ETS Performance / Internal Strategy

Pricing Psychology
Playbook


The Science Behind

$219/mo

Van Westendorp analysis, competitor mapping, tier architecture, risk reversal, and objection handling — grounded in market data, behavioral economics, and the Hormozi value equation.

March 2026 Confidential
Section 01

The Price Perception Zone

Van Westendorp Price Sensitivity Meter applied to youth sports performance training. Four threshold curves reveal the acceptable price range — and exactly where ETS sits within it.

Too Cheap

<$99

Parents question quality. Signals recreational, not performance. Evidence Seekers dismiss programs that cannot fund force plate technology.

Good Deal

$149–$179

Quality at a fair price. The "I'd recommend this" range. Overlaps with programs lacking data or coaching continuity.

ETS Zone
Getting Expensive

$219–$279

Proof of value becomes mandatory. Parents expect measurable outcomes — not vibes, not "your kid did great today."

Too Expensive

>$350

Only justified with 1:1 coaching or done-for-you elements. Parents start comparing to travel team costs they already resent.

Optimal Range

$199–$279

The acceptable price range sits between the Point of Marginal Cheapness ($149) and the Point of Marginal Expensiveness ($299). ETS at $219/month occupies the sweet spot: high enough to signal quality, low enough for households earning $100K-$180K.

Section 02

Competitor Price Map

Monthly membership pricing across the youth sports performance training market. ETS occupies the "premium-accessible" zone — premium technology at performance-tier pricing.

Market Positioning Spectrum
Recreational
$25–$99
Redline (low), NAofA, i9 Sports
Performance
$119–$219
Parisi, Athletic Republic, D1 (low-mid)
ETS Position
Premium-Accessible
$219–$350
ETS ($219 avg), D1 (high end)
Ultra-Premium
$330–$650+
EXOS, IMG Academy
The Value Arbitrage

ETS has premium-tier technology (VALD force plates at every location, Mayo Clinic research partnership) at performance-tier pricing. EXOS charges $330–$650/mo for comparable force plate technology. ETS charges $219. That gap is the value arbitrage parents feel — and the reason the price holds.

Section 03

The Three Tiers

Good / Better / Best structure anchoring the middle tier as the obvious choice. The decoy effect drives 60-70% of families to Total Performance.

Target distribution: 25% Foundation / 55% Total Performance / 10% Performance Plus

Tier 1

Foundation

$179 /mo
$159/mo annual ($240 saved/yr)
2 sessions/week
Initial eval + 12-week re-test
Summary report (digital)
Group deceleration protocol
10% family discount
Who Chooses This

Covenant Keeper parents with younger athletes (8-11) testing the waters. Families entering with the intention to upgrade.

Recommended — 55% Select This
Tier 2

Total Performance

$229 /mo
$199/mo annual ($360 saved/yr)
3 sessions/week (recommended)
Initial eval + 6-week re-test
Full VALD report + email walkthrough
Bilateral asymmetry tracking
15% family discount
The Decoy Effect

Only $50 more than Foundation for 50% more sessions and 2x the data frequency. The upgrade is obvious — and that is by design.

Tier 3

Performance Plus

$319 /mo
$279/mo annual ($480 saved/yr)
4 sessions/week + priority scheduling
6-week re-test + director walkthrough
Small group sessions (max 8 athletes)
Individualized deceleration prescription
20% family discount + Combine Prep access
Who Chooses This

Evidence Seekers who want the director walkthrough. Combine prep athletes. Primarily an anchor that makes Total Performance look like a deal.

Multi-Child Economics

Family Pricing

Conversion requirement, not a bonus.

1 Child
$229
/month
2 Children
$424
15% off 2nd
3 Children
$596
25% off 3rd

"Three children, three sessions per week each, force plate data every six weeks, one coaching relationship that does not reset. $596/month. Less than one travel team season for all three."

Section 04

Household Economics

Contextualizing the price against household income and alternative youth sports spending. The reframe: ETS is not expensive — the alternatives are wasteful.

Target HH Income

$152K

Median target household

Annual ETS Cost

$2,748

Total Performance, monthly billing

% of Gross Income

1.7%

Affordable with intentionality

Contextual Comparisons
$12K+
/year
Travel Ball (2 kids)

$6,000-$7,000 per child. Showcase fees, travel, hotels, team dues. Returns: a highlight reel nobody watches.

