Podcast
Impact Pricing
Hosted by Mark Stiving, Ph.D. · EN
The Impact Pricing Podcast will help you win more business at higher prices by teaching you about pricing and value.
Once you understand how your buyers perceive the value of your product, you can build, market and sell products that win at higher prices.
Pricing is really about creating, communicating and capturing value.
56episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Why Buyers Don't Buy (Hint: It's Not Your Price) with Ted Olson
5d ago00:34:05Tap to summarizeMost sales conversations assume buyers make rational decisions. Ted Olson argues that's exactly why so many deals stall. Ted Olson is a sales strategist who helps founders, consultants, coaches, and sales teams use behavioral science to improve how buyers make decisions. He is the author of Feel Good About Selling and the upcoming book, Distinct, where he explores what happens between a buyer saying, "This makes sense," and actually saying, "Yes." In this episode, Ted and Mark challenge one of sales' biggest assumptions: why buyers hesitate. Is it fear or a lack of confidence? Their lively debate uncovers what really drives buying decisions and how sellers can help buyers confidently say yes. Why you have to check out today's podcast: Learn why buyers hesitate and why it often has nothing to do with your price. Discover how great salespeople build buyer confidence instead of pushing harder to close. Understand what "We'll think about it" really means so you can reduce hesitation before objections show up. "Indecision is fear-based. Status quo is fear-based. If you can address that fear, you can double your close rates." – Ted Olson Topics Covered: 02:05 – Are Buyers Rational? The Psychology Behind Every Buying Decision. Are buyers driven by logic or emotion? Ted and Mark debate how buyer psychology, perceived value, and decision-making influence pricing more than most companies realize. 05:45 – Buyers Buy Futures, Not Features. Learn why listing more features rarely wins deals. Discover how buyers imagine future outcomes and why too much information creates uncertainty instead of confidence. 09:10 – Why Buyers Say, "We'll Think About It". Is it really about price? Ted explains why buyer indecision is usually driven by fear and uncertainty, not budget or competition. 13:30 – Buyer Confidence vs. Buyer Fear. Mark introduces his Buyer Confidence Framework—payoff, probability, and anticipated regret—while Ted argues that every hesitation can be traced back to fear. 17:15 – Handle Buyer Objections Before They Happen. The best salespeople don't overcome objections—they prevent them. Learn how anticipating buyer concerns early makes closing feel natural. 23:00 – Stop Building Trust. Start Building Buyer Confidence. Ted introduces his new sales philosophy: Always Build Confidence. The goal isn't getting buyers to trust you—it's helping them trust their own decision. 26:20 – Why Buyers Push Back When You Try Too Hard. Learn how psychological reactance causes buyers to resist pressure, urgency, and traditional sales tactics—even when your solution is the right fit. 30:05 – How to Become the Obvious Choice. Ted shares the PACE Framework (Positioning, Authority, Conversion, Expansion) and explains how experts become the first choice before pricing is even discussed. 32:45 – What Really Shapes Willingness to Pay? Does willingness to pay come from ROI alone? Ted explains how context, experience, status, and perceived risk dramatically influence what buyers are willing to spend. Key Takeaways: "If we think about pricing purely rationally, we'll miss the mark 100%." — Ted Olson "Buyers buy when they feel safe enough to buy." — Ted Olson "When I train sellers, I don't think about making them better sellers. I think about making them better decision-making coaches." — Ted Olson People & Resources Mentioned: Matt Dixon & Brent Adamson – Authors of The JOLT Effect, referenced for their research on reducing buyer indecision and limiting information overload. Alex Hormozi – Mentioned in relation to identifying every reason prospects hesitate to buy. Charlie Munger – Referenced for his perspective that value can be viewed as reward divided by punishment (or risk). Zig Ziglar – Mentioned during the discussion about helping buyers understand their own problems more clearly. Connect with Ted Olson: Website: https://tedolson.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tedolson/ Connect with Mark Stiving: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stiving/ Email: mark@impactpricing.com
