How to Change SaaS Pricing and Communicate the Change

To change your SaaS pricing, start by analyzing your current pricing model and it’s performance. By reviewing the data, you can identify areas for improvement and make future decision-making processes better.

このガイドでは、価格戦略を検討および修正するための構造化されたフレームワークを紹介しており、収益と顧客の認識に潜在的な影響を与える可能性があります。

Before making a pricing overhaul, ask yourself these key questions:

• Have your expenses been increasing? Server upgrades, software licenses, and other expenses sometimes make a price adjustment necessary to maintain profitability.
• Have you added significant new features or value?  If you’ve launched new features or functionality, your pricing should reflect the new value you’re offering.
• Are you targeting a new market segment? Entering a new market may require adjusting your pricing to appeal to different customer needs and budgets.
• 顧客がより価値の高い競合他社を選ぶことを懸念していますか？もしあなたの製品が市場で魅力的に見えない場合、値下げや新しい価格帯の設定が競争力を取り戻す可能性があります。
• 解約率や顧客獲得コスト（CAC）が目標より高いですか？もしあなたの指標が良好であれば、既存の価格戦略を維持するのが最善かもしれません。
• 収益目標を達成していますか？収益成長目標を達成するには、現在の価格設定アプローチの調整が必要になる場合があります。

もしあなたが「はい” to any of these questions, it’s likely that your SaaS pricing model could benefit from a review and change. This guide explores steps to assess your current performance, create strategic objectives, set an appropriate pricing model, and engage your customers during the transition to the new pricing strategy.

Take a close look at your existing pricing data. Start with an analysis to gather information and assess the current state of performance. Understanding this is the foundation of a successful pricing change. 

Gather Your Data: Collect data on key metrics for the past 6-12 months (or longer, if available). Start by pulling information from your billing/subscription system.  How many customers are on each plan? These metrics are the basis of your analysis:

• Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC): The average cost of acquiring a new customer.
• Customer Lifetime Value (CLTV): The average revenue a customer generates over their entire relationship with your company.
• Customer Churn: This metric quantifies the rate at which subscribers cease to utilize a particular service..
• Average Revenue Per User (ARPU): The average revenue generated per user/customer.
• 価格モデル：現在のモデル（例：フリーミアム、フラットレート、段階制、従量制など）は何ですか？ティア数はいくつですか？各ティアに何人の顧客がいますか？価格設定はどのようになっていますか？ 

例： 

パターンと傾向を特定: データ内のパターンや相関関係を探します。

• 特定の価格帯が他の価格帯よりも人気がありますか？
• 価格設定と解約の間には相関関係がありますか？
• Which features are most valued by your customers?
• Are specific customer segments more profitable than others?

Self-Assessment Questions: Ask yourself the following questions to gain further insights:

• Is our pricing model aligned with our overall business goals?
• Are we capturing the full value of our product with our current pricing?
• Are our customers satisfied with our pricing model?
• Are we leaving money on the table by underpricing?
• Are we pricing ourselves out of the market?
• Is our pricing easy for customers to understand?

価格変更における目標を明確にしましょう。それらは、戦略を概説し、その有効性を判断するための基準点となります。  

価格変更を検討している根本的な理由を考慮してください。動機は、目標の選択と、全体的なビジネスビジョンに従って戦略を調整する上で重要な役割を果たします。 SaaSの価格最適化の一般的な理由：

• Financial Performance: You might be struggling to cover costs or achieve desired profit margins. Raising prices or optimizing your pricing model can contribute to improved profitability.
• Pricing Consideration: Analyze whether your current pricing represents the value your product offers after recent upgrades.
• Competitive Pressure: If competitors offer similar products at different price points, you might need to adjust to remain competitive.
• New Market Entry: If you’re expanding into a new market segment, you might need to adjust your pricing to appeal to different customer groups.
• Changing Customer Needs: As your target market evolves, so do their needs and willingness to pay. A pricing change can help you cater to these shifts.
• 成熟段階： 製品が成熟するにつれて、価値を最大化し、成長を持続させるために価格設定を見直す必要があるかもしれません。
• 運用上の要因： インフレ、人件費の高騰、技術の進歩など、市場やコスト管理の問題により、企業は価格設定の調整を迫られる場合があります。

一般的な目標には、収益の増加、収益性の向上、特定の顧客層の獲得などが含まれます。具体的に、測定可能な目標を設定してください（例：「第4四半期にARPUを10％増加させる」）。

Brainstorm Potential Objectives: Start by listing all possible objectives you might want to achieve with a pricing change. Consider these categories:

• 収益の増加： Increase overall revenue, ARPU,  or customer lifetime value (CLTV).
• Profitability: Improve gross margins, reduce customer acquisition cost (CAC) or churn rate.
• Market Positioning: Attract a new customer segment or increase market share.
• Other Objectives like improving customer satisfaction or encouraging specific product usage patterns.

