in your head If you keep thinking, “$100 is ₦150,000 oh!”, you’ll end up undercharging. The truth is: people abroad don’t think like that. They’re comparing your rate with other global freelancers, not your local cost of living. So price in dollars, based on the value you’re bringing , not your location. ✅ 2. Create different packages (I was a little late💀) Not every client has the same budget, & that’s fine. Create options: •Tier one gets the basic package •Tier two gets the mid-tier •Tier three gets premium That way, you can confidently say, “Here are your options,” instead of struggling to hack one “safe” price. ✅ 3. Price based on results, and effort—not effort alone. Don’t just say: “I’ll write 5 posts in a month.” Say: “I’ll extensively research into your industry and prepare 5 optimally written posts that help you build consistency and attract more of your target audience online over the next 30 days.” The more outcome-focused your offer sounds, the more valuable you become in the client’s eyes. ✅ 4. Say your price with your full chest If you quote and then immediately explain or apologize, they’ll smell the uncertainty. Instead, be calm and clear: “This project starts at $750. I can explain what that covers.” Say it like you’re ordering food, not begging for approval. ✅ 5. Factor in your real costs Let’s be honest, working from Nigeria has its own challenges: •Internet wahala •Generator or inverter bills •VPN subscriptions •Payment delays or charges All of that should reflect in your pricing. Don’t shortchange yourself. ✅ 6. Ask for a deposit. Always. At least 50% upfront. Use platforms like Payoneer, Wise, Deel, or even Chipper if needed. You’re running a business, not doing “please help me” work. ✅ 7. Make your brand look global If your social media, website, or portfolio is looking too “local,” some foreign clients will assume you’re cheap. Polish your look. Show testimonials. Speak the language of impact and results. Bottom line: You’re not just a Nigerian doing remote work. You’re a global talent solving real problems from Nigeria. Start acting (and pricing) like it.🦋

Many founders treat pricing as a revenue optimization problem. Figure out the product first, scale usage, then monetize. That's backwards. Pricing isn't about extracting money. It's about discovering whether you built something people actually value. At Gamma, we used pricing as a proxy for value and kept it pretty much the same for over 2 years. Free usage will lie to you (especially for B2B and prosumer products). Usage spikes feel like PMF. They're not. Usage without payment tests your onboarding, not your value. If you come out with too generous of a free plan, you'll never know what true willingness to pay looks like. Here's how to use pricing as a proxy for value: 1. Pick your value metric Choose the thing customers actually hire you for. Documents generated. API calls. Minutes transcribed. At Gamma, we gated by AI credits as the primary value metric, with business levers like custom branding. 2. Draw a hard boundary between free and paid Let people experience the "aha," then stop them at a generous but bounded gate. We gave users plenty of AI credits up front. Once they hit the limit: upgrade for access to more AI. 3. Research your range, then let behavior decide We used Van Westendorp to find our starting range. Ask users four price points: too cheap to trust, good value, getting expensive, too expensive to consider. Plot where these intersect to bracket your range. Then test a few prices within it. Research shows what people say they'll pay - conversion shows what they actually do. We watched free-to-paid conversion and early churn signals, picked the winner, and moved on. 4. Instrument retention and talk to customers Track whether paid users keep crossing your value threshold each week. Stay close to customers through power-user communities or direct outreach. Ask questions like: "What job were you hiring us for?" and "What would justify a higher price?" 5. Treat pricing changes like product pivots Once you've validated pricing, the only reason to change it is if you've fundamentally changed what you're selling. We haven't changed ours in two years because the value metric (AI usage) hasn't changed. Constantly repricing means you're still searching for product-market fit. Why this matters: Pricing early clarifies who values you, which channels convert, and which segments to double down on. You're better off launching pricing way earlier so you can see who's actually willing to pay for it.

Why Agencies Must Ditch Time Sheets and Charge for Outcome In 2008, I helped lead Microsoft’s mobile launch across EMEA as part of WPP’s integrated team 👉 Microsoft asked us to test market appetite via a digital campaign. 👉 The goal? 500 pre-orders We tested something new: → Facebook as a lead-gen platform → Two weeks later → target smashed ✅ 500+ pre-orders ✅ Product validated ✅ Launch strategy shaped ✅ Budget delivered beyond ROI expectations 👉 But here’s the problem... ❌ We didn’t price the project around that outcome ❌ We charged for time and FTEs → Not by impact → Not by outcomes or insights → Not by the true value we created 👉 And 17 years later, most agencies are still doing the same. 🌀 The Challenge Today Right now... We’re in a pricing crisis. Agencies are still pricing like it’s 2008: → Selling time → Selling headcount → Selling deliverables Agencies are still stuck in FTE-based models: → Easy to compare → Easy to administer → Exactly what procurement wants But here’s the problem: ❌ It punishes efficiency ❌ It rewards time, not outcomes ❌ It turns expert thinking into a commodity 👉 Worse, it’s nearly impossible to scale or defend in a results-driven economy. 🌀 Why Agencies Don’t Change Here’s why most agencies haven’t shifted: → Fear of losing retainers keeps them quiet → Commercial incentives are built around headcount → Most client teams haven’t been trained in pricing strategy → Pitch processes still favour like-for-like comparisons and rate cards They know it needs to change. But they keep kicking the can down the road. 🌀 The Missed Opportunity Clients aren’t against new pricing models. → They’re against risk → They want clarity, predictability, and value → But they’ll never ask you to change your pricing 👉 That’s your job. And the ones that do change? → Win bigger deals → Keep clients longer → Operate with better margins 🌀 What Independent Agencies Should Do If you're an independent agency, this is your moment. → You're not tied to legacy procurement. → You don’t have layers of approval. → You can move fast. So, don’t copy the networks. → Outrun them. Here’s how: ✅ Start productising key services ✅ Tie pricing to client business goals ✅ Introduce hybrid models (outcome + retainer) ✅ Use pilots to de-risk performance-based engagements ✅ Build a commercial capability inside your leadership team 🌀 My Take? Outcome-based pricing isn’t innovation anymore. 👉 It’s survival 👉 For your agency 👉 For your future margins Clients want ROI. → They want growth → They want risk-sharing → If agencies can’t speak that language, someone else will 🌀 My final thought.... If you delivered £15M in business value... But charged £100k in time. → That’s not strategy → That’s a discount Want to stand out? → Price the result → Not the process It’s time to evolve from time-based pricing to outcome-based value. Because in today’s market... → Clients aren’t buying time → They’re buying transformation ivanfernandes.me