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Buyer Insight: Being Chosen Isn't Winning
1w ago00:04:25Tap to summarizeThis is an Impact Pricing Blog published on April 27, 2026, turned into an audio podcast so you can listen on the go. Read Full Article Here: https://impactpricing.com/blog/being-chosen-isnt-winning/ If you have any feedback, definitely send it. You can reach us at mark@impactpricing.com. Now, go make an impact. Connect with Mark Stiving: Email: mark@impactpricing.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stiving/
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The Hardest Part of Every Buying Decision with Dan Rochon
2w ago00:31:38Tap to summarizeDan Rochon is the creator of the Teach to Sell methodology and host of the No Broke Months podcast, where he teaches professionals how to build trust and influence without pressure. Buying isn't usually the hard part. Committing is. In this conversation, Dan explains why buyers often hesitate at the final moment, even after they've decided what they want. Mark challenges Dan's ideas on buyer psychology, emotion, and trust, leading to a fascinating discussion about what really happens between deciding and saying yes. Why you have to check out today's podcast: Discover why commitment is the hardest part of every buying decision. Learn how trust helps buyers overcome fear and hesitation. Understand why buyers don't just compare prices—they compare risks. "Logic makes you think. Emotion makes you act." – Dan Rochon Topics Covered: 02:10 – Why Buyers Don't Decide With Logic Alone. Dan explains why emotion drives buying decisions long before logic justifies them. 04:04 – The Emotional Side of Every Buying Decision. Why even B2B buyers are motivated by trust, confidence, and how they'll be perceived. 08:13 – Every Purchase Is a Prediction. Mark shares his buying framework and Dan explains why people move away from pain faster than they chase desire. 12:14 – Are You Selling an Aspirin or a Vitamin? The difference between solving painful problems and fulfilling aspirational desires. 14:05 – The Hardest Part: Saying Yes. Why buyers hesitate at the moment of commitment—and how to help them move forward with confidence. 17:17 – Teach to Sell, Don't Pressure. Dan introduces his trust-based approach to guiding buyers instead of convincing them. 23:41 – Ask Better Questions, Build More Trust. How deep, thoughtful questions uncover what buyers really care about. 25:01 – Ethical Influence vs. Manipulation. The simple mindset shift that separates helping buyers from persuading them. 29:22 – Dan's Pricing Advice for Every Business. How awareness, positioning, and the right buyers make premium pricing possible. 30:51 – The One Mindset Every Sales Professional Needs. Why serving the buyer's goals—not your own—is the foundation of ethical influence. Key Takeaways: "It's about identifying what their pain is and what their desire is, then demonstrating that you are the bridge." – Dan Rochon "The difference between manipulation and ethical influence is whose goals you're serving." – Dan Rochon "Leadership is to teach somebody else how to think so they can get what they want." – Dan Rochon Connect with Dan Rochon: Website: https://teachtosellbook.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danrochon/ Connect with Mark Stiving: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stiving/ Email: mark@impactpricing.com
Transcribe →Buyer Insight: I Was Wrong About Will I
2w ago00:07:36Tap to summarizeThis is an Impact Pricing Blog published on April 20, 2026, turned into an audio podcast so you can listen on the go. Read Full Article Here: https://impactpricing.com/blog/i-was-wrong-about-will-i/ If you have any feedback, definitely send it. You can reach us at mark@impactpricing.com. Now, go make an impact. Connect with Mark Stiving: Email: mark@impactpricing.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stiving/
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Raised Prices 5X, Lost 40% of His Clients... and Made More Money with Robin Waite
