• Product or service name and description
• Core value proposition (what problem does it solve, for whom)
• Key features and capabilities (list all, note which are differentiated)
• Current pricing (if any exists)
• Unit economics: cost to serve per customer, COGS, marginal cost
• Delivery model (SaaS, physical product, professional service, marketplace, etc.)

• Ideal customer profile (ICP): company size, industry, role of buyer
• Willingness to pay signals (customer interviews, survey data, competitor pricing)
• Market size (TAM, SAM, SOM estimates if available)
• Price sensitivity of the segment (elastic vs. inelastic demand)
• Buyer persona (economic buyer vs. end user vs. champion)

• Direct competitors and their pricing (public pricing pages, sales intel)
• Indirect competitors and substitutes
• Free/open-source alternatives
• Competitor packaging and tier structures
• Market positioning (premium, mid-market, low-cost)

• Growth stage (pre-revenue, early, growth, mature)
• Revenue targets and timeline
• Funding status and runway considerations
• Strategic priorities (land-and-expand, maximize ARPU, market share, profitability)
• Sales model (self-serve, sales-assisted, enterprise, hybrid)

• Direct costs (COGS, infrastructure, hosting, third-party APIs)
• Indirect costs (support, onboarding, account management)
• Overhead allocation (engineering, G&A, sales and marketing)
• Target gross margin (typically 70-85% for SaaS, 40-60% for services, 30-50% for physical goods)
• Break-even analysis at various price points and customer volumes

• Minimum viable price (covers direct costs + target margin)
• Price floor (below this you lose money on every customer)
• Cost structure sensitivity (what happens if costs change by 10%, 25%, 50%)

• Calculate the customer's current cost of the problem (time, money, risk, opportunity cost)
• Estimate the value your solution creates (revenue increase, cost reduction, risk mitigation, time savings)
• Determine the "value ratio" (price as a percentage of value delivered)
• Industry benchmarks: most B2B SaaS captures 10-20% of value delivered
• Identify value metrics that correlate with customer success

• Economic Value to Customer (EVC): Total quantifiable benefit minus total cost of switching
• Reference Value: What the customer pays for the next-best alternative
• Differentiation Value: Premium or discount justified by your unique capabilities
• Total Economic Value: Reference Value + Differentiation Value

• Per-seat, per-user, per-transaction, per-API call, per-GB, flat fee
• Choose the metric that scales with the value the customer receives
• Avoid metrics that create friction or penalize adoption

• Compile a pricing matrix of all direct competitors
• Note packaging differences (features per tier, limits, add-ons)
• Identify the market price anchor (what customers expect to pay)
• Determine positioning relative to competitors (premium, parity, discount)
• Calculate price-to-feature ratios for objective comparison
• Flag competitor pricing moves and trends

• Premium: 20-50% above market anchor. Requires clear differentiation, strong brand, superior product.
• Parity: Within 10% of market anchor. Compete on features, support, ecosystem.
• Penetration: 20-40% below market anchor. Gain share fast, raise later. Risk of price anchoring.
• Flanking: Different pricing model entirely (e.g., usage-based vs. per-seat when competitors charge per-seat).

• Market share goals and timeline
• Network effects or virality potential (does having more users create more value)
• Switching costs (how hard is it for customers to leave once adopted)
• Competitive response risk (will competitors match your low price)
• Ability to raise prices later without churn spike
• Unit economics sustainability at the penetration price
• Time to profitability modeling

• Brand strength and market perception
• Product differentiation and defensibility (patents, proprietary data, network effects)
• Target segment's price sensitivity
• Competitor ability to replicate features
• Support and service levels required to justify premium
• Risk of inviting low-cost competitors into the market

• [Enterprise]: Custom pricing

• Projected ARR at [X] customers: $[X]
• Blended ARPU: $[X]/mo
• Gross Margin: [X]%
• Payback Period: [X] months

• Product: [Name and one-line description]
• Category: [Market category]
• Delivery Model: [SaaS / Service / Physical / Marketplace]
• Primary Value Proposition: [What problem it solves and for whom]
• Key Differentiators: [What makes this product uniquely valuable]

