# Willingness-to-pay interview guide · [Product or concept] · [Date] **Interviewee:** [role; economic buyer preferred] **Segment:** [ ] **Length:** 45 minutes **Interviewers:** [PM plus one] ## Rules Don't name a price first. Don't pitch before you ask. Ask about current costs in their numbers. Never ask "what would you pay?" cold. ## 1. Context (10 min) - "Walk me through the last time [problem] happened. What did it cost: hours, people, tools, penalties?" - "What do you use or pay for today to deal with it?" ## 2. Value (10 min) - Show the capability list. "If you could keep only three, which?" "Which could you live without?" ## 3. Metric (5 min) - "How would you expect to pay for something like this: per user, per environment, per [unit of work], per outcome?" - "What would make a bill for this feel unfair?" ## 4. Range (5 min, after showing the concept) - "At what price would this seem so cheap you'd doubt it works?" - "At what price would it feel like a bargain?" - "At what price would it start to feel expensive, but still worth considering?" - "At what price would it be too expensive to consider?" ## 5. Point check (5 min) - "At [price] per [unit or year], would you buy?" Move up or down depending on the answer. ## 6. Budget and buying (5 min) - "Which budget would this come from: software, services or headcount?" - "Who approves it? At what amount does procurement get involved?" ## 7. Predictability (5 min) - "Would you rather have a fixed commitment, a cap, or pay as you go? Why?" ## After the call | Field | Answer | |---|---| | Current cost of the problem (their numbers) | | | Top three capabilities | | | Preferred metric; unfair-bill triggers | | | Range: too cheap / bargain / expensive / too expensive | | | Point check result | | | Budget line and approver | | | Commit, cap or pay-as-you-go | | | Memorable quote (verbatim) | |