Click hither to jump straight to the responses.

Toll objections are mutual in sales — primarily considering most prospects have learned pushing dorsum on cost volition get them a discount.

That makes it hard to respond to a pricing objection if you don't want to immediately lower your price. While discounting has its place in the sales procedure, being besides discount-happy volition destroy your margins and lower your product's perceived value.

Download Now: Free Objection Handling Guide + Templates

How to Discuss Price

This process volition assist yous overcome cost objections:

Stride One: Afterward the prospect has finished speaking, break for three to 5 seconds.
(Striking the "Mute" button if y'all need to.)

Step 2: Explore the pricing objection. Co-ordinate to sales trainer and consultant Colleen Francis, y'all can ask up to three questions before responding to the objection.

Stride Three: Summarize their price objection in a few sentences.

Step Iv: Circle dorsum to your production's value.

Here'southward an example (using response #23 from this list):

Prospect: "We really like the product, simply it costs too much."

Rep: *Silence.*

Prospect: "The other options we're exploring are 10-15% cheaper. Is at that place whatever fashion you tin come down a bit?"

Rep: "I understand. In fact, I had ii other customers but like you lot who were uneasy about the price at commencement. But what they found was … "

When to Discuss Price

According to Gong'southward assay of 25,537 sales calls, in that location are clear-cutting "best times" to discuss your product's price — between 13 and twenty minutes, and 40 and 49 minutes.

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These findings make sense: High-performing reps bring up pricing at the first of the phone call to set their prospect's expectations, and once more near the end and then they can transition smoothly into the close.

While you shouldn't abruptly modify the topic right when the clock hits 40 minutes, youshouldstructure the meeting so you can hit pricing when yous're around xx% and 65% of the way through.

thirty Responses to Price Objections

The following responses to pricing objections let y'all to acknowledge your prospect's concern without immediately slashing your price or causing them to walk away.

1. "Too expensive compared to what?"

"Expensive" is a relative term. Are they referring to 1 of your competitors? Are they referencing what it might price to not leverage your kind of production or service? If you can find out what the prospect is comparing your product or service to, you tin can more precisely differentiate value.

two. "How are you coming to the conclusion [production] is likewise expensive?"

This prompts the prospect to break downward their reasoning. It offers a meliorate picture of who your customers are and how they think. Once a salesperson better understands the specific concerns behind the sticker daze, they can more easily address them.

three. "Are there some boxes nosotros left unchecked?"

Give them some infinite for input. See where you both stand in the transaction. Circle back and make sure the sales process unfolded to both parties' expectations. If nothing else, information technology can help your sales efforts going frontward.

four. "I hear you. The all-time products are often more than expensive."

According to sales expert Geoffrey James, "a price objection isn't 'existent' until the customer has brought information technology up twice." Using this response the kickoff time you lot hear "it'due south as well expensive" tin can help you carve up the prospects who truly don't have the upkeep from those who are merely kicking the tires.

5. "How much will it price yous to do nothing?"

Get them thinking most the situation at hand a bit more. Reveal the bigger picture. Show the subconscious costs in the status quo, and put yourself in a better position to demonstrate the value of your product or service.

six. "Is information technology a greenbacks flow event, or a budget event?"

This question gets to the heart of whether they are asking for a discount (budget) or payment terms (cash flow). One time the rep categorizes the objection, they can negotiate more effectively.

7. "Allow'south explore some creative strategies for plumbing fixtures this into your budget."

If your prospect doesn't have enough allocated funding, try to find a workaround. Suppose their department has a fix budget for software and a separate one dedicated to maintenance. Instead of charging them ane flat price, yous might transport i contract for your product and another for your service fees. Now that you've unbundled or unpackaged your solution, your prospect tin fit it into the budget.

You can also bill the buyer in stages. Let'southward say your production would max out their quarterly upkeep — and they need to salvage money for other purchases. Charge them half now, and half adjacent quarter.

Not but will the buyer appreciate your flexibility, but you'll rescue the deal without compromising on cost.