• Ideal Customer Profile: [Company size, industry, role of buyer]
• Market Size: TAM: $[X] / SAM: $[X] / SOM: $[X]
• Price Sensitivity: [High / Medium / Low] -- [Evidence]
• Buying Process: [Self-serve / Sales-assisted / Enterprise procurement]
• Budget Owner: [Title/role who holds the budget]

• Current Pricing (if any): [Describe]
• Current Customers: [Number and segment breakdown]
• Current ARPU: $[X]/mo
• Current Churn Rate: [X]% monthly / [X]% annually
• Known Pricing Complaints: [What customers say about pricing]

• If infrastructure costs increase 25%: Minimum price must be $[X] to maintain [X]% margin
• If CAC increases 25%: Payback period extends to [X] months
• If support costs double: Per-customer cost rises to $[X]/mo

• Entry-level expectation: $[X]-$[X]/mo (what prospects expect to pay to start)
• Mid-market anchor: $[X]-$[X]/mo (most common price for comparable solutions)
• Enterprise anchor: $[X]-$[X]/mo (what large companies pay for premium solutions)
• Free alternatives: [List any free/open-source options and their limitations]

1. [Reason 1 with supporting data]
2. [Reason 2 with supporting data]
3. [Reason 3 with supporting data]

• [Model 2]: [Why it doesn't fit]
• [Model 3]: [Why it doesn't fit]
• [Model 4]: [Why it doesn't fit]
• [Model 5]: [Why it doesn't fit]

• [Feature 1] -- [Limit if any]
• [Feature 2] -- [Limit if any]
• [Feature 3] -- [Limit if any]
• [Support level]: [Email / Chat / Response time SLA]

• [Feature that requires Tier 2]
• [Higher limit on usage]
• [Advanced capability]

• Gross Margin at this tier: [X]%
• Expected conversion to Tier 2: [X]% within [X] months
• Target customer count: [X] in Year 1

• [Feature 4] -- [Limit if any]
• [Feature 5] -- [Limit if any]
• [Feature 6] -- [Limit if any]
• [Support level]: [Priority / Phone / Dedicated CSM]

• [Feature that requires Tier 3]
• [Custom integrations]
• [Advanced security/compliance]

• Gross Margin at this tier: [X]%
• Expected share of total revenue: [X]%
• Target customer count: [X] in Year 1

• [Feature 7] -- [Limit if any]
• [Feature 8] -- [Limit if any]
• [Feature 9] -- [Limit if any]
• [Support level]: [Dedicated CSM / SLA / Training]

• [Custom development]
• [White-label options]
• [Dedicated infrastructure]

• Gross Margin at this tier: [X]%
• Expected share of total revenue: [X]%
• Target customer count: [X] in Year 1

• Custom integrations and API access
• Dedicated infrastructure / Single-tenant option
• Custom SLA and uptime guarantees
• Dedicated support team
• Quarterly business reviews
• Custom onboarding and training
• Volume discounts on usage

• Target ACV: $[X]K - $[X]K
• Sales cycle: [X]-[X] months
• Expected deal count Year 1: [X]

• At [X]% discount, the annual plan pays for itself in [X] months
• Annual customers churn at [X]% vs. [X]% for monthly (industry data)
• Cash collected upfront: $[X] per annual customer vs. $[X] realized over 12 months from monthly
• Effective cost of discount: $[X] per customer per year
• NPV of annual upfront payment vs. 12 monthly payments: $[X] advantage

1. Default to annual: Show annual pricing first, monthly as the alternative
2. Savings callout: "Save $[X]/year" prominently displayed
3. Feature incentive: Include a bonus feature or higher limit for annual plans
4. Trial-to-annual pipeline: After 14-day trial, offer annual plan with first-month discount
5. Month-to-annual upsell: At month 3, email offering to switch with prorated credit

• Never discount to match a competitor with an inferior product; sell value instead
• Never discount after a prospect says "we need to think about it" -- this signals desperation
• Never offer a discount without getting something in return (longer term, case study, referral)
• Never create custom pricing for one customer that you cannot extend to similar customers

