Given some of the questions we’ve been fielding recently in our live sessions and through our Help Desk function, I feel compelled to address the elephant in the roof through this much broader forum…
Right now, there’s clearly a lot of anxiety around job security.
This isn’t too surprising considering everything that’s been building up…or piling on…over the last few years, with high levels of inflation, conflict-driven supply disruptions, increased interest rates, and a global trade war to top it all off. A lot of companies have also been engaging in their own DOGE-type exercises to cut costs and streamline operations in the face of all of the uncertainty.
Closer to home, we’re likely seeing doom-and-gloom headlines across our industry media sources and experiencing an uptick in LinkedIn activity as a number of our colleagues and peers work to boost their profiles and increase their connections.
So…the anxiety is certainly understandable. That said, it’s always helpful to step back, gain a broader perspective, and look at the bigger picture. Because while some practitioners are definitely under pressure and being negatively impacted, the full picture is a bit more nuanced.
Here are three truths to recognize about job security in B2B pricing:
1. Yes, Some Sectors and Companies Are Really Struggling
There’s no point sugarcoating the realities of the situation. While every sector has been affected to some extent, certain sectors have been getting absolutely crushed in recent months. And while every individual company has likely experienced some amount of pain through all of this, certain companies now find themselves on life support and are struggling to restock inventories and make payroll.
As a result, we’re seeing budget cuts, hiring freezes, consolidation, restructuring, and yes, layoffs. It’s heartbreaking and it stinks. But in certain sectors and in certain companies, it’s the tragic reality we have to contend with.
2. The Need for B2B Pricing Expertise Has Never Been Greater
The paradox here is that the dynamics that have been so disastrous for some have actually been a wakeup call for many others. While some companies and sectors are indeed trimming resources and backburnering capabilities, many others are finally waking up to the critical need for smarter and more robust pricing.
After all, most markets are more volatile than ever. Input and overhead costs are shifting faster all the time. Buyer behaviors have been changing dramatically. Competition has become even more intense. Short-term margins and long-term profits are under ever-increasing pressure. And more leadership teams are now asking hard questions about systemic profitability, customer lifetime value, margin erosion, customer and product mix, discounting discipline, and price realization.
And they’re looking to strategic B2B pricing professionals for the answers.
3. The Strategic Fundamentals of B2B Pricing Are Transferable
The most important truth here is that no matter what happens with your current job at your current company, understanding the fundamentals of pricing and knowing how to use them to generate results gives you a lot of career security. And no matter what industry you’re in, the business model, or the technology platforms you’re using right now, the fundamentals are transferable and travel with you.
If you know how to develop a robust segmentation model that reflects actionable differences in willingness-to-pay, that’s valuable in any setting. If you know how to connect pricing recommendations and decisions to differential value perceptions, that’s useful in any situation. If you’ve figured out how to work with the go-to-market teams instead of against them, that matters in any environment.
And if you know how to close margin leaks and drive profitable growth? Well, that’s what most leadership teams are looking for at the end of the day.
The point is that when you can leverage the strategic fundamentals to generate meaningful results in almost any business context, you’ll always have options.
Get Beyond Job Security and Focus on Your Career
Instead of thinking in terms of job security…which may be largely out of your control…think about working to enhance your career security by doubling down on the transferable pricing skills that matter most.
Go deep on the strategic fundamentals and don’t just coast on the tactical stuff. Become fluent in price segmentation, comparative analysis, value communication, and organizational change management and influence. Learn how to diagnose problems, identify root causes, evaluate solutions, and execute improvements. Work to understand all the different levers that can impact revenues, margins, and net profitability. And focus on generating the kinds of sustainable business results and competitive advantages that leadership teams actually care about.
No one has guaranteed immunity from a “restructuring” or a “right-sizing” or one of those “cut 10% from every area” management cop-outs. But when you become someone who can drop into any environment and quickly figure out how to drive profitable growth through better pricing, you’ll never be out of work for long.
And you’ll likely find yourself in a better place than before.
PS: For much more on transferable skills, be sure to check out our five part training course, The Fundamentals of Pricing in B2B Environments.
Advancing Your Career in Pricing
There's never been a better time to be a B2B pricing professional. But when it comes to your career, you can’t just hope that good things will happen in the future. In this on-demand webinar, learn how to take charge and make good things happen.
Building the Right Pricing Habits
Our research has found that what sets true B2B pricing professionals apart is a powerful combination of ongoing behaviors and practices...habits that can be learned and developed over time.
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