How to Benchmark Your Pricing Like AI Models with Steven Forth

Mike Blake is the founder of High Score Strategies, with over 26 years of experience in business valuation and M&A markets. He specializes in advising small to medium-sized businesses (SMBs) on increasing their valuations. Mike is passionate about the relationship between pricing and value, and how effective pricing strategies can significantly impact a company's worth. In this episode, Mike shares his insights on how pricing affects valuation, the importance of differentiation in a competitive market, and the shift from growth to profitability in business models. Together, they explore the concept of context-driven pricing, the significance of signaling in pricing strategies, and how companies can leverage their unique data to enhance their market position.   Why you have to check out today’s podcast: Discover how pricing communicates a company's brand and market position. Explore the relationship between pricing, profitability, and business valuation. Learn about the importance of differentiation and how to create a competitive moat.   “Pricing is language. It communicates to the market what kind of brand you are.”  – Mike Blake   Topics Covered: 01:37 – The relationship between pricing and valuation.  02:30 – The importance of pricing in determining profitability and cash flow. 03:39 – Differentiation and competitive moats in pricing strategies.  04:53 – The shift from growth to profitability in business models. 08:36 – Signaling in pricing and its impact on investor perception.  11:17 – How to differentiate in a market dominated by larger players.  13:23 – The relevance of pricing strategies for SMBs, and how service-based companies offer consulting as value-ad. 17:04 – What Mike does. 19:36 – Why businesses that don't know their business model. 20:53 – Why value-based pricing is excruciatingly difficult. 25:53 – Mike’s advice on pricing and negotiation.   Key Takeaways: “Pricing is the stem cell for all of that. [Cash flow, revenue, and profitability]” – Mike Blake “Companies that get pricing right are the most valuable.” – Mike Blake “If you're selling 100% of your deals you're probably not optimizing your revenue because you're selling too cheaply.” – Mike Blake “Understanding your unique data can create alternative revenue streams.” – Mike Blake   Connect with Mike Blake: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/unblakeable/ Email: mblake@highscoresstrategies.com   Connect with Mark Stiving: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stiving/  Email: mark@impactpricing.com

12 Touko 27min

This is an Impact Pricing Blog published on March 3, 2025, turned into an audio podcast so you can listen on the go. Read Full Article Here: https://impactpricing.com/blog/pricing-ai-the-rules-havent-changed-but-your-strategy-should/ If you have any feedback, definitely send it. You can reach us at mark@impactpricing.com.  Now, go make an impact.   Connect with Mark Stiving: Email: mark@impactpricing.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stiving/

9 Touko 5min

Deepak Bhootra is the CEO of Jabulani Consulting, with over 19 years of experience in the tech industry, including significant roles at Hewlett Packard and Sun Microsystems. Deepak has a deep understanding of pricing strategies and their impact on sales performance. He is passionate about helping organizations navigate the complexities of pricing and sales operations. In this episode, Deepak shares his journey into pricing and sales, discussing the cultural nuances of negotiation in India and how they influence pricing strategies. Together, they explore the challenges salespeople face with pricing, the importance of understanding value from the customer's perspective, and how AI can play a role in pricing strategies.   Why you have to check out today’s podcast: Discover the common pitfalls salespeople face when discussing pricing. Explore the importance of aligning pricing with customer value and the psychological aspects of pricing. Learn how AI can enhance pricing strategies and sales effectiveness.   “Pricing is something that companies use to control sales behavior. Salespeople don’t like to be controlled.” – Deepak Bhootra   Topics Covered: 01:46 – Deepak introduces himself and shares his background in pricing. 03:10 – The cultural significance of negotiation in India and its impact on pricing. 07:44 – The relationship between sales and pricing and the challenges salespeople face. 14:21 – Discussion on the emotional aspects of pricing and how they affect sales decisions. 17:12 – Insights into the importance of understanding value from the customer's perspective. 23:09 – The role of AI in enhancing pricing strategies and sales effectiveness. 30:35 – Deepak’s pricing advice. 33:18 – Connect with Deepak.   Key Takeaways: “Salespeople need to understand the value of pricing and how it relates to customer perception.” – Deepak Bhootra “Value is in the eye of the beholder. Understand what the customer values before discussing pricing.” – Deepak Bhootra “When you ask a budget question right up front, you're actually setting yourself up for a pricing discussion.” – Deepak Bhootra “Pricing is one of those conversations where you have complete control of your CRM updates, you have complete control over your forecast, your relationship, but you do not have control over the price because someone else dictates the price.” – Deepak Bhootra “When you are looking at price, giving a discount is the easiest lever to pull right up front. And typically (salespeople) they do it because they can also bamboozle you with a lot of stuff.” – Deepak Bhootra   People/Resources Mentioned: Jabulani Consulting: https://jabulaniconsulting.com Amartya Sen: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amartya_Sen   Connect with Deepak Bhootra: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/deepakbhootra/ Email: deepak@jabulaniconsulting.com   Connect with Mark Stiving: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stiving/ Email: mark@impactpricing.com

5 Touko 35min

This is an Impact Pricing Blog published on February 24, 2025, turned into an audio podcast so you can listen on the go. Read Full Article Here: https://impactpricing.com/blog/the-single-perfect-price/ If you have any feedback, definitely send it. You can reach us at mark@impactpricing.com.  Now, go make an impact.   Connect with Mark Stiving: Email: mark@impactpricing.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stiving/