$80–$150
/session
Private S&C Coaching

Independent coaches charge $80-$150/session. ETS at 3x/week = $17.62/session with force plates included.

$3,960+
/year
EXOS (comparable tech)

$330-$650/month for same VALD force plate technology. Only 5-7 youth locations nationally. ETS: 50+ locations.

$2,748
/year
ETS Total Performance

156 coached sessions, 8 VALD re-tests, deceleration protocol, bilateral asymmetry tracking, same director all year.

Daily Cost Reframe

$7.63

per day

Less than a large latte. Every day. Force plate testing, deceleration training, and a director who trained for three months — at a third the cost of a single private session.

Section 05

LTV & Unit Economics

The financial engine behind the pricing model. High retention drives lifetime value; low acquisition cost (via free evaluation and referral) amplifies the ratio.

Average LTV

$6,192

Per member (Total Perf tier)

Avg Retention

18 mo

75% annual retention rate

Target CAC

$75–$150

Blended acquisition cost

LTV:CAC

41:1+

Exceptional unit economics

LTV Calculation Breakdown
Monthly revenue (Total Performance) $229
Weighted avg (all tiers) ~$219
Annual retention rate 75%
Implied avg membership duration ~18 months
Sibling enrollment multiplier 1.3x
Gross LTV (Total Perf, single child) $6,192
Retention Sensitivity
70% ret.
$4,818
75% ret.
$6,192
80% ret.
$8,232
85% ret.
$11,016

Every 5-point retention increase drives ~30-40% LTV growth. The 6-week re-test cycle is the retention engine.

Hormozi Value Equation Score

8/10

Dream Outcome

8.5/10

Perceived Likelihood

7.5/10

Time Delay (low)

7/10

Effort Required (low)

Post-Iteration Value Score

9.07

Value-to-price ratio: 3.4:1 (monthly) / 3.9:1 (annual) — exceeds the 3:1 "no-brainer" threshold

Section 06

Risk Reversal Framework

Five layers of risk removal, from the free evaluation (zero-risk entry) to the structural permanence of the coach-owner model. Each layer addresses a different objection.

L0
Entry

Free Performance Assessment

40-minute VALD evaluation — movement screening, force plate testing, director debrief. The parent leaves with a printed report regardless of enrollment.

$0 commitment Standalone value: $197 55-65% conversion rate
Risk Removed

Financial risk of trying

L1
Flexibility

Month-to-Month Billing

No long-term contract required. Cancel any time without fees. The 6-week data cycle creates natural retention — financial lock-in is unnecessary.

No contract No cancellation fee
Risk Removed

Lock-in risk

L2
Guarantee

The "Data Doesn't Lie" Guarantee

If the athlete shows zero measurable improvement on at least two VALD metrics after 90 days and 80%+ session attendance, ETS refunds the full 90 days. Conditional, results-based, evidence-backed.

"The numbers either move or they don't. That is the only promise we make, and we put our revenue behind it."
90-day window 80% attendance threshold 2+ VALD metrics Near-zero trigger rate
Risk Removed

Performance risk

L3
Scaling

Family Pricing That Scales

15% off the second child, 25% off the third. Each additional sibling has near-zero CAC and doubles retention rates.

Risk Removed

Multi-child financial risk

L4
Structural

Director-Coach Permanence

Not a guarantee — a structural reality. The coach owns the building. Revenue share aligns their income with athlete development. They are not going anywhere.

Risk Removed

Coaching continuity risk

Section 07

Price Objection Handling

The five most common objections, with data-backed responses grounded in competitive analysis, household economics, and behavioral framing.

Objection 01

"$219 a month? That's more than my gym membership."

Response Framework

"You're right — this is not a gym membership. Your gym does not have VALD force plates, a director who trained for three months specifically to coach your child, or a six-week data report showing bilateral asymmetry and deceleration metrics. An independent strength coach charges $80-$150 per session. At three sessions per week, ETS is $17.62 per session — with force plate technology included."

ETS: $17.62/session Private coach: $80-$150/session EXOS: $330-$650/month
Objection 02

"$219 times three kids is over $650 a month."

Response Framework

"With family pricing, three children at Total Performance is $596/month, not $687. That's three children, three sessions per week each, force plate data every six weeks, one coaching relationship that does not reset. A single travel team season for three kids costs $9,000-$21,000. ETS for all three for an entire year is $7,152. And your youngest might start at Foundation for $179."

