Since then, I’ve learned that price objections aren’t rejections — they’re opportunities. Opportunities to align on value, uncover hidden concerns, and build trust.
In this post, I’ll break down how I approach pricing conversations, when I bring them up, and share field-tested responses I use when someone says, “Your price is too high.”
Table of Contents:
How To Discuss Price
When it comes to price, the key is framing.
I never lead with pricing. Instead, I first help the prospect emotionally connect to their pain and articulate what success looks like. Only after we’ve co-created a clear vision of ROI do I introduce pricing — always in context.
In other words, I don’t talk about price until I’ve earned the right to. That means deeply understanding the prospect’s problem, aligning on goals, and creating desire. When the prospect is clear on what’s at stake — what they lose by doing nothing — price becomes a logical step, not a barrier.
Rushing into price talks too early can create sticker shock. On the contrary, once I’ve established need and value, I transition with something like: “Would it be helpful to talk about what an investment like this could look like?”
Using this phrasing, price becomes part of a bigger conversation, not a standalone number to be debated.
Price objections are a natural part of any sales conversation, especially in high-ticket and transformational offers like coaching, consulting, or tech services. Over the years, I’ve learned to welcome them, not fear them.
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When to Talk About Pricing: Timing It for Maximum Impact
One of the biggest mistakes salespeople make is talking about pricing too early — before the buyer truly understands the value of what you offer.
When pricing comes up too soon:
- You risk commoditizing your offering.
- The conversation becomes about cost instead of outcomes.
- You lose the chance to connect the investment to their business case.
Referencing Ian Koniak’s PREDICT© framework, most deals stall because reps propose (and therefore price) too soon. The key is to ensure that the buyer is emotionally and logically invested first. Pricing is not a starting point but a culmination of deep discovery, problem alignment, and mutual commitment.
The Rule of Strategic Delay
Ian teaches that pricing should be discussed only after these criteria are met:
- Deep discovery. You’ve uncovered their problems, primary reasons, and pain points (the 5 P’s from Mastering Your Message ).
- Business case creation. You’ve quantified the cost of inaction and built an ROI story.
- Decision alignment. You’re speaking directly with decision makers and champions who have personal and company-level motivation to act. Never talk about pricing if you don’t have the decision-maker in the meeting. You will get a rejection that shouldn’t count as a real rejection because they do not have the authority to do so.
- Executive sponsorship. You’ve validated your solution with the highest level of power possible. The higher power execs will have a higher budget pool to take from.
This sequence ensures your price is framed as an investment rather than an expense.
What to Do When Buyers Push for Price Early
What happens if a prospect asks, “What does it cost?” early on?
First, acknowledge and pivot with a statement like: “Happy to get to that, but to make sure I give you the most accurate and fair price, can I first learn more about your priorities and what you’re aiming to solve? I don’t want to give you inaccurate information, and it really does depend on what you’re looking for.”
Side note: If they are truly persistent, give them a really wide range of potential cost.
Next, tie your response to outcomes. “The investment depends on the scope and impact we’re targeting. Once we align on those, I can give you an exact figure that’s tied to measurable results.”
This keeps you in control of the sales process while respecting their curiosity.
In best practice, pricing should only be shared:
- After your discovery and ROI presentation (often in a proposal or business case review).
- Before final negotiations, so both sides have a shared understanding of the impact.
- Only when you know the deal is with qualified decision-makers who can approve it.
How to Overcome Pricing Objections
- Wait for the prospect to finish speaking.
- Pause for 3-5 seconds.
- Ask a question.
- Pose a follow-up question.
- Summarize their objection in 2-3 sentences.
- Clarify if you missed anything.
- Diffuse their concern.
14 Responses to Price Objections
If you're facing price objections, try using these responses not as scripts but as tools. Tailor them. Practice them. And most importantly, trust that when you lead with value, price becomes a conversation — not a confrontation.
1. “Too expensive compared to what?”
“Expensive” is a relative term. Are they referring to one of your competitors? Are they referencing what it might cost to not leverage your kind of product or service? If you can find out what the prospect is comparing your product or service to, you can more precisely differentiate value.
2. “How are you coming to the conclusion [product] is too expensive?”
This prompts the prospect to break down their reasoning. It offers a better picture of who your customers are and how they think.
It’s not always about the pricing. It could be simply that we didn’t do a good enough job during discovery to link it back to solving the pain. Reflecting back on hundreds of lost deals, this was certainly the case for me.
Once a salesperson better understands the specific concerns behind the sticker shock, they can more easily address them. It could be a matter of what's important to them right now. And it shouldn’t feel too combative — it should be a conversation like you’re having with a friend.
3. “Are there some boxes we left unchecked?”
Give them some space for input. See where you both stand. Usually, folks will say, “No, it's nothing to do with you” and then they will offer what is the actual problem. Sometimes it’s just a matter of tweaking a couple of things around to make it work. Anything can be resolved with communication.
4. “How much will it cost you to do nothing?”
