ph-pricing-psychology skill

---
name: ph-pricing-psychology
description: Apply psychological pricing principles to your Product Hunt launch. Use this skill to create urgency, demonstrate value, and maximize conversions through proven pricing strategies.
---

# Product Hunt Pricing Psychology

This skill helps you leverage psychological principles to make your Product Hunt offers more compelling and drive higher conversions.

## When to Use This Skill

- Structuring your launch offer
- Creating compelling pricing displays
- Building urgency and scarcity
- Maximizing perceived value
- Optimizing conversion messaging

## Core Psychological Principles

### 1. Anchoring Effect

**Principle:** First number seen influences perception of all following numbers.

**Application:**
```
❌ Weak: "$99/year"
✓ Strong: "$299/year → $99/year (67% off!)"
```

**How to Use:**
- Always show original price first
- Make the discount visible
- Calculate and show savings

**Example:**
```
Regular: $49/month ($588/year)
Product Hunt: $19/month ($228/year)

You save: $360/year
```

---

### 2. Loss Aversion

**Principle:** People fear losing more than they enjoy gaining.

**Application:**
```
❌ Weak: "Get 30% off"
✓ Strong: "Don't miss 30% off — ends in 24 hours"
```

**How to Use:**
- Frame as avoiding loss, not just gaining
- Emphasize what they'll miss
- Create fear of missing out

**Examples:**
- "Lock in this price before it's gone"
- "Only 23 spots remaining"
- "This offer won't come back"

---

### 3. Scarcity Principle

**Principle:** Limited availability increases perceived value.

**Types of Scarcity:**

**Quantity Scarcity:**
```
"Limited to 100 lifetime licenses"
"Only 15 spots left"
"First 50 users only"
```

**Time Scarcity:**
```
"48 hours only"
"Ends Sunday midnight"
"Launch week special"
```

**Combination:**
```
"First 100 users OR until Sunday —
whichever comes first"
```

---

### 4. Social Proof

**Principle:** People follow what others do.

**Application in Pricing:**
```
✓ "Join 500+ users who chose the Pro plan"
✓ "Most popular" badge on middle tier
✓ "12 people bought this in the last hour"
```

**How to Use:**
- Show which plan is most chosen
- Display recent activity
- Include testimonials near pricing

---

### 5. Price Framing

**Principle:** How price is presented affects perception.

**Per-Day Framing:**
```
❌ "$365/year"
✓ "Less than $1/day"
✓ "About $0.99/day"
```

**Comparison Framing:**
```
✓ "Less than your daily coffee"
✓ "Costs less than one client hour"
✓ "Pays for itself in one use"
```

**Savings Framing:**
```
✓ "Save 10 hours/week = $500+ in time"
✓ "Users report 3x ROI in first month"
```

---

### 6. Decoy Effect

**Principle:** Adding a less attractive option makes target option look better.

**Classic Three-Tier Setup:**
```
BASIC        PRO (Best Value)    ENTERPRISE
$9/mo        $29/mo              $99/mo
│            ▲                   │
└──────────── Most choose this ──┘
```

**How It Works:**
- Basic seems too limited
- Enterprise seems overkill
- Pro appears "just right"

---

### 7. Zero Price Effect

**Principle:** "Free" has irrational appeal beyond its actual value.

**Application:**
```
✓ "Start free, upgrade when ready"
✓ "Free forever for personal use"
✓ "No credit card required"
```

**Freemium Psychology:**
- Lower barrier to try
- Build habit before payment
- Reduce perceived risk

---

### 8. Charm Pricing

**Principle:** Prices ending in 9 or 7 feel significantly lower.

**Application:**
```
❌ $100 (feels like "a hundred")
✓ $99 (feels like "ninety-something")
✓ $97 (feels even cheaper)
```

**When to Use:**
- Consumer products: $X.99
- Professional/SaaS: $X9 or $X7
- Premium/luxury: Round numbers ($100, $500)

---

### 9. Bundle Psychology

**Principle:** Bundling obscures individual item values.

**Application:**
```
INDIVIDUAL:
- Product A: $49
- Product B: $49
- Product C: $49
Total: $147

BUNDLE:
All three for $99 (Save $48!)
```

**Why It Works:**
- Hard to evaluate bundle fairly
- Focus shifts to total savings
- Perceived value increases

## Urgency & Scarcity Templates

### Time-Based Urgency

```
⏰ LAUNCH SPECIAL — ENDS IN:
[Countdown Timer]

This price disappears Sunday at midnight PST.
After that, it's full price forever.
```

