Impact Pricing

Ian Clark runs Crescendo Consulting, helping companies monetize AI features. He's advised leadership teams on packaging, pricing metrics, and outcome-based models. And of course, he performed his obligatory stint at Simon Kutcher Partners. In this episode, Ian challenges common misconceptions about AI pricing, explaining why cost-plus pricing is still wrong even with variable AI costs, how to choose the right pricing metrics beyond tokens, and why outcome-based pricing isn't the silver bullet many believe it to be.   Why you have to check out today's podcast:  Understand why AI costs shouldn't drive your pricing strategy, even when margins drop below traditional SaaS levels.  Learn how to identify pricing metrics that correlate with willingness to pay rather than falling into the token-based pricing trap. Discover why outcome-based pricing for AI faces fundamental attribution problems that make it less viable than expected.   "The best way to get willingness-to-pay data and to understand where the value of

This is an Impact Pricing Blog published on July 21, 2025, turned into an audio podcast so you can listen on the go. Read Full Article Here: https://impactpricing.com/blog/why-empathy-is-your-most-underrated-pricing-tool/ 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/  

Ton Dobbe is the founder of Value Inspiration, helping SaaS companies transform from commoditized to remarkable. He's the author of The Remarkable Effect, where he explores what makes products stand out and command premium prices. And he's a keynote speaker and podcast host himself. In this episode, Ton shares his insights on how SaaS companies can escape the commodity trap and command premium pricing by focusing on their unique approach to solving customer problems, rather than just features and functions.   Why you have to check out today's podcast: Learn how to identify and articulate the real problems your customers face that keep them awake at night. Discover why competing on your approach rather than features is the key to premium pricing. Understand how guarantees and risk reduction can justify higher prices and improve your entire business operation.   "Start thinking about what you do and why customers would pay a premium for that. And if you cannot answer that, there's work to do. It's a very simp

This is an Impact Pricing Blog published on July 14, 2025, turned into an audio podcast so you can listen on the go. Read Full Article Here: https://impactpricing.com/blog/two-buyers-talked-and-nothing-bad-happened/ 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/  

Scott Kelly is the founder and CEO of Blackdog Venture Partners, and he has been for 25 years. He's the host of VC Fast Pitch and he has about a dozen companies with the name Blackdog in them. Scott has taken 3 companies public and raised $5 billion throughout his career. In this episode, Scott explains how important it is for entrepreneurs to listen to their customers when setting prices, as he shares his knowledge on maximizing profits through effective pricing strategies that investors love.   Why you have to check out today's podcast: Learn how crucial recurring revenue models are to attracting investors and why subscription-based pricing provides the consistency they seek.  Find out why selling on price alone is bad for both sides of the transaction and how to focus on value instead.  Understand the power of letting your customers help you determine pricing through relationship-building rather than transactions.   "Let your customers help you price." – Scott Kelly   Topics Covered: 02:00 – How Scott ac

This is an Impact Pricing Blog published on June 30, 2025, turned into an audio podcast so you can listen on the go. Read Full Article Here: https://impactpricing.com/blog/everyones-talking-about-ai-almost-nobodys-using-it/ 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/

Bryan Phelps is the founder and CEO of Big Leap, a digital marketing agency he's been running for 17 years. He's been working in digital marketing and SEO since college and recently served as a juror in a murder trial (though we don't discuss that). Bryan specializes in helping B2B tech companies and professional services firms navigate the evolving landscape of AI-powered search and discovery. In this episode, Bryan reveals how AI is fundamentally changing SEO and digital marketing, why traditional performance marketing tactics are becoming less effective, and how companies can build "brand-led performance marketing" strategies that work across Google, AI platforms, and future technologies.   Why you have to check out today's podcast:  Learn the key differences between B2B and B2C buyer behavior in the age of AI search.  Discover the three pillars of AI SEO and how they relate to traditional search optimization. Understand why building relationships with the 95% of non-shopping audiences creates pricing pow

This is an Impact Pricing Blog published on June 30, 2025, turned into an audio podcast so you can listen on the go. Read Full Article Here: https://impactpricing.com/blog/product-market-fit-is-overrated-for-pricing/ 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/  

John Norkus is the founder of chiefpricingofficer.com and has led pricing transformation teams at several large consulting companies including Deloitte and KPMG. He started his career as an aircraft engineer before transitioning into business, bringing his analytical mindset to understanding the behavioral economics of pricing decisions. In this episode, John makes a compelling case for why pricing professionals deserve a seat at the executive table, exploring the disconnect between pricing's impact on enterprise value and its typical organizational placement. He discusses his new platform designed to unite senior pricing professionals and elevate the discipline to C-suite recognition.   Why you have to check out today's podcast:  Discover why pricing professionals are typically buried 2-3 levels below the CEO despite controlling one of four key profit drivers. Learn the difference between traditional pricing roles and true chief pricing officer responsibilities. Understand how to position pricing as enterpr

This is an Impact Pricing Blog published on June 23, 2025, turned into an audio podcast so you can listen on the go. Read Full Article Here: https://impactpricing.com/blog/when-pricing-becomes-sleazy-manipulation/ 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/