2 Touko 2min

Vladyslav Podoliako is the founder and CEO of Belkins.io, a leading B2B appointment setting agency, and Folderly, an email deliverability system. With a strong entrepreneurial spirit and a focus on performance-based results, Vlad has successfully navigated the complexities of pricing in the B2B space. He is passionate about helping companies scale their businesses through effective client acquisition strategies. In this episode, Vlad shares his journey from launching Belkins to evolving his pricing strategies as the company grew. Together, they explore the critical role of pricing in business growth, the importance of aligning pricing with customer value, and the unique challenges of pricing in the B2B landscape.   Why you have to check out today’s podcast: Understand the significance of aligning pricing with customer value and performance. Discover the importance of testing pricing strategies and gathering client feedback. Explore the psychological aspects of pricing and how they influence customer decisions.   “Pricing is like blood in the veins for a growing company. You should have a great pricing model that is scalable and profitable.” – Vlad Podoliako   Topics Covered: 01:10 – Vlad introduces himself and discusses the common misinterpretation of his company names. 02:15 – The importance of pricing in Vlad's entrepreneurial journey and how it evolved over time. 04:36 – Overview of Belkins and its approach to client acquisition. 06:51 – Discussion on the pricing model based on sales qualified leads (SQLs) and its correlation with client ROI. 09:32 – Insights into product packaging and the pricing strategy for Folderly. 13:15 – The impact of high pricing on customer expectations and delivery pressure. 15:42 – The psychological aspects of pricing and how they relate to perceived value. 19:41 – Discussion on the entrepreneurial spirit in Ukraine and its impact on business success. 24:21 – In scaling your company, how often should you revisit your pricing? 26:50 – Vlad’s advice on being courageous with pricing and testing strategies. 28:01 – Thoughts on ChatGPT pricing for pro. 30:01 – Connect with Vlad.   Key Takeaways: “Be courageous about your pricing. Test it out more than you strategize theoretically.” – Vlad Podoliako “(on pricing) It's about how much tries you do before you succeed and how resilient you do that. All of these events, historically, we kind of have this in our blood, adaptability, resilience, and hard work.” – Vlad Podoliako   People/Resources Mentioned: Belkins: https://belkins.io/ Folderly: https://folderly.com/ OpenAI: https://openai.com/ Sam Altman: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sam_Altman NVIDIA: https://www.nvidia.com/en-us/ Google: https://www.google.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/   Connect with Vlad Podoliako: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vladPodoliako/  Email: vlad@belkins.io   Connect with Mark Stiving: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stiving/  Email: mark@impactpricing.com

28 Huhti 30min

This is an Impact Pricing Blog published on March 10, 2025, turned into an audio podcast so you can listen on the go. Read Full Article Here: https://impactpricing.com/blog/creating-pricing-power-that-lasts-a-guide-for-long-term-holdings/ If you have any feedback, definitely send it. You can reach us at mark@impactpricing.com.  Now, go make an impact.   Connect with Mark Stiving: Email: mark@impactpricing.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stiving/

25 Huhti 7min

Jared Smith is the CEO of PriceSmith, a consulting firm specializing in pricing strategies for distributors and light manufacturers. With a background in pricing systems from Vendavo and experience as an adjunct professor at Oklahoma State, Jared brings a wealth of knowledge to the table. He is passionate about helping companies optimize their pricing strategies to capture more value. In this episode, Jared shares his journey from Frito-Lay to leading pricing innovation in the B2B distribution space. Together, they explore the key distinctions between B2B and B2C pricing models, especially the negotiation-heavy and data-rich nature of distribution.   Why you have to check out today’s podcast: Learn about the differences between B2B and B2C pricing strategies. Understand the role of pricing systems in managing large SKU portfolios in distributorship. Discover how to effectively segment customers for better pricing strategies.   “Invest in your master data and keep chipping away at it. Start with 80/20 of your products and get that right.”  – Jared Smith   Topics Covered: 01:42 - Jared shares how he got into pricing after his MBA and experiences at Frito-Lay and in B2B distribution. 02:57 - Discussion on the differences between B2C and B2B pricing, including transparency and data access. 06:06 - Challenges in understanding why customers buy and the limitations of data analytics. 12:55 - Jared explains his focus on distribution and the unique challenges it presents. 14:40 - Discussion on the relevance and limitations of cost-plus pricing in distribution. 19:17 - Exploration of how to implement good, better, best pricing in distribution. 25:28 - Discussion on whether distributors publish prices or rely on quotes for transactions. 26:33 - Jared shares insights from Uber experiences and how they relate to distribution pricing. 31:27 - The impact of customer loyalty on pricing strategies and potential risks. 32:55 - Jared's key piece of advice on investing in master data for better pricing strategies. 33:58 - Connect with Jared.   Key Takeaways: “Distribution is an amazing thing. Obviously, it's worldwide. And the simple fact of it, it has two very unique aspects. The first one, a lot of SKUs. And then, the second one is that you have a lot of customers.” – Jared Smith   People/Resources Mentioned: PriceSmith: https://www.pricesmith.com/ Vendavo: https://www.vendavo.com/ Oklahoma State University: https://www.okstate.edu/ Pepsi: https://www.pepsi.com/ Frito-Lay: https://www.fritolay.com/ Coca-Cola: https://www.coca-cola.com/ Apple: https://www.apple.com/ LG: https://www.lg.com/ Uber: https://www.uber.com/ Lyft: https://www.lyft.com/   Connect with Jared Smith: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaredpaulsmith/ Email: jared@pricesmith.com   Connect with Mark Stiving: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stiving/ Email: mark@impactpricing.com

21 Huhti 35min

This is an Impact Pricing Blog published on February 17, 2025, turned into an audio podcast so you can listen on the go. Read Full Article Here: https://impactpricing.com/blog/the-secret-to-using-ai-in-pricing-ask-expert-questions/ If you have any feedback, definitely send it. You can reach us at mark@impactpricing.com.  Now, go make an impact.   Connect with Mark Stiving: Email: mark@impactpricing.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stiving/

18 Huhti 2min