### Quantity-Based Scarcity

```
🔥 Only 47 of 100 lifetime licenses remaining

First 100 Product Hunt users get lifetime access.
Once they're gone, this offer closes permanently.
```

### Combined Urgency

```
⚡ DOUBLE COUNTDOWN:

First 100 users: Lifetime deal at $99
— OR —
Ends: Sunday midnight PST

Whichever comes first. No exceptions.

[XX/100 claimed] [Timer]
```

### Fear of Missing Out (FOMO)

```
💭 Imagine checking back Monday...

"I should have grabbed that lifetime deal"

Don't be that person.

[Get lifetime access →]
```

## Value Demonstration

### ROI Calculator Approach

```
THE MATH:

You currently spend:
~5 hours/week on [task] = $250/week (at $50/hr)

With [Product]:
~1 hour/week on [task] = $50/week

Weekly savings: $200
Monthly savings: $800
Yearly savings: $9,600

[Product] costs: $99/year
ROI: 97x return
```

### Time Savings Frame

```
[Product] saves average user 10 hours/week

That's:
• 40 hours/month (a full work week!)
• 480 hours/year (12 work weeks!)

What would you do with 12 extra weeks?
```

### Comparison Anchor

```
Alternatives:
• Hire someone: $50/hour × 10 hrs = $500/week
• Other tools: $200-500/month
• Do it yourself: Your valuable time

[Product]: $29/month

(That's less than one hour of hired help)
```

## Pricing Page Best Practices

### Visual Hierarchy
- Highlight recommended plan
- Use "Most Popular" badges
- Make preferred option visually dominant

### Feature Comparison
- Show what's included at each tier
- Use checkmarks liberally
- Dim features not included

### Trust Elements
- Money-back guarantee
- Testimonials near pricing
- Security badges
- Social proof numbers

### Call-to-Action
- Action-oriented buttons ("Start Free", "Get Access")
- Reduce friction ("No credit card required")
- Reinforce value ("Get started in 60 seconds")

## Product Hunt Specific Tactics

### Launch Day Pricing Display

```
🚀 PRODUCT HUNT LAUNCH SPECIAL

           Regular    PH Price    You Save
Basic      $19/mo    $9/mo       $120/year
Pro        $49/mo    $29/mo      $240/year
Team       $99/mo    $59/mo      $480/year

[Use code: PRODUCTHUNT at checkout]
```

### Lifetime Deal Display

```
💎 LIFETIME DEAL — PH EXCLUSIVE

One payment. Forever access.

$99 ONE TIME
(vs $348/year normally)

• Never pay again
• All future updates included
• Priority support forever

[Only available during launch →]
```

### Limited-Time Offer

```
⏰ 48-HOUR FLASH DEAL

Product Hunt community exclusive:
50% OFF your first year

After 48 hours, this page redirects
to full pricing. No exceptions.

[Claim your 50% discount →]
```

## Psychological Pricing Checklist

### Anchoring
- [ ] Original price shown
- [ ] Savings calculated
- [ ] Discount percentage visible

### Urgency
- [ ] Time limit stated
- [ ] Countdown present
- [ ] Deadline clear

### Scarcity
- [ ] Quantity limit (if applicable)
- [ ] Spots remaining shown
- [ ] Exclusivity emphasized

### Value
- [ ] ROI demonstrated
- [ ] Comparison to alternatives
- [ ] Benefits over features

### Trust
- [ ] Guarantee offered
- [ ] Social proof present
- [ ] Risk reducers shown

## Output Format

```
PRICING PSYCHOLOGY PLAN FOR: [Product Name]

ANCHOR PRICE: $[Original price]
LAUNCH PRICE: $[Discounted price]
DISCOUNT: [Percentage]% off

PSYCHOLOGICAL ELEMENTS:

Anchoring:
"[Exact copy showing original vs launch price]"

Scarcity:
"[Exact copy creating scarcity]"

Urgency:
"[Exact copy creating time pressure]"

Social Proof:
"[Exact copy with social proof]"

Value Frame:
"[Exact copy demonstrating value/ROI]"

PRICING DISPLAY COPY:
[Complete pricing section copy]

CALL-TO-ACTION:
"[Button text]"
```