Steven Forth is the founder and CEO of Ibbaka and by far Impact Pricing's most frequent guest. He's currently developing ValueIQ, a set of agents for pricing and value advisory work that will soon be available for broader use. In this episode, Steven discusses his recent research comparing agent strategies across four major pricing software companies, explores the fundamental question of how many agents is optimal, and reveals how AI is transforming both the buying and selling process in ways most companies aren't prepared for.   Why you have to check out today's podcast: Learn how the four major pricing software companies (Pros, Vendavo, Zilliant, PriceFX) approach agent development differently. Discover the key difference between role-based and task-based agent design strategies. Understand how AI will fundamentally change B2B buying processes and what that means for pricing.   "Start using AI to get a deeper understanding of how your customers are buying. Because if you don't understand how your customer

This is an Impact Pricing Blog published on June 16, 2025, turned into an audio podcast so you can listen on the go. Read Full Article Here: https://impactpricing.com/blog/the-secret-link-between-market-segments-and-the-will-i-decision/ 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/

Ashish Gupta, founder and CEO of ScaleUp Exec, brings a unique perspective to pricing from his experience building and selling multiple companies across technology, e-commerce, and subscription businesses. Starting his career at Anheuser-Busch (as the company's only non-drinker), Ashish has led businesses from startup to eight-figure valuations, giving him deep insights into pricing across different business models and growth stages. In this episode, Ashish shares unconventional pricing strategies that transformed his businesses, including how he convinced vendors to provide products for free by repositioning his company as a marketing partner rather than a traditional retailer.   Why you have to check out today's podcast:  Discover how to identify and target the specific customer segments willing to pay premium prices for your unique value proposition.  Learn the "influencer plus" strategy that transforms vendor relationships from cost centers into revenue-generating partnerships.  Understand how subscripti

This is an Impact Pricing Blog published on June 9, 2025, turned into an audio podcast so you can listen on the go. Read Full Article Here: https://impactpricing.com/blog/why-pricing-ai-is-so-hard/ 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/  

Craig Wilson, Director of Pricing and Packaging at Moody's Analytics, brings extensive experience from major financial services companies including S&P and Experian. Starting his career in financial analysis at a Scottish car retailer after his soccer dreams didn't materialize, Craig discovered his natural strengths in numbers and analytical tools, leading him to specialize in pricing across subscription products, deal desk operations, and information technology services. In this episode, Craig explores the dual challenge of AI in pricing: how to monetize AI-enhanced products and how to leverage AI tools for pricing decisions. Drawing from his experience at Moody's, he discusses why traditional pricing principles still apply to AI products while acknowledging the fundamental disruption AI creates for per-user models. Craig shares practical insights on using AI as a pricing coach and the critical importance of early involvement in product development.   Why you have to check out today's podcast: Learn why

This is an Impact Pricing Blog published on June 2, 2025, turned into an audio podcast so you can listen on the go. Read Full Article Here: https://impactpricing.com/blog/jobs-to-be-done-vs-problems-and-results-whats-more-useful-in-b2b/ 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/

Steven Forth has been a frequent guest on Impact Pricing and is a co-creator of the COMPASS framework. Michael Mansard is the Principal Director of Subscription Strategy at Zora. He's an investor in and mentor to several startups, and he started his career in consulting at companies like Deloitte and SAP, so he knows a lot. In this episode, Steven and Michael dive deep into the COMPASS framework for evaluating pricing metrics in the age of AI and agentic systems, exploring how traditional SaaS economics are being turned upside down and why companies need to move away from user-based pricing models.   Why you have to check out today's podcast:  Learn why AI pricing fundamentally breaks the traditional SaaS model of "expensive to build, cheap to run". Understand the COMPASS framework's 14-question assessment for selecting optimal pricing metrics. Explore the accelerating cycles of pricing complexity and simplification across technology waves.   "I think that most people are clueless and do not want to admit t

This is an Impact Pricing Blog published on May 26, 2025, turned into an audio podcast so you can listen on the go. Read Full Article Here: https://impactpricing.com/blog/value-is-not-the-same-as-willingness-to-pay/ 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/

Steven Forth is the Co-founder and Chief Value Officer at Ibbaka, a leading value and pricing consulting firm. With deep expertise in AI applications for pricing and value modeling, Steven is at the forefront of developing intelligent agents that help businesses understand and communicate value more effectively. His work focuses on the intersection of artificial intelligence, pricing strategy, and value creation, making him a pioneer in applying AI to solve complex pricing challenges. In this episode, Steven shares his insights on how benchmarking is revolutionizing both AI development and pricing strategy. Drawing parallels between how AI models are improved through benchmarking and how pricing models should be evaluated, he introduces a framework for measuring pricing effectiveness that could transform how we approach pricing decisions. Together with Mark, they explore the challenges of establishing "truth" in pricing, the role of synthetic data, and the future of AI-powered pricing tools.   Why you have to

This is an Impact Pricing Blog published on May 19, 2025, turned into an audio podcast so you can listen on the go. Read Full Article Here: https://impactpricing.com/blog/the-two-questions-every-buyer-asks-and-how-to-design-your-product-and-pricing-around-them/ 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/