Have you ever wondered what makes a good business? Good strategies. While it might seem obvious that sales and marketing strategies are crucial for business growth, the same attention needs to be paid to your pricing. Choosing how much to charge your customers is just as important as how you choose to sell your products or services to them.
The price strategy will set the standard for your business in the highly competitive marketplace. Many business owners might think choosing the right pricing strategy can be simple and may not require rocket science. However, in reality, it is quite a challenging task.
It is a lot more than simply setting the lowest price. Choosing low prices will not help you generate enough profit, and going for too high prices will only make your potential customers look elsewhere. In both cases, your business will be affected.
Now, you must be wondering what is the best pricing strategy for a small business. Wonder no more. Read on to learn about the best pricing strategies for your business!
What is a Pricing Strategy?
Before shedding light on the best pricing strategies for small businesses, you must first understand what pricing strategy is. Pricing strategy is a process a business uses to set prices for its products or services. There are various types of pricing strategies for small businesses. However, not every pricing strategy is for every small business.
Best Pricing Strategies for Small Businesses
Every business is unique. Therefore, there will not be one strategy that meets your business’s unique needs. Smart business owners often rotate pricing strategies over time or blend different strategies for different products or services.
If you are unsure about what is the best pricing strategy for a small business, here are a few most effective pricing strategies with real-life examples:
Value-Based Pricing
Value-based pricing, also known as premium pricing, is used predominately in the luxury goods and fashion market. Nowadays, it is found in all types of businesses, from coffee shops to airlines to smartphone manufacturers. Business owners can set their prices according to what customers think their product or service is worth.
For example, Starbucks and Rolex use value-based pricing strategies to price their products based on massive popularity and brand loyalty. Customers have associated the names “high-quality coffee” or “high-quality watches” with these two brands and are willing to pay a premium price.
Suppose your business has a higher competitive advantage, and you know that you can charge your customers a premium price without being undercut by competitors offering a similar quality product at a lower price. In that case, a value-based pricing strategy is a perfect choice for you.
Pros:
- Higher profit margin
- Increases focus on customer service
- Balances supply and demand
- Improves the quality of your business
Cons:
- Higher production and marketing cost
- Requires a lot of research time and resources
- Makes scalability difficult
Take a look at our most recent blog: How Can Email Marketing Fuel Your Overall Inbound Strategy?
Competitive Pricing
Another popular pricing strategy used by businesses worldwide is competitive pricing. According to competitive pricing, business owners can set prices for their products or services based on their competitors’ charges. It can be a great strategy for businesses that are just starting.
Retailer John Lewis & Partners often reduces its prices in stores and online to match discounts offered by competitors. Customers will often purchase from a brand selling the same quality product at a lower price than a rival retailer.
Are you planning to launch your new products or services? Make sure to do a thorough competitive pricing analysis. If a competitor sells the same product or service for £10, you can launch your product or service at £9.88 or less (if you have a profit margin). Doing so will offer your customers a psychological advantage over the competitors’ pricing.
Pros
- Easy to implement
- Greater profit margin
- Increased revenue
- High customer retention rate
Cons
- Unable to increase brand value
- Unsustainable strategy in the long term
Price Skimming
Price skimming is a pricing strategy established, or budding businesses use to maximize their sales of new products and services. This pricing strategy involves setting high rates during the initial phase and gradually lowering your prices as competitor products appear on the market.
A popular technology company Apple uses price skimming when introducing a new iPhone in the market. They charge a premium price when the phone is launched. However, once the competitors come with a similar phone, they lower the price to remain competitive and relevant in the market.
It is a great pricing strategy for technology brands introducing new products yearly. Also, it will work great for restaurants, cafes, or coffee shops that regularly update their menus.
Pros
- Maximum profits in the early phase
- Increases your brand value
Cons
- It does not always work and may result in excess inventory
- It makes your early customers furious
Conclusion:
Pricing strategy can make or break your business. Therefore, business owners must take time and choose their pricing strategies wisely. By doing thorough research, you will be able to avoid taking a problematically low-price position in the market. According to business experts, you must not change your products’ or services’ prices no more than once in a quarter or less as it will make your business appear unprofessional and unstable to your target audience.
Choosing a pricing strategy for your business is not as easy as it sounds. Many business owners often rush into the process and regret it later. Are you unable to choose the right pricing strategy for your small business or startup? Let Action Coach provide free business coaching sessions on pricing strategies. Contact us today at 01442 773310 or email westherts@actioncoach.co.uk to choose the right pricing strategy for your business!
