A Recommended Reading Sequence for Pricing Pointers, Issues 1-26

Pricing Pointers, Issue #33

I have taken the first 26 issues of Pricing Pointers and reorganized them into a logical, four-part curriculum focusing on differential pricing strategy and tactics. The content progresses seamlessly from general principles to specific tactics, concluding with the special case of non-profit (or public sector) organizations. This arrangement ensures that whether you’re a new reader or one of my first subscribers, you gain a clear, step-by-step understanding of smart pricing practices. New readers should start with Part I; long-time readers can review foundational ideas or jump to advanced topics they may have missed.

Part I: Foundations of Strategic Pricing (The Why)

This section establishes the framework for the entire collection.

The first two items highlight the power of pricing and dispel common myths and mistakes (like basing price only on cost or assuming value is objective).

• Grow Your Small Business: Avoid These 10 Common Pricing Mistakes

• Are You Leaving Money on the Table? 10 Myths about Price Setting

The next three items introduce the solution: differential pricing. This is necessary because value is subjective; therefore, tailoring price is the key to increasing your sales and profits.

• Stop Leaving Money on the Table: Why Differential Pricing is Your Key to Unlocking Every Customer’s Value

• Is Differential Pricing Right for Your Small Business? 10 Things You Must Consider

• Are You Leaving Money on the Table? 5 Ways Smart Businesses Tailor Pricing to Boost Their Sales and Profits

The next two items address the “single price problem.” I make the case that relying solely on cutting prices is flawed, and that a menu of choices is required to capture more revenue from buyers with a higher willingness to pay (WTP) while still serving others.

• The Secret to Boosting Sales Isn’t Always Cutting Price

• Why Your Ticket Price Is All Wrong: 5 Counterintuitive Truths About Strategic Pricing

Part I concludes with discussions of fundamental segmentation tools: using time, effort, and price fences to segment buyers.

• Price, Time, and Effort: Segmenting Buyers by Willingness to Pay

• Unlocking Hidden Value: Price Fences for Smarter Pricing and Stronger Profits

Part II: Core Tactic: Versioning and Tiered Menus

This section begins with tips for Good, Better, Best Pricing, detailing how to differentiate product attributes, label tiers, and manage price gaps.

• Unlock the Psychology of Good, Better, Best Pricing: 10 Tips to Increase Your Sales and Profits

The final two items in this section refine this strategy by explaining how versioning can avoid blanket price cuts. They also emphasize the critical need for clarity and simple communication to prevent customer confusion.

• Beyond Discounts: 5 Smarter Pricing Strategies to Maximize Profit & Protect Your Brand (Even When Buyers Demand Lower Prices)

• Is Your Pricing Scaring Away Customers? Here’s How to Fix It

Part III: Advanced Segmentation Tactics

This section begins with the practice of selling complementary products à la carte. An add-on strategy starts with a no-frills base product and then offers benefit-enhancing options for an additional price. Unbundling is often a useful starting point for finding profitable add-on opportunities.

• Unlock More Profit: 10 Expert Pricing Tips for Using Add-ons

• Unbundling: Unlock New Sales, Boost Profit Margins, and Gain a Competitive Edge

The next two items in this section examine the tactic known as mixed bundling: the practice of selling two or more items together as a package for a single, discounted price.

• Bundle Smarter: 10 Dos and Don’ts

• 3 Key Steps to a Successful Mixed Bundling Strategy for Your Business: Stop Leaving Money on the Table

Quantity discounts are addressed next, detailing how to use purchase volume to uncover price sensitivity and ensure profitability.

• Beyond the Discount: 3 Essential Steps to Guarantee Your Quantity Discounts Boost Profit, Not Just Sales

The final two items cover segmentation based on effort, which leverages the trade-off between time and money to attract price-sensitive customers without impacting full-price sales.

• Effort-Based Price Discounts: How B2C Companies Segment Customers and Maximize Profit Without Across-the-Board Price Cuts

• Effort-Based Discounts: Attract Price-Sensitive Customers while Avoiding 5 Common Revenue Traps

Part IV: Application: Mission-Driven Fee Strategies (Nonprofits)

The special case of non-profit (or public-sector) organizations is reserved for the final section. Here the strategic principles and tactics learned earlier are applied to the challenge of balancing financial sustainability and mission impact.

The items begin with the core strategic considerations: feasibility, mission alignment, and the reasons for charging fees.

• Balancing Money and Mission: 10 Tips for Introducing Fees in Your Nonprofit

• 10 Essential Strategies to Boost Revenue, Expand Reach, and Align Your Fee Structure with Your Mission

• Fair, Flexible, and Purpose-Driven: 10 Ideas to Increase Your Nonprofit’s Fee Revenue and Reach

The next item explores three flexible fee structures: pay-what-you-can (PWYC) fees, sliding scale fees, and tiered fee menus.

• 3 Smart Fee Strategies to Boost Your Nonprofit’s Revenue and Reach

This section concludes with actionable advice on how to design and implement fee menus, including using offer stacking and incorporating effort-based discounts to fulfill mission objectives.

• Fee Menus that Work: Essential Insights to Boost Revenue and Reach

• Unlock Your Nonprofit’s Potential: 10 Actionable Pricing Tips

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