Impact Pricing

Mark Stiving, Ph.D.
  • 4.8 (51)
  • Marketing
  • Weekly

The Impact Pricing Podcast will help you win more business at higher prices by teaching you about pricing and value. Once you understand how your buyers perceive the value of your product, you can build, market and sell products that win at higher prices. Pricing is really about creating, communicating and capturing value.

  1. 7h ago

    Stop Selling Hours. Start Selling Value with Florence Brunet

    What if your customers aren't really buying your team's time, equipment, or technical expertise? What if they're buying the problems you solve and the results you deliver? Florence Brunet, Pricing Director and Head of Group Pricing Performance at Equans, is leading a pricing transformation to move an engineering-driven organization beyond traditional cost-plus pricing toward value-based pricing. In this episode, Florence explains how to help engineers sell outcomes instead of hours, quantify customer pain, and build confidence in charging higher prices. She also shares how customer value, ESG commitments, and project profitability influence pricing decisions in complex B2B projects. **The next opportunity to meet Florence Brunet in person will be at EPP 20 Years Global in Amsterdam on 17–18 November. Register here to secure your ticket.   Why You Have to Check Out Today's Podcast: Learn how to move beyond cost-plus and sell the value your projects create. Discover how customer questions help quantify pain, savings, and willingness to pay. See how to justify premium prices even when competitors charge less.   "Instead of selling hours of technician, engineer, and instead of selling equipment, here we talk about what we create for customers."  – Florence Brunet   Topics Covered: 02:00 – Stop Selling Hours. Start Selling Value. Learn why customers should pay for the outcomes you create, not simply technician hours, engineering time, or equipment. 10:00 – Building Confidence to Charge Higher Prices. Explore how workshops, a value toolkit, and deal-scoring tools help engineers justify higher prices. 12:00 – Why You Can Win Without Being the Cheapest. Discover how ESG commitments, local teams, and responsible business practices can strengthen your value proposition. 16:00 – Protecting Profitability After the Project Is Won. Learn how Equans monitors margins, manages contracts, and identifies opportunities to recover profitability during execution. 17:30 – The Pricing Advice: Know Your Customer. Florence shares why customer segmentation and understanding customer needs should guide pricing decisions.   Key Takeaways: "Be customer-centric, knowing who are your customers, your segment, what are their main needs." – Florence Brunet "Sometimes we are not the cheapest, but we win because of this." – Florence Brunet "We should cover our costs, it's the bare minimum, but taking into account the context and the value we are providing is also important." – Florence Brunet   People and Resources Mentioned: Equans – Florence's company, operating in energy, digital, and industrial transitions. ESG – Environmental, social, and governance considerations that can contribute to a company's value proposition.   Connect with Florence Brunet: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/florence-brunet-pricing-strategic-marketing-director/    Connect with Mark Stiving: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stiving/ Email: mark@impactpricing.com

    Stop Selling Hours. Start Selling Value with Florence Brunet

  2. 3d ago

    Buyer Insight: Wall Street Is Sending Software Companies a Message About AI Pricing

    This is an Impact Pricing Blog published on August 17, 2026, turned into an audio podcast so you can listen on the go. Read Full Article Here: https://impactpricing.com/blog/wall-street-is-sending-software-companies-a-message-about-ai-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/

