How to Use Pricing Objectives to Increase Profitability

The sole aim of any business is to make profit and then maximize it over time.

Unfortunately, some businesses aren’t profitable enough.

So, to increase the profitability of any business, a company might have to focus on maximizing profits, increasing sales volume, matching competitors’ prices, deterring competitors from entering the market, and implementing some survival strategies.

However, each of these pricing objectives requires a different approach to setting prices for your goods and services to help you achieve your business goals. It requires you to understand both your product attributes and the market.

What Is Pricing?

Pricing is a way of establishing the value your customers will pay for your goods and services.

Pricing occurs when you decide how much a customer must pay in exchange for using your products.

Whatever price you set for your products will affect your sales and profits. It’ll affect the buying decisions of potential customers over your competitors, and then how much profit you make at the end of the day.

As a result, you should have specific objectives in mind when setting prices. This will help you reach your business goals, maximize profits, boost growth, and sustain your business when properly done.

What Is Profitability?

Profitability refers to the degree to which a business generates profit. 

More efficient businesses tend to generate more profits than less efficient ones, which will need to spend more to realize the same amount of profit.

A company can increase profits by reducing costs, increasing turnover, boosting productivity, and increasing efficiency. Additionally, you can drive profitability by expanding into new markets or developing new products.

Factors responsible for profitability include the number of production units, production per unit, direct costs, value per unit, mix of enterprises, and overhead costs, but the number of production units is the most basic factor affecting profit.

What Are Pricing Objectives?

Pricing objectives are the goals that guide a business in choosing prices for its goods and services.

Pricing objectives give direction to the whole pricing process of a company’s products.

The primary objective of pricing for any business is to set a price that is reasonable enough for consumers to buy its products and for the business to survive as well.

It’s worthy of note to say that determining a company’s objectives is the first step in pricing.

Pricing Objectives Examples

Examples of pricing objectives include the following:

  • maximizing profits, 
  • increasing sales volume, 
  • matching competitors’ prices, 
  • deterring competitors, and
  • survival.

Why Prioritize Pricing Objectives?

Here are a few reasons why you should prioritize your pricing objectives:

First, any pricing objective of your choice should guide your strategic pricing decisions. This is because some pricing strategies work better than others when choosing a specific pricing objective. For example, you can set prices that undercut your competitors if you want to expand into new markets and get an early foothold, even though this might affect your profits. Amazon, Procter & Gamble, Trader Joe’s, Wal-Mart, and Winn-Dixie use this strategy. 

You might also want to charge higher prices for your products than your competitors. This is known as a “premium pricing strategy.” Companies use this strategy in order to produce higher profit margins, create tougher barriers to entry for competitors, and increase the value of their brand for all of their products. Apple, Bentley, Chanel, Gucci, and Rolex are some premium-priced examples of products worthy of mention here.

Second, you need to establish your pricing objectives in advance, as this makes it easier for you to choose your pricing approach.

How to Choose the Best Pricing Objectives for Your Business

Here’s how to choose the best pricing objectives for your business: 

  • Know what your customers want.
  • Know your business goals for the future.
  • Know your competitors.
  • Know the health of your business.
  • Let your pricing reflect value.

It’s instructive to note that your choice of a pricing objective doesn’t have to last forever, as it’s subject to change according to the prevailing business and market conditions.

Conclusion

In conclusion, pricing objectives are important for businesses because they help guide strategic pricing decisions and create a plan for achieving desired business objectives. To choose the best pricing objectives for your business, you must understand what your customers want, your goals for the future, your competitors, the health of your business, and how to let your pricing reflect value. 

By properly utilizing pricing objectives, businesses can increase their profitability and achieve their desired goals.