3w ago00:27:04Tap to summarizeRobin Waite is the founder of Fearless Business and author of Fearless Pricing, helping coaches, consultants, and freelancers stop selling time and start charging for results. In this episode, Robin shares the experiments that transformed his business—from raising prices 5X (and making more money with fewer clients) to packaging expertise into premium offers. Along the way, Mark challenges Robin on value-based pricing, guarantees, and competition, creating a practical and engaging debate. If you're still charging for your time instead of your results, this episode will make you rethink your pricing strategy. Why you have to check out today's podcast: Learn how to charge for results, not hours, and package your expertise into premium offers. Use a simple pricing exercise to see if your prices can actually hit your income goals. Discover why higher prices often lead to better clients, less stress, and more profit. "It's all about results and outcomes. If you can't articulate what they actually want to achieve by working with you, you shouldn't sell to them." — Robin Waite Topics Covered: 02:00 – The 5X Price Increase That Changed Everything. Robin shares how raising prices dramatically increased profits—even after losing 40% of his clients. 05:15 – From Burnout to Business Coach. Why Robin walked away from his agency and discovered his passion for pricing and productizing services. 12:30 – Can You Really Charge Based on ROI? Mark challenges Robin on value pricing, competition, and money-back guarantees. 16:00 – Inside Robin's New Book, Fearless Pricing. How to package services, overcome pricing fears, and escape hourly billing. 21:00 – Will AI Kill Hourly Billing? Robin explains why AI will make experts more productive—but many will still charge the wrong way. 23:30 – Meet "RobBot" How Robin is using AI to turn eight years of coaching into an on-demand business coach. 25:00 – The One-Page Pricing Plan Every Business Needs A simple exercise to calculate the right price based on your income goals and capacity. Key Takeaways: "You need to become a master at working out the return on investment your clients are going to get when they work with you." — Robin Waite "The goal of running a business is not to enroll every single client. The goal of running a business is to build a profitable and sustainable business." — Robin Waite People & Resources Mentioned: Built to Sell by John Warrillow – The book that inspired Robin to productize his services. Connect with Robin Waite: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/RobinMWaite Book: Fearless Pricing: How to package your offering and confidently charge more : https://www.amazon.com/Fearless-Pricing-package-offering-confidently-ebook/dp/B0FC6Y77LR?ref_=ast_author_mpb Connect with Mark Stiving: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stiving/ Email: mark@impactpricing.com
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Buyer Insight: Your Wins Are Lying To You
3w ago00:04:14Tap to summarizeThis is an Impact Pricing Blog published on April 13, 2026, turned into an audio podcast so you can listen on the go. Read Full Article Here: https://impactpricing.com/blog/your-wins-are-lying-to-you/ If you have any feedback, definitely send it. You can reach us at mark@impactpricing.com. Now, go make an impact. Connect with Mark Stiving: Email: mark@impactpricing.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stiving/
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How to Price When AI Becomes Your Buyer with Steven Forth
4w ago00:27:41Tap to summarizeSteven Forth is the founder of Value Intelligence (ValueIQ) and a longtime leader in value-based pricing. He is also a co-creator of The Value Project, an open-source initiative focused on creating standards for value and pricing models that both humans and AI can understand. Steven Forth is back on the podcast—and as usual, he and Mark waste no time diving into a topic that feels a little futuristic, a little controversial, and a lot important: What happens when AI becomes the buyer? This is another thoughtful debate where Steven's vision for AI-powered buying collides with Mark's 'healthy' skepticism. If you've ever wondered how pricing, value, and buying decisions will evolve in an AI-driven world, this conversation offers a fascinating glimpse into what comes next. Why You Have to Check Out Today's Podcast: Discover how AI buyers will evaluate vendors and why companies that don't provide structured pricing and value data may be ignored—or worse, misrepresented by AI systems. Learn why pricing transparency may become unavoidable as AI agents increasingly compare solutions, estimate costs, and evaluate alternatives on behalf of buyers. Understand the emerging infrastructure behind AI-powered purchasing and how open-source value and pricing standards could reshape the future of B2B sales. "If you don't want the AI to hallucinate about your company, you should give it the data it needs to do its job." – Steven Forth Topics Covered: 02:00 – The Foundation for AI Buyers.Why AI needs standardized pricing and value data before it can make buying decisions. 