8. "Let's say coin was no object. Would our production/service assist solve your problem?"

This is a fast runway back to value. Make them recollect about their state of affairs and visualize what your product or service could do for them. If they have that idealistic picture, they'll be more inclined to hear your realistic proffer.

nine. "What'south too expensive?"

Asking this (gently) prompts the prospect to explain their conception of your product/service. Hearing a response along the lines of "Well, it's a lot for simply X, Y, and Z" reveals their depression value perception.

10. "Too expensive? That's concerning."

Concerning because this product/service is so valuable for the price. Nudge the prospect dorsum to value. Be careful with this i, you don't want to sound too overly ambitious or condescending.

11. "Is toll the only affair that's keeping you lot from signing?"

This one tin can bring other of import issues prospect has to calorie-free. If they have any other objections the salesperson needs to address, this question will surface them.

12. "Okay. So which part don't you want?"

What you're telling the buyer is that price is inextricably linked to value. So if a buyer doesn't want to pay full price, they won't be able to get the full value. This question might prompt them to reconsider.

xiii. "Will price keep you from getting what you actually want?"

You're non calling them inexpensive outright, merely you are raising the question in their minds. And no i likes to be cheap, especially when their business is on the line. Alternatively, this will reveal if your product or service isn't the ideal solution for their problem.

fourteen. "Does this mean we will never have the chance to work together?"

Francis argues that the discussion "never" is the kicker.

"When information technology comes to handling sales objections, 'never' is the nearly powerful give-and-take in the English language," Francis writes. "Well-nigh people hate it. Equally a event, the vast majority of prospects volition respond by saying, 'well, no … non never!'"

The salesperson tin can and so probe into the conditions required in order to strike a bargain and adapt terms or walk away accordingly.

15. "Setting price aside, practise nosotros accept the production/service you want to buy?"

Be frank with them. Get a definitive picture of their interest in your product or service. If they say yes, y'all can follow up with #12. If they say no, determine if information technology makes sense to go back to value or abandon the deal.

16. "What's the ROI you're looking to see?"

This steers them away from thinking in terms of "expensive" or "cheap," and towards the long-term value for their business organization. It also puts you in a position to objectively ascertain the value of your product or service.

17. "Information technology might seem expensive for one day, but let'southward intermission information technology downwards past month/quarter."

A lump sum can seem scary to anyone, then parcel the number out a bit. Show them a new way to conceive of your pricing. Have figures on how the toll distributes over years, months, or days at the gear up.

xviii. "Is what you're saying that our prices are loftier in comparison to our competitors'?"

Like and then many others on this list, you have to deliver this one without aggressiveness or condescension. And if your toll is indeed college than the competition'due south, this question opens the door for the salesperson to differentiate on value.

nineteen. "Have you e'er bought a similar product or service earlier?"

Another possibility is that the prospect has an inaccurate idea of what this type of product or service costs — perhaps considering they've never purchased information technology before. With this question, you tin clear upwards their misconception.

xx. "Price is an important consideration. So I have some context: How much research have yous done on what a typical investment is for a product/service similar this?"

According to Andrew Quinn, VP of Learning & Evolution at HubSpot, the question behind this one is, "Do yous already know what something like this should price?"

Thanks to your prospect'south inexperience, they might be placing your production in the wrong category.

For instance, maybe your solution has both a data storage and an analytics component. If they compare it to other data storage options, it'll expect significantly more than expensive. But if they benchmark it with analytics software, your price is right in line with the contest.

21. "You think information technology costs too much?"

Prospects can modify how they experience as they hear recap their perspectives. Feeding their line dorsum to them forces the them to explicate their position, and might make them reconsider in the process.

22. "When'southward the last time you bought something based on price alone?"

Again, no 1 likes to feel inexpensive. This question provides an excellent opportunity to differentiate your value from your competitors.

23. "I sympathise. In fact, I had ii other customers just like you who were uneasy most the price at first. But what they found was ... "

Empathize with the prospect, and and so accost their concerns with a strong instance report that proves value. Be able to demonstrate existent results — having hard figures is a big plus when doing this.

