For The Anatomy of a Successful B2B Pricing Analyst, we asked the PricingBrew Network to weigh-in on the most important skills a B2B pricing analyst should possess, or seek to develop. And as usual, the feedback and input we received was both thoughtful and thought-provoking.
The Anatomy of a Successful B2B Pricing Analyst
What key competencies are most important for a B2B pricing analyst to have? This guide covers PricingBrew Network research into the 21 most important attributes, skills, and capabilities for B2B pricing analysts to develop or possess.
While the resulting guide details all 21 of the most important attributes, skills, and capabilities, there were more than a few surprises. Consider the following excerpts from the guide:
- Results Orientation—We heard negatives about analysts who think the analysis itself is the objective. On the other hand, we heard positives about analysts who recognize that their work is a means to an end, and who always “keep their eye on the prize”—i.e. business and financial results.
- Change Management—Most participants cited a need for pricing analysts to understand organizational dynamics and how to go about fostering change within their organizations. They expressed a need for pricing analysts to be masters of “influence without authority”. As one participant put it, “Pricing is 40% figuring out what to do and 60% getting the company to do it.”
- Problem Solving—We heard strong negatives about pricing analysts who could identify potential problems, but had no idea how to go about solving them or preventing them from happening in the future. Positives were expressed toward analysts who were capable of devising multiple potential solutions to the same problem or issue.
It’s clear that to be successful in B2B pricing, you need more than technical skills. Sure, being able to conduct the appropriate pricing analyses is a valuable skillset. Yes, being able to perform the right mathematical calculations is a useful capability. And of course, being a wizard with Excel formulas and pivot-tables is certainly very helpful.
But considering that only 8 of the 21 categories outlined in the guide are technical in nature, what the pricing experts and seasoned practitioners in the Network seem to be saying, is that technical pricing skills are just table stakes.
As the saying goes, technical pricing skills are “necessary, but not sufficient.”