Prioritize Your Objectives: すべての目標が同じように重要であるわけではありません。現在のビジネスニーズに対する重要度と関連性に基づいてランク付けしてください。最も注力したい上位3つの目標は何ですか？

SMARTな目標を設定する： 優先順位をつけた各目標について、具体的（Specific）、測定可能（Measurable）、達成可能（Achievable）、関連性がある（Relevant）、期限付き（Time-bound）のSMARTな目標に変えましょう。

例： 「収益を増やす」という目標の代わりに、「今後6ヶ月以内にARPUを10％増加させる」のような目標を設定しましょう。

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Align with Overall Strategy: Ensure your pricing objectives align with your company’s overall strategic vision and mission.

Choose the model that fits with your goals and customer needs. The right pricing model requires some analysis to decide the strategy that will suit your business needs and customer profiles. This will depend on your product, target market, objectives, and value proposition.

Determine what pain points your product resolves for your customers and how it compares to your competition in terms of features, usability, and overall value. Understanding your product’s strengths and weaknesses will allow you to determine which model works best for you.

Identify common SaaS pricing strategies and how well they work for your business. For detailed steps on how to determine the right pricing strategy for your SaaS, refer to our companion article: SaaSの価格設定方法. Consider these popular pricing strategies for SaaS price optimization:

• Transition Plan: Existing customers remain on their current plans, while new subscribers pay the new price. This will ease the transition and encourage customer loyalty.
• 階層型料金体系：さまざまな顧客層や好みに合わせて、異なる機能と価格オプションを備えた料金プランを提供し、多様な顧客セグメントに対応したアプローチを可能にします。
• 使用量ベースの価格設定: 顧客の使用量に基づいて課金することで、公平性が認識され、使用量の増加につながることを理解しましょう。
• 価値に基づいた価格設定： 製品が提供する知覚価値を念頭に置いて価格を設定してください。そして、それをプレミアム価格設定の根拠として使用します。

Tell your customers about the changes openly and honestly. Transparency builds trust. When customers understand the reasons for a price change, they’re more likely to accept it. And how this is communicated makes a difference.

4.1. Craft Your Message. Explain the changes in simple terms.

Highlight the value proposition for customers affected by the revised pricing model. Emphasize new features, better performance, and increased support.

Acknowledge concerns upfront and offer solutions (e.g., grandfathering existing customers, discounts, or flexible payment options).

Explain the reason for the price change (e.g., increased costs, new features, market adjustments).

4.2. To effectively communicate with all your customers, consider using various channels.:

• Email Announcements: 顧客との直接的なコミュニケーションには、パーソナライズされたメールの利用をご検討ください。現在のプランや利用状況に基づいて、ターゲットを絞ったメールを送信しましょう。
• ブログ記事： 変更点とその背景にある理由を説明する詳細なブログ記事を公開しましょう。顧客の声や事例を含めることで、製品の有効性の証拠を示してください。
• アプリ内メッセージング： アプリケーションインターフェース内で、ユーザーに関連性の高い情報を提供します。
• Social Media Updates: Share news about the pricing change on your social media channels and engage with customers’ comments and questions.
• Webinars: Host webinar and QA sessions to provide insights and address questions.

4.3. Develop a communication timeline:

• Early Announcement: Provide customers with advance warning about the changes, aiming for a minimum of 30-60 days.
• Reminder Emails: Use follow-up emails when the implementation date is near.
• Post-Change Communication: 変更後は、移行に関する最新情報を、顧客が経験する具体的な影響とともに伝えてください。
• 積極的な働きかけ： サポートをパーソナライズするために、高価値顧客や価格変更の影響を最も受ける顧客と必ず話してください。

Implement your new SaaS pricing strategy and then monitor its effects on metrics such as customer acquisition, churn, and revenue. Then think of your pricing as a living, breathing entity that requires attention to thrive. Continuously monitor performance metrics, gathering customer feedback to inform adjustments.

Track Key Metrics: Create a dashboard that illustrates pertinent metrics like revenue, churn rate, ARPU (average revenue per user), CLTV (customer lifetime value), and conversion rates. Regularly review this data, checking weekly or monthly, to monitor progress toward your pricing goals. Be aware of fluctuations and investigate spikes or drops to understand whether they’re linked to your pricing changes or other factors.

Seek Customer Feedback: Collecting feedback from customers helps in acquiring a more complete understanding of their needs and preferences. Reach out through surveys, interviews, feedback forms, and monitor social media and review sites. Ask them about their satisfaction with the new pricing, whether they feel the value aligns with the cost, and what improvements they’d like to see. It’s possible their observations could offer a different perspective on your current strategy.

Analyze and Iterate: While a price increase could impact churn, it’s crucial to analyze changes and re-evaluate if needed. Look into how each customer segment reacts to the increase to determine if some are more sensitive than others. Experiment with various pricing options, discounts, and promotions to understand your customer base’s preferences. After using A/B testing, compare options and determine the most effective approach.