gtm-pricing

name	gtm-pricing
description	B2B go-to-market strategy, pricing models, ICP development, positioning, and competitive intelligence. Use when planning GTM strategy, setting pricing, defining ICP, or evaluating opportunities.

Comprehensive B2B go-to-market framework covering ICP development (firmographics, technographics, psychographics), positioning (April Dunford canvas), pricing strategy (value-based, tiered, feature gating), and opportunity evaluation (scoring, red flags, complexity levels).

<quick_start> ICP scoring: 80+ = Ideal | 60-79 = Good | 40-59 = Marginal | <40 = Pass

Positioning statement:

For [target] who [need], [product] is a [category] that [benefit].
Unlike [alternative], our product [differentiator].

Value-based pricing: Price at 10-20% of quantified value delivered

Opportunity score: /100 across Market Fit, Technical Fit, GTM Fit, Personal Fit, Economics </quick_start>

<success_criteria> GTM strategy is successful when:

• ICP documented with scoring criteria (firmographics, technographics, psychographics)
• Positioning statement follows April Dunford framework
• Pricing anchored to quantified value (not cost-plus)
• Tier structure follows Good/Better/Best with clear feature gates
• Opportunity scoring identifies red flags and good signals
• Battle cards created for top 3 competitors
• Launch checklist completed (pre-launch, launch, post-launch) </success_criteria>

<core_content> Comprehensive guide for B2B go-to-market strategy, pricing, and opportunity evaluation.

Quick Reference

Framework	Purpose	When to Use
ICP Development	Define ideal customer	Before any outreach
Positioning	Differentiate in market	Product launch, pivot
Messaging Hierarchy	Consistent communication	Sales enablement
Competitive Intel	Understand landscape	Deal strategy, positioning
Value-Based Pricing	Price by value delivered	Setting initial prices
Tier Structure	Package offering	Feature gating decisions
Opportunity Scoring	Evaluate fit	New client/project decisions

---

Part 1: Go-To-Market Strategy

ICP Development Framework

Three Dimensions of ICP

icp_framework:
  firmographics:
    - company_size: "50-500 employees"
    - revenue_range: "$10M-$100M ARR"
    - industry: ["Primary vertical", "Secondary vertical"]
    - geography: "North America"
    - growth_stage: "Series A-C or profitable"

  technographics:
    - current_stack: ["CRM", "ERP", "Industry tools"]
    - tech_maturity: "Mid - has CRM, considering automation"
    - integration_needs: ["ERP", "Accounting", "Field Service"]
    - cloud_adoption: "Hybrid or cloud-first"

  psychographics:
    - pain_awareness: "Problem-aware, solution-seeking"
    - change_readiness: "Has budget, executive sponsor"
    - buying_process: "Committee (3-5 stakeholders)"
    - risk_tolerance: "Moderate - needs proof points"

ICP Scoring Template

Criterion	Weight	Score (1-5)	Weighted
Company size fit	20%
Industry match	20%
Tech stack compatibility	15%
Pain point alignment	25%
Budget availability	20%
Total	100%

Tiers: 80+ = Ideal | 60-79 = Good Fit | 40-59 = Marginal | <40 = Poor Fit

Positioning Framework

April Dunford's Positioning Canvas

## [Product] Positioning Statement

**Competitive Alternatives**: What would customers use if we didn't exist?
> [List 2-3 alternatives]

**Unique Attributes**: What do we have that alternatives don't?
> [List differentiators]

**Value**: What capability do those attributes enable?
> [Translate features to benefits]

**Target Customers**: Who cares most about this value?
> [Specific customer characteristics]

**Market Category**: What context makes our value obvious?
> [Category or create new one]

Positioning Statement Template

For [target customer] who [statement of need],
[product name] is a [market category]
that [key benefit/differentiation].
Unlike [competitive alternative],
our product [primary differentiator].

