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Estd 4.22.2023
When dealing with enterprise RFPs that ask for a pricing format that doesn’t directly match your usage-based model, the key is to translate your pricing in a way that’s both faithful to your value delivery and accessible to the prospect. Here are some tips drawn from our saas pricing book, Price to Scale:
• Recognize what the customer is used to
As noted in the book, one of the most important steps is to acknowledge the customer’s familiarity with certain pricing metrics—for instance, per-user pricing. By validating their expectation, you set a collaborative tone.
• Create a conversion or translation layer
Rather than overhauling your usage-based approach, consider developing a conversion factor or framework that maps your usage metric into a per-user equivalent. This doesn’t change your underlying pricing model but gives them an easy-to-digest format that aligns with their RFP requirements.
• Reframe your value proposition
Take advantage of the opportunity to explain how your usage-based pricing actually ties more directly to the value they receive. Highlight that your model can better adapt to actual consumption or growth—something that can lead to cost efficiencies and more precise scaling compared to a flat per-user model.
• Use tiered packaging with adjusted labels
If needed, you might package your pricing into tiers using familiar labels. As discussed in Price to Scale, sometimes rebranding your packages (e.g., switching from ‘Pro’ to ‘Premium’) can prevent direct, unhelpful comparisons and better emphasize the nuances of your pricing structure.
In summary, the strategy is to meet the customer halfway by respecting their expectations while clearly articulating the value of your usage-based model. This thoughtful translation not only clarifies your pricing but also builds trust by showing that you understand their needs.