1. Annual contracts reduce churn: Monthly churn on annual contracts is typically 40-60% lower than month-to-month
2. Higher price = higher engagement: Customers who pay more use the product more and churn less
3. Usage-based component creates stickiness: If pricing includes a usage component, customers who grow usage naturally expand and are less likely to leave
4. Switching cost increases with tier: Enterprise features (SSO, audit logs, integrations) create structural switching costs
5. Multi-seat plans reduce churn: If multiple users at a company use the product, the decision to cancel requires consensus

• At 90% NRR: You lose 10% of existing revenue each year. You must acquire enough new customers to replace that AND grow.
• At 100% NRR: Existing customer revenue is stable. All new revenue comes from new customers.
• At 110% NRR: Existing customers grow 10% per year. Even with zero new customers, revenue grows.
• At 120%+ NRR: Existing customers are a growth engine. New customer acquisition accelerates on top.

1. Seat-based trigger: Tier 1 includes [X] seats. Teams naturally grow. At seat [X+1], customer pays overage or upgrades.
2. Usage-based trigger: Tier 2 includes [X] API calls/month. As customer's business grows, usage grows. At [X+1], overage kicks in.
3. Feature-based trigger: [Advanced Feature] is only in Tier 3. As customer matures, they need it. Natural upsell conversation.
4. Compliance trigger: SOC2, SSO, audit logs only in Enterprise. As customer grows, security requirements force upgrade.
5. Team trigger: Admin controls, role-based access, team management only in Tier 2+. As team grows, they need governance.

• Show 3 tiers side by side (do not show more than 4)
• Highlight the recommended tier with a "Most Popular" badge
• Default to annual pricing; toggle to show monthly
• Show savings amount for annual: "Save $[X]/year"
• Place enterprise as "Contact Us" with a clear CTA

• Lead with the highest tier to anchor perception (if premium positioning)
• Lead with the most popular tier to drive conversion (if volume positioning)
• Show the full feature comparison table below the tier cards

• "[X] companies trust [Product]"
• Customer logos near relevant tiers
• "Join [Company] and [Company] on the [Tier Name] plan"

• Free trial (14 days) or freemium entry point
• No credit card required for trial (increases trial starts by 50-70%)
• Money-back guarantee for first 30 days
• "Switch plans anytime" messaging

• Launch with recommended tiers and prices
• Track: conversion rate by tier, trial-to-paid rate, plan distribution, churn by tier
• Collect qualitative feedback: "Why did you choose this plan?" in onboarding survey
• Do NOT change prices in this phase unless fundamentally broken

• A/B test annual discount: [X]% vs. [X]% vs. [X]%
• A/B test pricing page layout: feature-led vs. persona-led
• Test willingness to pay for add-on modules
• Analyze churn by tier and price point; adjust if one tier has disproportionate churn

• Introduce add-on modules based on feature request data
• Test price increase on new customers (grandfather existing)
• Evaluate need for a fourth tier or a free tier based on conversion data
• Model the impact of a usage-based component

1. Too many tiers: More than 4 tiers creates decision paralysis. Stick to 3 + Enterprise.
2. Hidden fees: Usage overages, onboarding fees, or support charges that surprise customers destroy trust.
3. Per-seat pricing when usage varies wildly: If one user generates 100x the load of another, per-seat is unfair and creates resentment.
4. Free tier that is too generous: If free covers 80% of use cases, paid conversion will be < 2%.
5. Pricing that punishes success: If the customer's bill doubles when their usage doubles, they will seek alternatives.
6. Infrequent pricing reviews: Pricing should be revisited every 6-12 months as costs, competition, and value evolve.

