💰 price pushback

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Link your selling cost back to revenues

Celeste Berke Knisely shows how price objections are usually not about money, but about missed connections to personal value. Know how to respond with price negotation:

Selling results instead of product

Nobody just buys software, hardware, or services.

Customers buy what results are letting business do.

More time given. Less stress felt. Fewer mistakes.

Price doesn’t matter when given better outcomes.

Most “too expensive” reactions are just uncertainty.

Customers are buying outcomes

Prospect asks why a $7 sourdough loaf costs double the price.

The bakery doesn’t explain about the ingredients or margins.

Instead, the employee asks:

➤ “What do you like about supermarket bread, and what don’t you?”

↳ The customer mentions it goes stale quick and lacks flavor.

↳ In this way, your conversation shifts from price to purpose.

↳ They aren’t buying your loaves. They’re buying experiences.

When products connect to experience, finances stops being the problem.

Price objections are uncertainties

When buyers are leading with price, it usually means:

✔ They don’t fully understand the associated problem costs

✔ They haven’t been shown guidance on results of inaction

✔ The seller skipped discovery and jumped directly to pitch

✔ They’re left to connect value alone instead, failing to do it

The result? Prospects anchor on the numbers they understand: price tag.

Your job isn’t debating the number. It’s helping them make sense of price.

Stop explaining the price increases

Ask smart follow-ups linking price back to their goals.

Examples:

➤ “You said it’s costing $100k not to fix this. Why does $15k feel too high?”

➤ “What would it mean if this problem were solved by your next quarter?”

➤ “Is it really about the price, or about being sure if this solution will work?”

Every price objection is your cue to really go deeper.

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De-escalate pricing tension within seconds

Christopher Voss explains how to gradually flip a “take it or leave it” deal situation to your leverage by staying grounded, curious, and emotionally intelligent when asking questions:

1. Start with “no”-oriented question

Ask: “Is it disrespectful if I ask to clarify a few points?”

❖ Buyers instantly feel safer deciding no than yes.

❖ This question gives prospects control without defensiveness.

2. Mirror their business language

✱ Pick 1–3 recent words they’ve mentioned.

✱ Repeat things back with same curiosity.

Example:

They say: “We can’t move on this.”

You say: “Can’t move?”

If prospects discuss or explain, you’ve found flexibility.

3. Use labels when following-up

Say: “It sounds like there’s no movement on any of these points?”

⇒ End on an upward inflection, like a question, not a challenge.

⇒ This isn’t confrontation, it’s permission to clarify or walk back.

4. End attempts with generosity

If you’ve tried everything, finish meetings like this:

“You’ve been very generous. Looks like there’s nothing more you could do.”

✔ That’s where customers usually find one more lever to pull.

✔ People want to feel generous despite playing hardball just now.

Always keep negotiation momentum going

Krysten Conner provide simple negotiation questions used by top Salesforce reps to keep pricing negotiation straightforward, clearly direct, and productive for closing deals:

“What are you having in mind?”

This flips your common “Is that your best price?” back to prospects.

Learn what they’re really searching for, and it’s not always discount.

“What’s closer to expectations?”

Use this phrase when mentioned price is too high.

This invites specifics instead of vague objections.

Follow up with: “How did you arrive at that number?”

This reveals prospect anchor to how seriously they need it.

“What number could be approved?”

Great for when internal blockers are cited like “Our CFO won’t approve this.”

Instead of guessing or cutting price blindly, anchor on what’s really possible.

Try:

“Happy to get creative on this, just need to know the target. What’s a number you could get approved?”

These questions stop your conversation from turning adversarial.

They’re including buyer on the process and make it collaborative.

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