Cyber Monday Sale! 50% Off All Access

3 Marketing Pricing Strategies That Will Win You More Customers You're probably pricing your products and services the wrong way.

By Julie Guest

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

Successful entrepreneurs are usually moving so quickly to get to the next big thing that they typically just come up with a price off the top of their head that they think sounds fair and run with that. Or they might look at their competitor's pricing and take the "Goldilock's approach" (not too high, not too low.) Or they figure out their costs, add in a desired margin, then cross their fingers and hope for the best.

Don't worry — we've all done this at various times along our entrepreneurial journey.

Fortunately, there's a much more strategic approach to pricing that will help sell your products and services at a price point your customers will love and that's profitable to you.

After all, you've worked hard on developing a product that solves a big problem for your target market. Now it's time to make your customers happy and grow your revenue.

Related: Why Some Prices Are More Right Than Others

1. Price based on "true value" comparison

Let's pretend that you recently started a Keto-based coaching company to help people lose weight. You've gathered together a list of prospective customers that you've been carefully building a relationship with over the past few months. Now you're ready to offer them your first product: a 6-month inspirational weight loss program for people who specifically have 100 pounds or more to lose.

If customers buy your program and lose 100 pounds, what will this mean for them? How much would they value being able to throw out their elastic-waisted jeans and having the confidence to start online dating? What is it worth to have their weight-related health issues, like high blood pressure, be a thing of the past? A hundred thousand dollars? A million dollars?

By asking the question and speaking to prospective customers about how they value it, you establish a true value for your product as seen through the eyes of your target market. Now the price you decide to charge for your course is a mere fraction of its true value, but very likely higher than what you originally thought you'd charge. Just as importantly, now you're armed with powerful messaging to use in your advertising.

For example, is losing 100 pounds and being able to throw the football to your son without feeling like you're dying worth $297? Of course it is! Now your price point is a bargain because the value you are delivering is so much more.

2. Use a micro-pricing strategy

Say you have the choice to buy an individual bottle of beer or a 6-pack. When you buy an individual bottle, it works out to be more expensive per bottle than the per bottle price as part of a 6-pack. But if you're new to the beer brand and just want to try something different, buying a single beer at $3.99 instead of six of them at $24.99 sounds a lot more appealing. This is a great pricing strategy to use for first-time customers because it reduces their fear of making a wrong decision, and it gives you the chance to provide an amazing first experience so the customer will be left wanting more.

Related: A Simple 3-Step Approach to Successful Social Media Advertising

3. Use "premium pricing" to discount from

This is my least favorite pricing strategy because people usually implement it unethically by "puffing up" a premium price (which no one would actually pay), and then offering a generous discount, which ends up being the price you would expect to pay. However, this strategy works — which is why many big box stores use this pricing strategy. This is a powerful pricing strategy for a reason. It gets a lot of customers in the door, but don't use it too often because it effectively conditions your customers to never expect to pay full price again.

I've just given you three solid pricing strategies to start implementing in your business, as well as traps to watch out for. Now you can leave the guesswork to your competitors and start testing these out!

Related: Entrepreneurship Is a Journey in 7 Stages. Enjoy The Ride.

Julie Guest

Chief Strategist & Marketing Consultant

Julie Guest is the author of the new bestseller "The Client Stampede" and is an advisor to private clients running businesses from $2 million to $1 billion-plus. She is the CEO of Bolder&Louder, a full-service agency that specializes in branding, transformational marketing and strategic consulting.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Growing a Business

Her Restaurant Business Is Worth $100 Million — Here's Her Unconventional Advice for Aspiring Entrepreneurs

Pinky Cole, founder of Slutty Vegan, talks about going from TV producer to restaurant owner, leaning into failure and the value of good PR.

Business News

Elon Musk Still Isn't Getting His Historically High Pay as CEO of Tesla — Here's Why

A second shareholder vote wasn't enough to convince Delaware judge Kathaleen McCormick.

Legal

How Do You Stop Porch Pirates From Stealing Christmas? These Top Tips Will Help Secure Your Deliveries.

Over 100 million packages were stolen last year. Here are top tips to make sure your stuff doesn't get swiped.

Leadership

Leadership vs. Management: How to Understand the Difference and 6 Ways to Bridge the Gap

Here are the key differences between leadership and management, highlighting their complementary roles and providing six strategies to develop managers into future leaders.

Business News

'Something Previously Impossible': New AI Makes 3D Worlds Out of a Single Image

The new technology allows viewers to explore two-dimensional images in 3D.

Business News

'I Stand By My Decisions': A CEO Is Going Viral For Firing Almost All of the Company's Employees — Here's Why

The Musicians Club CEO Baldvin Oddsson fired 99 workers at once over Slack for missing a morning meeting. But there's a catch.