💰 Pricing
🌐 Website
📱 Social
This playbook requires the following signals:
Monitored Signals
1. Why should I care about a price increase?
Here’s why it’s a big deal:
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2. Examples of companies who increased prices
A jump from €60 → €99 isn't just a 65% increase; it's a strategic move that fundamentally redefines their value proposition and, critically, your competitive landscape. Critically, the strategy and inherent impact differs greatly from an annual inflation-related increase.
In June 2025, Slack increased their Business+ pricing by +23.08%. The increase was part of a larger price packaging adjustment, where their AI offering was added to other tiers (i.e. Pro now includes AI add-on). Interestingly, their Pro tier now acts as a decoy for Pro with Slack AI add-on tier.
3. How to monitor competitors for price increases
The market has shifted. A competitor’s recent price adjustment – from, say, €60 to €99 – presents not just a challenge, but a profound strategic moment. Once these signals are understood, your response in this fluid environment will define your next chapter. Below, we outline three distinct paths, each designed to harness the psychological and market forces now in play. Each path is a set of immediate, actionable tasks, guiding your team to turn competitor action into your advantage. | ||
4. Playbook Response Options
4.1 Target competitor’s (potentially) churning customers
ⓘ Best for: When a competitor has raised prices and you want to proactively capture market share from their customers who are now looking for alternatives. | ||
Goal: Capitalize directly on the competitor's price hike by actively attracting their potentially dissatisfied customers. | ||
Strategic Rationale: This is a direct, agile approach. It leverages the competitor's vulnerability to bring new customers to your door, transforming their strategic move into your growth engine. |
Identify and map the dissatisfied customer pool.
Use tools like LinkedIn Sales Navigator and review CRM win/loss data to identify a target list of the competitor's customers who are most likely to churn. Look for public dissatisfaction on social media and industry forums.
Develop the counter-offer and messaging.
Craft targeted messaging that highlights your "better value alternative" and engineer a compelling, limited-time "Switch Offer" (e.g., matching their old price) to make the decision to switch a clear win.
Build the campaign assets and ensure readiness.
Build a dedicated comparison landing page that clearly outlines your advantages. Sales Enablement will then train the team on the new offer and talking points.
Launch the campaign and monitor results.
Launch targeted campaigns across paid ads, email, and social channels. The team will closely track lead volume, conversion rates, and the specific reasons new customers cite for switching.
4.2 Strategic Pricing & Value Optimization
ⓘ Best for: When a competitor's price hike creates "headroom" in the market, allowing you to recalibrate your own pricing and improve margins. | ||
Goal: Improve your own margins or strategically reposition your product, leveraging the new market space created by the competitor. | ||
Strategic Rationale: The competitor's move expands the acceptable price range in the market. This allows you to raise your own prices without losing competitiveness or to reinforce your value proposition if you choose to hold steady. |
Analyze the competitor's move and market reaction.
Quantify the competitor's price increase, hypothesize their reasoning, and scan public commentary (social media, forums, review sites) for customer feedback on the change.
Decide on your strategic price adjustment.
Re-evaluate your pricing strategy, deciding whether to increase prices, maintain current pricing to highlight cost-effectiveness, or optimize tiers to capture more value.
Update your value proposition and messaging.
Refine messaging to highlight your strengths against the competitor's new, higher price. If not raising prices, the Product team will actively add features or bundle services to enhance the value proposition.
Communicate the shift and implement pricing changes.
Communicate any price adjustments to customers and prospects. All pricing systems (website, CRM, billing) will be updated, and Sales Ops will monitor sales volume and churn to assess the impact.
4.3 Monitor & Defend Your Current Position
ⓘ Best for: When you believe your current value proposition is strong enough and you want to avoid a hasty reaction, choosing instead to observe the market before making a dramatic counter-move. | ||
Goal: Maintain your current pricing and market position, focusing on reinforcing your existing value while closely observing market dynamics. | ||
Strategic Rationale: This prudent approach is ideal when you need more time to assess a competitor's long-term strategy. It focuses on reinforcing loyalty with your current customers as a first line of defense. |
Intensify intelligence gathering.
Set immediate alerts for further price adjustments and monitor the competitor's marketing campaigns. The sales team will be instructed to meticulously report any customer feedback related to the price changes.
Reinforce your value proposition with customers.
Double down on content that highlights your established strengths and customer success stories. Customer Success will proactively engage with the existing customer base to ensure satisfaction and reinforce the value they are receiving.
Conduct an internal impact analysis and prepare contingency plans.
Project the potential impact on market share and profitability. The leadership team will define specific triggers (e.g., a measurable shift in competitor market share) that would prompt a pivot to a more aggressive response.
Schedule a follow-up review to decide on next actions.
Set a firm date (e.g., one month out) to review all collected data, reassess the market, and decide whether a more active response is warranted.