04:00 – Pricing Models AI Can Actually Understand. Why pricing is more than a price list—and how AI could calculate costs across vendors automatically. 05:30 – Will AI Ignore Your Company?. The risk of missing or unstructured pricing data—and why AI may simply make assumptions about your business. 07:15 – Can Complex Pricing Be Standardized. Mark challenges whether today's complicated pricing models can really be captured in a common framework. 09:00 – The Biggest Challenge: Understanding Value. Can AI truly understand value without understanding the root causes behind business results? 12:00 – Why Value Models Matter. Steven explains why value models aren't about intelligence—they're about giving AI the information it needs to reason. 15:00 – The Next Frontier: Product Configuration. Why pricing and value aren't enough—and how AI could eventually recommend the ideal product setup for every buyer. 18:00 – Can AI Pick the Best Solution?The debate over whether AI can evaluate context, causation, and business needs—not just numbers. 21:00 – When Buyers Have the Upper Hand. How AI could help buyers calculate value using their own private data without sharing it with vendors. 24:00 – The Future of Pricing Transparency. What happens when competitors—and AI—can instantly analyze your pricing structure? 26:00 – Getting Ready for an AI-Powered Buying World. Why businesses should start preparing now for a future where AI becomes the buyer. Key Takeaways: "If you don't want the AI to hallucinate about your company, you should give it the data it needs to do its job." — Steven Forth "The AI needs to understand the value before it can understand if the price is reasonable or not." — Steven Forth "The value project is just plumbing. Let's be able to connect the pipes." — Steven Forth People & Resources Mentioned: The Value Project. An open-source initiative designed to create standardized, machine-readable formats for value models and pricing models that can be shared across business systems and understood by AI. Value Intelligence (ValueIQ). Steven's company focused on value management, value modeling, and helping organizations quantify and communicate customer value. GitHub. The repository where technical contributors can access, test, and improve The Value Project's open-source schemas. Linux Foundation. Mentioned as a potential future home for the project if adoption and community participation continue to grow. JSON (JavaScript Object Notation). The structured data format used to represent value and pricing models in a way that software systems and AI can interpret. Connect with Steven Forth: Website: https://thevalueproject.org LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevenforth/ Email: steven@valueiq.ai Subscribe to Steven's Substack: Synthetic data in pricing: https://pricinginnovation.substack.com/p/synthetic-data-in-pricing Connect with Mark Stiving: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stiving/ Email: mark@impactpricing.com
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Buyer Insight: Willingness to Pay Isn't About Your Product
4w ago00:03:17Tap to summarizeThis is an Impact Pricing Blog published on April 6, 2026, turned into an audio podcast so you can listen on the go. Read Full Article Here: https://impactpricing.com/blog/willingness-to-pay-isnt-about-your-product/ If you have any feedback, definitely send it. You can reach us at mark@impactpricing.com. Now, go make an impact. Connect with Mark Stiving: Email: mark@impactpricing.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stiving/
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Why Pricing Might Be the Best Path to CEO You've Never Considered with Ryan Walter
Jun 1500:25:25Tap to summarizeWhat if the pricing function isn't just a specialty discipline—but one of the best training grounds for future CEOs? Ryan Walter, Partner at Jennings Executive Search and author of The Pricing Talent Playbook, joins Mark to explore the evolution of pricing careers, what separates great pricing leaders from average ones, and why pricing may soon become a recognized pathway to the CEO role. Ryan draws on his experience recruiting pricing talent and leading pricing teams across retail, manufacturing, data products, and industrial businesses. If you're building a pricing career, hiring pricing talent, or wondering how AI is reshaping the profession, this episode offers a glimpse into where pricing is headed next. Why you have to check out today's podcast: Discover why pricing may become a legitimate path to the CEO role. Learn why pricing transformations often fail despite strong strategy. Understand how AI is changing pricing talent expectations and why curiosity may now be more important than technical expertise alone. "My prediction is that the pricing function is going to end up being a path to CEO." — Ryan Walter Topics Covered: 01:00 – From Professional Musician to Pricing Leader. Learn why the skills required in professional music translated surprisingly well into pricing leadership. 