MMS #129 - The Price of Winning: How Smart Sales & Negotiation Drive Bigger Profits with Brian Doyle

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In this episode of Mastering Modern Selling, the hosts welcome Brian Doyle, CEO of Holden Advisors, to discuss the critical role of pricing and negotiation in B2B sales. 

With a background as an Air Force pilot and extensive experience in sales leadership, Brian provides a strategic framework for setting the right price, understanding value, and negotiating effectively.

Many salespeople struggle with articulating value and justifying price, often defaulting to discounting instead of defending their worth. 

Brian breaks down how businesses can maximize profitability without losing customers, and how understanding pricing power is essential for long-term success.

1. Pricing Strategy Starts with Value

• Companies must first understand their own value proposition before setting a price.
• Three key value drivers: 
  • Increase customer revenue
  • Reduce customer costs
  • Minimize customer risk
• If businesses can quantify these benefits, they can charge appropriately without unnecessary discounting.

2. Price Increases Can Double Profitability

• Many companies underprice their offerings without realizing it.
• Brian shared a case study where a company raised its prices by 50%, resulting in $80 million in new revenue—without losing a single customer.
• The key to successful price increases is demonstrating value in a way customers understand.

3. Customer Conversations Are the Foundation of Pricing

• Businesses often rely on internal assumptions or biased sales feedback rather than talking directly to customers.
• Brian’s method involves interviewing both current and lost customers to uncover true pricing potential.
• Customers frequently reveal they are willing to pay more when the value is properly articulated.

4. Negotiation is About Framing, Not Discounting

• Sales teams should shift from a price-first conversation to a value-based discussion.
• Timing matters: The best time to discuss pricing is early in the buyer’s journey, not when an RFP is issued.
• Instead of immediately discounting, salespeople should anchor the conversation on ROI and competitive advantage.

5. The Danger of Cost-Plus Pricing

• Many companies default to "cost-plus" pricing (cost + a percentage markup), which limits profitability.
• Instead, businesses should align pricing with perceived and real value.
• Brian suggests segmenting customers: some segments may tolerate price increases better than others, and companies should avoid “one-size-fits-all” pricing.

Brian Doyle’s insights highlight that pricing and negotiation are not about undercutting competitors but about understanding value, strategic positioning, and customer perception. 

His approach provides a

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