3 kids at ETS: $596/mo ($7,152/yr) 3 kids travel ball: $9K-$21K/yr
Objection 03

"How do I know this will actually work before I pay?"

Response Framework

"You don't pay us a dollar until you see the data. Book the free 40-minute Performance Assessment. We'll put your child on the force plates, measure bilateral asymmetry, rate of force development, and deceleration capacity. You'll leave with a printed report — no obligation. Then, if you enroll, our 'Data Doesn't Lie' Guarantee means: zero measurable improvement after 90 days and 80% attendance = full refund. We put our revenue behind the results."

Free eval: $0 risk 90-day guarantee 55-65% eval-to-enrollment
Objection 04

"The school already has a weight room / my kid's team has a trainer."

Response Framework

"Does the school weight room have force plates? Does the team trainer send you a digital report every six weeks showing bilateral asymmetry trends and deceleration metrics? Does the same coach see your child year-round across all sport seasons? School and team training serves a different purpose — general conditioning for a specific season. ETS provides individualized, year-round athletic development with measurable data. They complement each other, but they are not the same thing."

VALD force plates: 0 schools have them Year-round vs seasonal
Objection 05

"My kid already does travel ball — isn't that enough?"

Response Framework

"Travel ball gives your child exposure and competition. It does not give them deceleration training, bilateral asymmetry monitoring, or rate of force development data. A showcase season costs $5,000-$7,000 and produces a highlight reel. Twelve months at ETS costs $2,748 and produces measurable improvement in metrics that college coaches actually care about. The question is not 'either/or' — it's whether the $5,000 showcase or the $2,748 development program moves the needle more."

Showcase: $5K-$7K, returns: highlight reel ETS: $2,748, returns: measured development
Section 08

Pricing Strategy Rules

Non-negotiable rules for how pricing appears in sales conversations, marketing materials, and on the website.

01

Publish the range, not the number

"Memberships start at $179/month — your prescription is determined during your free evaluation." Never publish a single price. The consultation model preserves pricing power while satisfying the Evidence Seeker's need for transparency.

Website copy: "Starting at $179/month"
02

Lead with the evaluation, not the price

The free 40-minute Performance Assessment is the Trojan Horse. Every marketing touchpoint drives to the evaluation, not to a pricing page. The parent sees force plate data with their child's name on it before money is ever discussed.

CTA: "Book Your Free Assessment"
03

Always anchor against the alternative

Never present the price in isolation. Every price mention should be paired with a comparison: vs. private coaching ($80-$150/session), vs. travel ball ($5K-$7K/season), vs. EXOS ($330-$650/month). The parent should always see what they would pay elsewhere for less.

Frame: "Same tech as EXOS at 40% of the cost"
04

Never discount. Add value instead.

Discounts train parents to wait for deals. The only price concession is the annual commitment (11-13% savings). For everything else, stack value: extra re-test, additional parent walkthrough, priority scheduling. The price stays. The offer grows.

Annual only: 11-13% ($240-$480/yr saved)
05

Use specific scarcity, never vague urgency

"The Tuesday/Thursday 4:30pm group has 2 spots remaining" beats "limited spots available." Specificity signals honesty in a market where parents have been lied to. If there are 5 spots, say 5 spots. Explain why the limit exists.

"We cap at 12 because form correction requires it"
06

Name the guarantee in the first conversation

The "Data Doesn't Lie" Guarantee should be introduced before the parent asks about refunds or commitments. Proactive risk reversal converts more skeptics than reactive reassurance. Say the name. Explain the terms. Let the data do the selling.

"We call it the 'Data Doesn't Lie' Guarantee"
12-Month Price Increase Roadmap
Month 0

Formalize Tiers

Launch 3-tier structure. Publish ranges on website. Implement family pricing.

$179 / $229 / $319
Month 3

Build Proof Layer

Publish VALD outcome data. Implement guarantee. Launch parent app.

No price change
Month 6

Add Value, Raise Mid

Training summaries, Parent Playbook, annual walkthrough added to Total Performance.

$179 / $239 / $339
Month 12

Full RAISE Increase

Full value stack justifies network-wide increase. Existing members grandfathered 6 months.

$189 / $249 / $349
3-Year Target
Total Performance at $279 /mo

Top of Performance tier, bottom of Premium tier. Supported by full RAISE value stack.