03:05 – The Rare Combination Every Great Pricing Professional Needs. Why pricing success requires both IQ and EQ—the ability to work with complex data while influencing executives, sales teams, and non-technical stakeholders. Ryan explains why finding both traits in one person is surprisingly rare. 05:05 – The EQ Problem Pricing Professionals Must Solve. Mark and Ryan discuss why being right isn't enough. Learn how great pricing leaders simplify complexity, build trust, and communicate insights in ways that drive action instead of resistance. 06:50 – Why Ryan Wrote The Pricing Talent Playbook. Ryan explains the motivation behind his new book and why pricing leaders need more guidance on talent, team building, interviewing, and career development—not just pricing models and strategy. 09:20 – The Hidden Reason Pricing Transformations Fail. A fascinating hiring story reveals how a successful pricing leader was undermined when executive priorities shifted. Learn why organizational support often matters more than technical pricing expertise. 11:30 – What AI Is Changing About Pricing Right Now. Ryan shares examples of pricing leaders using AI to perform customer profitability analysis, strategic planning, and complex investigations in hours instead of weeks. The discussion moves beyond productivity into AI as a strategic thought partner. 14:30 – The New Hiring Question Every Pricing Candidate Should Expect. More companies are now evaluating AI readiness during interviews. Ryan explains what hiring managers actually want to hear—and why curiosity matters more than having the perfect answer. 17:00 – Why Pricing Professionals Change Jobs More Often. Many pricing leaders thrive on building functions, driving change, and solving messy problems. Ryan explains why some professionals leave after creating momentum—and why that's often a feature, not a flaw. 19:15 – The Two Pricing Archetypes. Are you the builder or the operator? Ryan breaks down the two common pricing career paths: the change agent who loves creating order from chaos and the operator who excels at maintaining and evolving mature pricing functions. 22:00 – Why Pricing Could Become a Path to CEO. The episode's biggest idea. Ryan explains why pricing professionals gain unusually broad exposure to strategy, systems, finance, customers, and operations—and why that experience mirrors many responsibilities of a CEO. Key Takeaways: [on pricing talent and skills ] "You need to be able to do the math and deal with the data and build models and figure out how systems work. But you also need to speak to non-technical folks in a way that they understand what your model is doing." – Ryan Walter [on pricing talent and skills ] "It's not just how to do math. It's helping as a thought partner to come up with [pricing] strategy." – Ryan Walter [Communication & Influence ] "You can't tell the sales leader about the R-squared. You have to simplify that down." – Ryan Walter People & Resources Mentioned: Jennings Executive Search – Executive search firm specializing in pricing and commercial leadership recruitment. The Pricing Talent Playbook – Ryan's new book focused on pricing talent, career development, and building pricing organizations. Connect with Ryan Walter: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-walter3141/ Email: ryan@jenningsexec.com Connect with Mark Stiving: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stiving/ Email: mark@impactpricing.com
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Buyer Insight: Why More Features Make It Harder to Buy
Jun 1200:03:02Tap to summarizeThis is an Impact Pricing Blog published on March 30, 2026, turned into an audio podcast so you can listen on the go. Read Full Article Here: https://impactpricing.com/blog/why-more-features-make-it-harder-to-buy/ If you have any feedback, definitely send it. You can reach us at mark@impactpricing.com. Now, go make an impact. Connect with Mark Stiving: Email: mark@impactpricing.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stiving/
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