Get them thinking about the situation at hand a bit more. Reveal the bigger picture. Show the hidden costs of the status quo. It ties them to the emotional vision they’ve had, and it helps them build a game plan for their dream.
5. “Is it a cash flow issue, or a budget issue?”
This question gets to the heart of whether they are asking for a discount (budget) or payment terms (cash flow). Once the rep categorizes the objection, they can negotiate more effectively.
Pro tip: At Untap Your Potential, where we sell high-value sales coaching, we sometimes offer monthly payment plans if it‘s a cash flow issue. Sometimes it’s as simple as running the numbers.
6. “Let’s explore some creative strategies for fitting this into your budget.”
If your prospect doesn’t have enough allocated funding, try to find a workaround. Suppose their department has a set budget for software and a separate one dedicated to maintenance. Instead of charging them one flat price, you might send one contract for your product and another for your service fees. Now that you’ve unbundled or unpackaged your solution, your prospect can fit it into the budget.
You can also bill the buyer in stages. Let’s say your product would max out their quarterly budget — and they need to save money for other purchases. Charge them half now, and half next quarter.
Sometimes it’s as simple as making it work.
7. “Totally fair. And if the price were right, would you move forward?”
Why I use it: It isolates the objection and tells me whether price is the real issue or a smokescreen.
When I use it: When the prospect seems hesitant but isn’t being direct.
Sometimes it's not about the pricing — but it could be uncertainty. They think it will not work for their circumstances and situation. You can show additional client testimonials in their industry or find another ways to reassure their concern. Just don’t get frazzled and maintain your composure.
8. “Let’s zoom out. If this solved the problem you just shared, would it be worth it?”
Why I use it: It brings them back to outcomes. If they say yes, I can reframe the investment as a path to that result.
When I use it: When a prospect sees the value but is getting caught in cost.
Sometimes it’s just sharing your story or highlighting a similar example. Make sure you give a realistic expectation of the work required to make it happen. Customers appreciate it when you give both sides. It’s important to share what happens when it doesn’t work out as well. They are thinking it anyways.
9. “Is price the only thing that's keeping you from signing?”
This one can bring other important issues to light. If your prospect has any other objections, this question will surface them. Usually, they will offer other objections, so make sure your prep beforehand with a strong proof of value.
Pro tip: I will typically ask multiple times and get an upfront contract: “If this makes sense and there is an ROI, would you be totally unopposed to making a decision this month?” This gets them to open up and share what’s really bothering them and prevents them from being decisive.
10. You have to be willing to walk away.
When you don’t actually need the deal, it is more likely to happen. I learned this the hard way. When I stopped caring so much, my results got a lot better versus when I gave off the desperate energy of needing the deal so I could pay my bills.
The person who cares the least will win. It’s a weird reverse psychology component to sales. But come at it from a heart of service, and everything will take care of itself.
11. “Have you ever bought a similar product or service before?”
Sometimes this is the first time they’ve looked into this. You can educate them by providing them with data.
Pro tip: I like using analogies. I have often worked for the higher-priced competitor for many of the products that I’ve sold. I would say something like this: “There is a market for everybody. Not everyone is trying to buy a BMW or Mercedes, right? Our place in the market is more similar to a high-end luxury SUV. Sometimes, people are looking for a Toyota Corolla. That’s why I’m asking so many questions because not everyone is always looking for the higher premium packages.”
12. “Price is an important consideration. So I have some context: How much research have you done on a typical investment for a product/service like this?”
Thanks to your prospect’s inexperience, they might be placing your product 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 look significantly more expensive, but if they benchmark it with analytics software, your price is in line with the competition.
13. “I understand. I had two other customers just like you who were uneasy about the price at first. But what they found was ... ”
Empathize with the prospect, and then address their concerns with a strong case study that proves value. Be able to demonstrate real results.
Pro tip: One of our clients at Untap Your Potential had a boat and other fancy things that he was spending money on, and when coaching with us we helped him live in alignment with who he wants to be, instead of the superficial things that were taking him away from the things that truly matter.
14. “[Silence]”
Just give them space. Because people typically hate awkward silences, they will often fill in the space with how they are really feeling. You can then address specific concerns from there — no prompting needed.
Closing the Right Way: Service, Value, and Fun
In conclusion, pricing is when the fun really starts. Never forget — there’s a reason they took the meeting in the first place. Many clients keep their cards close to their chest, but they still took time out of their busy day to meet with you.
Closing becomes natural when I lead with service and focus on adding value. Being assumptive is half the battle. When I know deep down that my solution is the best outcome for them, that conviction comes through, and clients feel it. Many of my best deals closed without hesitation because I believed in them at my core.
Remember: price objections aren’t obstacles — they’re invitations to listen deeper, get creative, and lead with empathy.
Editor's note: This post was originally published inJune 15, 2018 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.
Free Sales Objection Handling Guide
An easy-to-use guide full of templates, best practices, and strategies for salespeople and managers looking to close deals.
- Data-backed behaviors top sellers use to combat pushback
- How to write effective meeting invitations
- A three-step objection handling framework
- And More!
Download Free
All fields are required.
Objection Handling
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