  3. Oct 26

    When Free Beats Your Price, Learn From Ebay with Yvonne Pop

    What happens when competitors offer for free what you charge for? Yvonne Pop, Director of Global Markets Pricing and Monetization at eBay, shares how eBay rethought its marketplace pricing by looking at who receives the most value, who is most willing to pay, and what makes customers choose one platform over another. In eBay's UK business, the answer meant a major shift: stop charging certain consumer sellers and focus monetization on the buyer side instead. In this episode, Yvonne reveals how to rethink pricing when free alternatives threaten your business, why customer perception can matter as much as the price itself, and how to balance sophisticated pricing with simplicity and trust. **The next opportunity to meet Yvonne Pop in person will be at EPP 20 Years Global in Amsterdam on 17–18 November. Register here to secure your ticket.   Why You Have to Check Out Today's Podcast: When free wins: Learn why eBay stopped charging certain sellers and shifted where it captures value. Price the right customer: Discover how buyers and sellers value the same marketplace differently. Psychology beats assumptions: See why what customers think they pay can matter more than what they actually pay.   "Do not ever ignore the human customers behind it and the human psychology." – Yvonne Pop   Topics Covered: 02:00 – Managing Change in Pricing. Learn how Yvonne approaches pricing transformation through governance, standardized processes, and organizational change management. 04:00 – Who Should Pay for a Marketplace? Discover why eBay must consider both buyers and sellers when setting fees, while balancing supply, demand, and transaction value. 09:00 – When Free Beats Your Price. Yvonne shares eBay's UK case study and explains why charging consumer sellers created a barrier to listings, even when the platform offered valuable services. 11:00 – Why eBay Shifted Where It Captures Value. Learn why eBay stopped charging certain consumer sellers and focused on charging buyers who valued access, security, and customer service. 15:00 – The Trade-Off Between Sophisticated Pricing and Simplicity. Explore why more precise pricing can capture more value but also create confusion, undermine trust, and hurt sales. 21:00 – How Price Changes Force a New Buying Decision. Mark and Yvonne discuss why communicating a price increase makes customers reconsider whether a purchase is still worth it. 22:30 – The Pricing Advice Every Professional Should Remember. Yvonne shares her biggest lesson: understand your customers and never ignore the psychology behind how they perceive price.   Key Takeaways: "The more you speak to customers, the more you realize many times perception actually influences what they think." – Yvonne Pop "How something is explained and perceived can influence customers' understanding of what they're paying." – Yvonne Pop "...the more sophisticated you get, you're able to capture more value specific to the item, to what it is. But then the harder it's to communicate to the other side." – Yvonne Pop   People and Resources Mentioned: eBay – Global online marketplace where Yvonne leads global markets pricing and monetization. Facebook Marketplace – A free alternative discussed in the context of competing for consumer sellers. EPP (European Pricing Platform) – Pricing and revenue growth management community where Yvonne will speak about change management in pricing transformation.   Connect with Yvonne Pop: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yvonne-pop-4414a39/    Connect with Mark Stiving: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stiving/ Email: mark@impactpricing.com

    When Free Beats Your Price, Learn From Ebay with Yvonne Pop

  4. Oct 23

    Buyer Insight: Buyer-First: The Antidote to Product Myopia

    This is an Impact Pricing Blog published on August 10, 2026, turned into an audio podcast so you can listen on the go. Read Full Article Here: https://impactpricing.com/blog/buyer-first-the-antidote-to-product-myopia/ 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/

  5. Oct 19

    Seats, Credits, or AI Agents? The New Rules of SaaS Pricing with Rob Litterst

    What happens when AI changes what software can do faster than companies can figure out how to charge for it?  Rob Litterst is co-founder of Pricing SaaS, focused on SaaS pricing and AI monetization, and a former pricing strategist at ProfitWell. His work explores how software companies price, package, and monetize products as AI changes the value they deliver.  In this episode, Rob and Mark Stiving unpack the shift from seat-based subscriptions to credits, usage-based pricing, AI agents, and outcome-based models. They explore why customers may still prefer familiar pricing, when credits make sense, and why pricing should start with buyer segmentation rather than the latest trend.    Why You Have to Check Out Today's Podcast: Understand why credits are gaining traction and how they can give vendors cost control while offering buyers flexibility.  Learn why broad platforms may suit credit models, while focused solutions can be easier to price around specific outcomes.  Discover why outcome-based pricing is difficult to implement, from agreeing on outcomes to proving attribution and earning buyer acceptance.  Explore how hybrid seat-and-credit models can introduce AI without disrupting existing customer relationships. See why understanding buyer personas and segmentation is foundational to pricing and packaging.    "The more specific your solution, the more specific the pain points you're solving, the more specific the outcomes that you're generating, the easier it is to price on a consistent outcome and kind of, like, prove that out." — Rob Litterst    Topics Covered:  01:00 – How Rob Found His Way Into Pricing. From SaaS sales at HubSpot to startups and ProfitWell, Rob explains how pricing and packaging shaped his experience.  04:30 – Value Metrics vs. Pricing Metrics. Mark and Rob debate the terminology and the difference between what customers perceive as value and what a company charges for.  09:30 – Are Credits Just Company Currency? Why credits can help broad platforms support different use cases while keeping subscription costs predictable.  12:00 – Platforms vs. Solutions: When Credits Make Sense. The more specific the problem and outcome, the easier it may be to price a solution directly rather than through credits.  16:00 – Why Hybrid Pricing Is Taking Off. How companies combine seats and credit allowances to introduce AI while preserving familiar customer relationships.  18:30 – Can AI-Native Services Charge for Outcomes? The conversation explores software companies that use AI to deliver a job or service and price around the result.  20:30 – Why Outcome-Based Pricing Is So Hard. Customers and vendors must agree on the outcome, the vendor must deliver it, and the impact must be proven and attributed.  26:00 – The Hidden Profit Advantage of AI. Rob explains how selecting and routing to the right AI model for each task could improve product economics.  28:30 – Why Buyer Segmentation Comes First. Rob shares the ProfitWell sequence: buyer persona, pricing structure, packaging, and then price points.  31:00 – The Pricing Fundamentals That Still Matter. Why knowing the buyer and understanding pricing fundamentals remain essential even as AI changes the market.    Key Takeaways:  "Customers just want to pay for a seat." – Rob Litterst  "Credits can offer flexibility for broad platforms, but buyers may prefer direct pricing when the solution and outcome are clear." – Rob Litterst  "I think a bunch of companies have tried to go to market with outcome-based pricing and found out that their customers just have no interest in it. Like, they don't want it. They just wanna pay for a seat." – Rob Litterst    Connect with Rob Litterst: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/roblitterst/    Connect with Mark Stiving: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stiving/ Email: mark@impactpricing.com

