It's Too Expensive
Price is a number. Expensive is a conclusion. Find out what the buyer is comparing it against.
Price is a number. Expensive is a conclusion someone reached by comparing that number to something you cannot see. Defend the number and you are arguing against a figure you were never shown.
What they say
- “It's too expensive”
- “That's more than I wanted to spend”
- “Your price is high”
What's actually underneath it
The cost of the problem has not been established as larger than the cost of the fix
They are comparing against a number in their head you have never seen
They want it and need help justifying it to themselves or someone else
A reflex they use on every vendor
The ten questions that open it up
Ask one. Then stop talking. The answer is worth more than anything you were about to say.
- 1.“When you say expensive, what are you comparing the investment to?”
- 2.“Is the concern the total amount, the payment structure, or the expected return?”
- 3.“Were you expecting the solution to cost less, and if so, what created that expectation?”
- 4.“If the price were lower but the result were weaker, would that really serve you?”
- 5.“What is the existing problem already costing you?”
- 6.“How long could you continue absorbing that cost before it becomes unacceptable?”
- 7.“If the solution produced the result you described, would the investment still feel excessive?”
- 8.“Is price the true obstacle, or are you uncertain that the result will justify it?”
- 9.“What return would make this an obvious business decision?”
- 10.“Would the greater risk be investing in the solution or continuing to pay for the problem?”
The trap
Justifying the number before you know what "expensive" is being measured against.
Make it a comparison instead of a verdict. If the problem is smaller than the price, they should not buy, and saying so out loud is what makes you believable when it is the other way around.
Related objections
Budget may mean unavailable cash, unallocated funds, or insufficient priority.
Thinking is reasonable. Vague thinking produces vague decisions. Help the buyer identify the exact question.
Do not dismiss the absent person. Understand how the decision will be discussed and invite them into the process.
Try it live
Paste the objection you actually got this week and get the question to ask back.
Reverse your objection