• Finalize tier names, prices, and feature allocation
• Build pricing page with recommended layout
• Configure billing system (Stripe, Chargebee, etc.) with all tiers, discounts, and annual plans
• Set up revenue analytics (MRR, churn, expansion tracking)
• Create internal pricing documentation for sales team
• Prepare objection-handling scripts for sales
• Set up A/B testing infrastructure for pricing page
• Legal review of terms of service and pricing terms

• Publish pricing page
• Announce pricing to existing customers (if changing)
• Enable self-serve checkout for Tier 1 and Tier 2
• Brief sales team on Enterprise tier positioning
• Set up automated emails for trial expiration, upgrade prompts, and annual renewal

• Weekly review: conversion rate, plan distribution, trial starts
• Monthly review: churn by tier, expansion revenue, discount usage
• Collect customer feedback on pricing in onboarding survey
• Document competitive pricing changes
• First pricing committee review at day 90

1. Gather inputs: Ask the user for product, cost, market, and competitor information. Be specific about what you need.
2. Research competitors: Use WebSearch and WebFetch to find current competitor pricing pages. Look for:
   • Official pricing pages (search "[competitor] pricing")
   • G2, Capterra, or TrustRadius comparisons
   • Recent blog posts or press releases about pricing changes
   • Crunchbase for funding and growth signals
3. Analyze the market: Determine where the product sits in the competitive landscape. Look for market reports, analyst commentary, and customer reviews that mention pricing.
4. Build the cost model: Work with the user to fill in the cost structure. If they do not know exact numbers, use industry benchmarks and note assumptions.
5. Evaluate all five pricing models: Score each model against the specific product and market context. Do not skip a model -- even if it is obviously wrong, explain why.
6. Design the tier structure: Create tiers that align with customer segments, create natural upgrade paths, and maximize expansion revenue.
7. Model the financials: Project revenue, churn, expansion, and cash flow under multiple scenarios.
8. Write the strategy document: Generate the full pricing-strategy.md with all sections populated. Use real numbers from the research, not placeholders.

1. Always ground recommendations in data: Use competitor prices, industry benchmarks, and cost analysis to justify every recommendation. Never guess.
2. Design for expansion: The best pricing strategies make it natural for customers to spend more over time. Build expansion triggers into the tier structure.
3. Think about the buyer: Who signs the check? What is their budget authority? A $49/mo product is an expense report. A $500/mo product is a department budget. A $5000/mo product is a procurement process.
4. Price for value, not cost: Cost sets the floor. Value sets the ceiling. Competitor pricing sets the context. The optimal price sits between floor and ceiling, informed by context.
5. Keep it simple: Customers should understand your pricing in under 30 seconds. If it requires a spreadsheet to figure out what they owe, it is too complex.
6. Plan for price increases: Starting too low is harder to fix than starting at the right level. Price at 80% of your confidence ceiling, not 50%.
7. Annual contracts are a superpower: They reduce churn, improve cash flow, increase commitment, and smooth revenue forecasting. Always incentivize annual.
8. Never race to the bottom: Competing on price alone is a losing strategy unless you have a structural cost advantage. Compete on value.
9. Test and iterate: Pricing is not a one-time decision. Review quarterly. Test changes with new customers. Grandfather existing customers when raising prices.
10. Model churn sensitivity: A 1% improvement in monthly churn is often worth more than a 10% increase in new customer acquisition. Price to retain.

• "Help me price my SaaS product"
• "Design a pricing strategy for [product]"
• "How should I price my service?"
• "Analyze competitor pricing for [market]"
• "Should I use per-seat or usage-based pricing?"
• "Create pricing tiers for my product"
• "What discount policy should I have?"
• "Model the impact of churn on my revenue"

"I'm building a project management tool for agencies. Our main competitors are Monday.com, Asana, and ClickUp. We have 50 beta users and want to launch paid plans next month. Our infrastructure costs about $3 per user per month. Help me design a pricing strategy."

1. Research current pricing for Monday.com, Asana, ClickUp, and other competitors
2. Ask about target customer size, key differentiators, and willingness-to-pay signals from beta users
3. Build the cost model using provided infrastructure costs and estimated support/sales costs
4. Evaluate all five pricing models against the agency market context
5. Design a 3-tier structure with natural upgrade paths
6. Model revenue scenarios at different price points and churn rates
7. Generate the full pricing-strategy.md with real competitor data and financial projections
8. Recommend a launch plan with A/B testing strategy