24. "In your ain business, is your product/service e'er the least expensive option bachelor?"

If you're a B2B salesperson, this is a nifty line to have in your back pocket. The buyer's organization has to win deals also, and they probably practice information technology on value and not just price. If delivered correctly, this line might arm-twist a chuckle — and a signed contract.

25. "Practice you actually need to say 'no' to our price right now?"

Seems a little harsh, right? Not so according to Tom Reilly, the sales expert behind this approach.

"When the heir-apparent says, 'I don't know. The price is higher than I want to go,' try two or three means to deal with it. If naught works, offering this response and watch the expression on the heir-apparent's face up," Reilly wrote in a blog post. "I guarantee they will raise their eyebrows."

If the buyer replies that they don't have to say no right now, the salesperson can and then advise the prospect take a few days to mull over the cost — and realize that by saying no the price, they're proverb no to the product and its associated value.

26. "[Silence]"

Sometimes the best response is no response. When a salesperson simply falls silent after an objection, the prospect oftentimes begins to explicate their rationale. The rep can then address specific concerns from in that location —no prompting needed.

27. "Up front end, it's a significant purchase. But when we wait at [weekly, monthly, yearly] ROI, yous'll actually relieve money."

Put your product in context. Let them know y'all understand their hesitance and concern, only clinch them that those issues tin can be smoothed over. Again, having hard figures to back upwards this question is huge.

28. "[Prospect's name], I would rather repent for the price today than for the lack of quality and your unhappiness forever. Now, permit'south non let a few dollars go on us from doing business together."

This reply comes from famous salesperson and trainer Zig Ziglar courtesy of Butch Bellah. It reminds your prospect skimping on cost volition injure them in the long run.

29. "Cheers for your honesty. How much were you lot thinking of spending?"

The prospect's answer will reveal whether they're in the correct ballpark or playing in a completely different state. This response also turns the chat back on them, so they're forced to accept a stand or admit they were backbiting.

30. "That's a little surprising to me, because when nosotros talked [before, on Ten day] cost was less of a concern. Has something new come up on your finish I should know about?"

Employ this objection-treatment strategy when you lot've previously discussed price and information technology definitely wasn't an outcome. Something has clearly changed — your prospect has begun evaluating a less expensive alternative, the final conclusion maker has asked them to get a discount, their department just invested in a different solution and now they have less budget — and you need to figure out what did.

31. "I don't desire to force you into something here — but I likewise don't want you to miss out. Is this something that would be less of an issue adjacent quarter?"

You never want to rush a bargain that'south also discounted or too much of a stretch for your prospect. Offering a steep price reduction just to close a deal will do your concern more than harm than good over the long run. And pushing a shut your prospect really can't afford might lead to early termination or default on payment —also not proficient for your business.

Instead, be open up to waiting until more than budget opens upward. A matter of weeks might hateful the difference of thousands of dollars for your company and your commission.

32. "How soon would yous demand to see ROI for this to work with your budget?"

Telling your prospect they'll encounter 20% ROI isn't comforting when they take a strict budget and aren't sure how long it will take to see those returns. Ask them how presently they must see the benefits of your production/service and do the math with them to make up one's mind whether they can reach that goal, even with their electric current budget.

33. "What are the nearly valuable parts of the production/service for yous?"

If it'southward simply not possible for them to afford your total product/service, ask which parts would be most valuable to their business and piece of work with your sales director to create à-la-carte pricing. This might not be possible with your concern model, but if it is, you'll earn a thankful customer — and hopefully more business organisation from them downwardly the line.

In one case you've gotten a handle on the blocker, you tin determine whether information technology's surmountable or you need to walk abroad.

Desire to learn more than? Discover the 5 about common objections in prospecting and how to overcome them.

Editor's note: This postal service was originally published in June fifteen, 2018 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.

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Originally published Mar 25, 2020 4:00:00 PM, updated July 21 2021