    Seats, Credits, or AI Agents? The New Rules of SaaS Pricing with Rob Litterst

  6. Oct 16

    Buyer Insight: How Big an AI Bite Are You Asking Buyers to Take?

    This is an Impact Pricing Blog published on August 3, 2026, turned into an audio podcast so you can listen on the go. Read Full Article Here: https://impactpricing.com/blog/how-big-an-ai-bite-are-you-asking-buyers-to-take/ 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/

  7. Oct 12

    Why Pricing Transformation Fails Without Leadership with Anna Fastishevskaya

    What if the biggest obstacle to pricing transformation isn't the pricing strategy itself, but getting people to change? Anna Fastishevskaya leads commercial finance and pricing for Eaton across EMEA, bringing experience in finance, commercial strategy, profitable growth, and pricing transformation. She also has an unexpected perspective on leadership: she's a theater actress who uses acting techniques to help people communicate, connect, and lead change. In this episode, Anna explains why pricing needs a seat at the leadership table, how companies can move beyond selling products to delivering customer value, and why trust, transparency, and stakeholder alignment are essential to successful pricing transformation.   Why You Have to Check Out Today's Podcast: Discover why pricing should be positioned at a senior level and connected to the broader revenue generation strategy. Learn how pricing leaders can help teams embrace change, align stakeholders, and communicate customer value more effectively. See how theater techniques can help leaders tell better stories, connect with their audience, and lead transformation without losing authenticity.   "Plan early for different types of scenarios and play transparently with the customers and the stakeholders so that the trust is really being built. The biggest thing that everybody hates is surprises." — Anna Fastishevskaya   Topics Covered: 02:00 – From Commercial Finance to Pricing Leadership. How Anna's background in finance and profitable growth prepared her to lead pricing transformation. 03:30 – Why Customer Value Comes Before the Price. Why building long-term customer relationships and delivering value matter more than simply closing today's order. 05:00 – Who Should Own Pricing? Why Anna believes pricing should have a seat at the senior leadership table and be part of a broader revenue generation strategy. 09:00 – The Challenge of Selling Value Instead of Products. Why manufacturers need to identify monetizable customer value and bring customers along on the journey. 11:00 – Why Pricing Transformation Needs Leadership. How leaders can help teams adapt when expectations for results move faster than people's ability to change. 14:30 – What Theater Teaches Us About Leadership. How Anna uses acting and audience feedback to sharpen communication and make business stories clearer and more impactful. 19:00 – Why Pricing Teams Need Emotional Intelligence. How empathy, stakeholder alignment, and leadership engagement help pricing teams succeed across an organization. 20:30 – How to Tell a Story That Connects. Anna shares a practical coaching technique: develop a short personal story tailored to your audience to create a stronger connection. 23:30 – The Pricing Advice That Builds Trust. Anna's advice on planning for different scenarios and communicating transparently with customers and stakeholders.   Key Takeaways: "We cannot succeed in isolation. This is the teamwork from the broadest perspective of organization." – Anna Fastishevskaya "Plan early for different types of scenarios and play transparently with the customers and the stakeholders so that the trust is really being built." – Anna Fastishevskaya   Connect with Anna Fastishevskaya: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anna-fastishevskaya/    Connect with Mark Stiving: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stiving/ Email: mark@impactpricing.com

    Why Pricing Transformation Fails Without Leadership with Anna Fastishevskaya

  8. Oct 9

    Buyer Insight: Product Myopia: The Antidote

    This is an Impact Pricing Blog published on July 27, 2026, turned into an audio podcast so you can listen on the go. Read Full Article Here: https://impactpricing.com/blog/product-myopia-the-antidote/ 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/

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About

The Impact Pricing Podcast will help you win more business at higher prices by teaching you about pricing and value. Once you understand how your buyers perceive the value of your product, you can build, market and sell products that win at higher prices. Pricing is really about creating, communicating and capturing value.

Information

  • Creator
    Mark Stiving, Ph.D.
  • Years Active
    2019 - 2026
  • Episodes
    500
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Impact Pricing 2022
  • Show Website
    Impact Pricing

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