Pricing strategies (Kotler) template
Compare your market position based on price and perceived quality
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About the pricing strategies template
Strategic pricing depends on more than internal cost models or competitor price tags. What also matters is how your product is perceived by the people choosing whether to buy it. This template helps you analyze that perception by plotting your product and its competitors on a value matrix — mapping price against quality, as seen through the eyes of your target customers. Based on the work of marketer Philip Kotler, it is a useful tool when you need to gut-check positioning, revisit assumptions, or support pricing decisions with a clear rationale.
Included in the pricing strategies template
This pricing strategies template includes built-in capabilities such as:
A value matrix to visualize perceived price vs. quality
Movable cards to represent competitors or your own product tiers
Sample content and layout suggestions to guide your work
Sticky notes and inline comments to capture input from teammates
A voting tool to align on placement or debate alternatives
How to use the pricing strategies template
Use this template when you make or revisit pricing decisions. It works especially well in the early stages of a product launch, during packaging or pricing refreshes, or when a shift in customer behavior suggests your perceived value has changed.
Start by identifying which competitors your buyers actually evaluate — not just who you think of as "the competition." Use qualitative input from sales, support tickets, and churn interviews to assess how each product is viewed. Then, drag each card into the quadrant that best reflects its relative price and perceived quality. You can use sticky notes to call out nuance — such as when a low-cost product wins on speed of setup, or when a high-priced tool lacks depth in key areas.
Review the final layout with collaborators. Are the patterns what you expected? Any surprises should prompt discussion — especially if your product floats between quadrants or is grouped too closely with offerings you aim to differentiate from.
Best practices
Spot gaps and opportunities in your pricing strategy.
Start with current competitors: Add the products your customers likely compare you to today. Focus on those with similar functionality or overlapping buyer segments.
Be honest about quality: View your product from the outside in. You know what it offers — but how is it perceived? Placement on the matrix can reveal overvalued features or overlooked expectations.
Look for clusters and outliers: Use the matrix to see where the market is concentrated or underserved. This helps you decide whether to reposition, hold steady, or try a new model.
Use this alongside other pricing templates: To help clarify your relative position, use the product comparison chart to explore detailed options or the pricing plan chart to map feature tiers
FAQs about the pricing strategies template
Why is it important to visualize your pricing strategy?
Seeing how your product compares on price and quality lends clarity to where you stand in the market. It can highlight whether your pricing aligns with market expectations or whether you need to reposition. A visual approach also makes it easier to quickly share your thinking with teammates and stakeholders.
What are some best practices for mapping competitors on the matrix?
Start by identifying products your customers might consider instead of yours. Then, estimate how buyers perceive each one based on price, experience, support, brand trust, and feature depth. Keep it high-level: You are going for a useful snapshot, not a detailed breakdown.
Who is the pricing strategies template for?
This template is useful for product managers and marketers working on pricing strategy or positioning. It is great for early-stage competitive research, launch planning, or when pressure builds to justify your pricing. Use it to align teams around where you are now, and potentially where you want to be.
Is this template free to use?
Yes. To use this pricing strategies template, sign up for a free 30-day trial of Aha! Whiteboards. (You can also try this template in Aha! Roadmaps if you need a complete product management solution.) Easily customize the template to suit your needs, then share it with as many people as you want (for free) to streamline collaboration.