Messaging Hierarchy

Level 1: Strategic Narrative (Company)
├── Who we are
├── What we believe
└── Why we exist

Level 2: Solution Messaging (Product)
├── What it does
├── Key differentiators (3 max)
└── Proof points

Level 3: Persona Messaging (Audience)
├── Pain points by role
├── Value props by role
└── Objection handling by role

Persona Messaging Matrix

Persona	Pain Points	Value Props	Proof Points
CFO	Cost visibility, compliance	ROI, audit trail	Case study: 30% savings
Ops Director	Manual processes, errors	Automation, accuracy	Demo: 10x faster
End User	Clunky tools, training	Easy to use, mobile	G2 reviews: 4.8/5

Competitive Intelligence

Battle Card Structure

## Competitor: [Name]

### Overview
- Founded: YYYY | HQ: Location | Funding: $XXM
- Target market: [description]
- Pricing: [model and range]

### Strengths (acknowledge honestly)
- [Strength 1]
- [Strength 2]

### Weaknesses (our opportunities)
- [Weakness 1 -> our advantage]
- [Weakness 2 -> our advantage]

### Common Objections When We Compete
| Objection | Response |
|-----------|----------|
| "They're cheaper" | [Value-based response] |
| "They have feature X" | [Alternative or roadmap] |

### Win Strategy
1. Lead with [differentiator]
2. Demonstrate [proof point]
3. Reference [customer story]

Channel Strategy

GTM Motion Selection

Motion	Best For	CAC	Sales Cycle	Team
Product-Led	Low ACV (<$5K), self-serve	Low	Days	Growth
Sales-Assisted	Mid ACV ($5-50K)	Medium	Weeks	SDR+AE
Enterprise	High ACV ($50K+)	High	Months	AE+SE
Partner/Channel	Geographic expansion	Variable	Variable	Partner Mgr

Launch Playbook Checklist

## Pre-Launch (T-30 days)
- [ ] ICP documented and validated
- [ ] Positioning finalized
- [ ] Messaging hierarchy complete
- [ ] Battle cards created
- [ ] Sales enablement materials ready
- [ ] Pricing approved

## Launch Week
- [ ] Press release distributed
- [ ] Website updated
- [ ] Sales team trained
- [ ] Customer references lined up
- [ ] Outbound sequences activated

## Post-Launch (T+30 days)
- [ ] Win/loss analysis started
- [ ] Messaging refinement based on feedback
- [ ] Pipeline review
- [ ] Competitive response documented

---

Part 2: Pricing Strategy

Pricing Models Overview

Pricing Model	Best For	Complexity
Flat rate	Simple products	Low
Per seat	Team collaboration tools	Medium
Usage-based	APIs, infrastructure	High
Tiered	Feature differentiation	Medium
Hybrid	Enterprise SaaS	High

Value-Based Pricing Process

value_pricing_steps:
  1_understand_value:
    - "What problem does this solve?"
    - "What's the cost of the problem?"
    - "What's the value of the solution?"

  2_quantify_value:
    - "Time saved x hourly rate"
    - "Revenue increased"
    - "Costs avoided"
    - "Risk mitigated"

  3_capture_value:
    - "Price at 10-20% of value delivered"
    - "Anchor to alternatives"
    - "Leave money on table for adoption"

  4_communicate_value:
    - "ROI calculators"
    - "Case studies with numbers"
    - "Value-based proposals"

Value Calculation Template

## Value Calculation: [Product/Service]

### Time Savings
- Hours saved per week: __
- Hourly rate of user: $__
- Weekly savings: $__
- Annual savings: $__

### Revenue Impact
- Additional deals/month: __
- Average deal value: $__
- Monthly revenue increase: $__
- Annual revenue increase: $__

### Cost Avoidance
- Errors prevented: __
- Cost per error: $__
- Annual savings: $__

### Total Annual Value: $__

### Suggested Price Point
- 10% of value: $__/year
- 15% of value: $__/year
- 20% of value: $__/year

Tiered Pricing Structure

Good/Better/Best Framework

## Tier Structure

### Good (Entry)
**Price**: $X/month
**Target**: [Entry segment]
**Core value**: [Primary use case]
**Limitations**: [What's not included]

### Better (Growth) <- ANCHOR
**Price**: $Y/month (most popular)
**Target**: [Primary segment]
**Core value**: [Expanded use cases]
**Includes**: Everything in Good, plus:
- [Feature 1]
- [Feature 2]
- [Feature 3]

### Best (Scale)
**Price**: $Z/month or Custom
**Target**: [Enterprise segment]
**Core value**: [Full platform]
**Includes**: Everything in Better, plus:
- [Advanced feature 1]
- [Advanced feature 2]
- [Enterprise requirements]

Feature Gating Strategy

feature_gating:
  gate_by_scale:
    - "Number of users"
    - "Number of projects"
    - "API calls"
    - "Storage"

  gate_by_sophistication:
    - "Advanced features in higher tiers"
    - "Integrations at higher tiers"
    - "Automation at higher tiers"

  gate_by_control:
    - "Admin controls"
    - "SSO/SAML"
    - "Audit logs"
    - "Custom roles"

  never_gate:
    - "Security features"
    - "Core functionality"
    - "Data export"

