Research Methods

What this skill does

Research Methods provides structured techniques to uncover optimal pricing and customer value insights through data-driven surveys and usage analysis. It covers the Van Westendorp Price Sensitivity Meter for identifying acceptable price ranges, MaxDiff and willingness-to-pay surveys for quantifying price preferences, and correlating product usage with customer value to inform pricing and packaging decisions. These methods enable marketers to pinpoint price points that maximize revenue while minimizing churn risk.

Who it's for

This skill is designed for pricing analysts, growth marketers, and product strategists who need reliable data to justify pricing decisions. It suits teams launching new products, optimizing existing price tiers, or refining packaging based on customer behavior. Agencies conducting competitive pricing research and market segmentation will also find these methods valuable for delivering evidence-based recommendations.

Key workflows

Start by designing a Van Westendorp survey with the four key pricing questions to map out the acceptable and optimal price ranges from at least 100-300 respondents. Next, run MaxDiff analysis or willingness-to-pay surveys to drill into feature-level price sensitivity and refine demand curves. Then, collect usage data across customer segments to correlate specific usage patterns with retention and expansion metrics. Finally, integrate these insights to set pricing tiers and identify opportunities for price increases or packaging changes without hurting demand.

Common questions

How many respondents do I need for Van Westendorp surveys? Between 100 and 300 respondents provide statistically reliable price sensitivity results. Can I segment pricing by persona with these methods? Yes, segmenting respondents reveals different willingness-to-pay profiles that inform tiered pricing. What usage metrics best predict customer expansion? Metrics like active users, projects, and integrations correlate strongly with higher lifetime value and justify price differentiation.

How to use in Metaflow

Attach the Research Methods skill to tasks where agents gather and analyze pricing or usage data, guiding survey design and interpretation of outputs like price sensitivity curves and usage-value correlations. Agents will produce actionable pricing insights you can apply directly to growth strategies or packaging decisions. This skill integrates seamlessly with data-driven workflows, enabling teams to move from raw data to pricing recommendations efficiently.

For broader context, see our roundup of claude marketing skills, and read common Claude Code content mistakes for related setup guidance.