Client thinks your proposal is too expensive.
Overview
When you quote a price, prospective clients will sometimes have “sticker shock.” They balk at your quote. Usually, they’re just thinking about the cost and not the benefit you will provide. Never agree to do work you quoted at a lower price. Adjust/reduce your offering to accommodate their budget.
Hi <Client>,
I understand your position and appreciate your honesty.
Let’s discuss further because I support what you’re doing and want to find a way to make it work for both of us.
Here’s what I can do within your budget:
<reduce the scope of the project—offering less work/time on your end>
[or]
<Insert tiered pricing, breaking the project into phases.>
Would this help us move forward?
As an expert, I feel it’s my responsibility to bear the risk of the unknown on your behalf. There’s always surprises with work like this.
I don’t want to quote you a low-ball price now and then come back for more money because of some” surprise.” All projects have surprises, so I consider the low-ball approach to be unprofessional.
I completely understand that this is a significant investment, and I was careful going over my numbers. I’m confident my quote is justified, given my level of involvement and the upside for your company.
I’ve done similar work for other clients that resulted in <detail business results from other clients, use exact numbers if available>.
Let me know if you’re comfortable with my new proposal.
I’ll await your confirmation.
<You>
Notes & Strategy
Once you quote a price, never lower it.
Always reduce the scope of your offering to meet their budget.
Reducing your price signals you’re willing to lower your fee, and this can set the path to future “price-haggling.”
Keep the negotiation framed in the positive: “Here’s what I can do, instead of here’s what I can’t do.”
- For each cost you quote, relate it to how it solves a specific problem for the client.
Focus on the benefits—how will the project’s successful completion impact the client’s bottom line?
Give your clients options, but don’t compromise on what you need to do a superb job.
If the client can’t afford the total budget, break the project into phases.
Offer tiered pricing: multiple deliverable choices at different price points.
This can be a great way to build trust slowly, starting with a smaller project.