Pricing Psychology

pricing_psychology:
  anchoring:
    principle: "First price seen influences perception"
    application: "Show enterprise tier first, or '60% choose Pro'"

  decoy_effect:
    principle: "Irrelevant option changes preference"
    application: "Add tier that makes target tier look good"

  price_ending:
    principle: "9s feel like deals, 0s feel premium"
    application: "$99 for SMB, $100 for enterprise"

  bundling:
    principle: "Bundles feel like better value"
    application: "Package features vs. selling a la carte"

  annual_discount:
    principle: "Upfront commitment = better terms"
    application: "20% discount for annual (2 months free)"

Discounting Strategy

discount_types:
  volume:
    trigger: "Commitment to scale"
    range: "10-30%"
    example: "20% off for 100+ seats"

  term:
    trigger: "Annual commitment"
    range: "15-25%"
    example: "2 months free on annual"

  competitive:
    trigger: "Switching from competitor"
    range: "20-40%"
    example: "Match remaining contract"

  strategic:
    trigger: "Reference customer, logo value"
    range: "Up to 50%"
    example: "Name brand + case study"

When NOT to Discount

• Customer hasn't articulated value
• No competitive pressure
• Early in negotiation
• Customer is price shopping
• Deal doesn't meet minimum size

Alternatives to Discounting:

• Extended payment terms
• Additional services/training
• Extended trial
• Success milestones unlock features
• Multi-year lock-in

---

Part 3: Opportunity Evaluation

Brainstorming Lens

I'm a sounding board, not a scorecard. I'll help you:

• Think out loud about what excites you (and what doesn't)
• Spot patterns you might be missing
• Ask the uncomfortable questions early
• Explore angles you haven't considered

Key Evaluation Angles

For Project Ideas

Angle	What to Consider
Excitement	What specifically pulls you toward this?
Fit	Does this build on what you're already doing?
Effort	What would this actually take to build/ship?
Learning	What new skills or knowledge would you gain?
Alternatives	What else could you do with this time/energy?
Worst Case	If this totally fails, what happens?

For Potential Clients/Customers

Angle	What to Consider
Fit	Are they your kind of customer?
Red Flags	Anything that makes you pause?
Relationship	How did they find you? Who referred them?
Budget	Can they actually pay for what they need?
Scope	Is this a one-off or could it grow?
Exit	How easy would it be to part ways if needed?

For Partnerships/Collaborations

Angle	What to Consider
Alignment	Do you want the same things?
Contribution	What does each side bring?
Dependencies	What happens if they don't deliver?
Upside	What does success look like for you specifically?
Downside	What's the realistic worst case?
Track Record	Have they done this before?

Quick Opportunity Score

Section	Points	Weight
Market Fit	/25	Problem clarity, market size, timing
Technical Fit	/20	Can build it, infrastructure, maintenance
GTM Fit	/20	Sales complexity, channel access, competition
Personal Fit	/20	Interest, growth, lifestyle
Economics	/15	Revenue potential, time to revenue, risk/reward
Total	/100

Interpretation:

• 80-100: STRONG PURSUE - Prioritize this
• 60-79: EXPLORE - Worth time investment
• 40-59: CONDITIONAL - Only if specific factor changes
• 0-39: PASS - Opportunity cost too high

Red Flags to Watch

These aren't deal-breakers, but point them out:

• Unclear who's paying or how
• Scope that keeps expanding before you start
• "We'll figure out the details later" on important things
• Pressure to decide quickly without good reason
• Misalignment between what they say and what they do
• You're more excited than they are
• The economics don't make sense even optimistically

Good Signals

• Clear problem with clear customer
• Builds on what you already know/have
• You'd do a version of this anyway
• The timing makes sense for you
• Reasonable worst case
• Good people involved
• Learning opportunity even if it fails

GTM Complexity Levels

Level	Buyer	ACV	Cycle	Solo Fit
1: PLG	Individual	<$2K	Days	Excellent
2: Low-Touch	Manager	$2-15K	1-4 weeks	Excellent
3: Mid-Market	Director/VP	$15-100K	1-3 months	Good
4: Enterprise	C-suite	$100K-1M	6-18 months	Moderate
5: Complex	Board	$1M+	12-36 months	Low

---

Reference Files

• reference/gtm.md - ICP templates, launch playbooks, channel strategy
• reference/pricing.md - Models, value-based pricing, psychology
• reference/opportunity.md - Scoring, unit economics, complexity