1POT

Head of Sales

WR Lieutenant

Valued Contributor

Executive

Stop sending pricing over...that's a great way to get ghosted

Instead of sending a quote.

Instead of leaving a voicemail with the price.

Hold your pricing and use it to get them back to table.

If they're not jumping to speak with you to hearing the price...then you've fucked something up in the sales process or they're not a buyer....or both.

If you send them the price without talking...you've just introduced more potential reasons why they are not getting back to you like:

1) sticker shock

2) shopping your price around

3) using it for next year's budget

4) etc, etc etc.

Can't believe how many seasoned reps are still making this mistake.

You can talk price range earlier in the process but when it comes to your proposal...use that shit to your advantage while you still have it.

📈 Closing

40 comments

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ounceoz

WR Officer

US Sales Director

Just gave this advice to a small company. They were disappointed they send out tons of proposals and never hear back. Get them on the phone or in a meeting to review pricing/proposals always!!

1POT

WR Lieutenant

Head of Sales

They will see a higher close rate just by doing this one thing.

Sales4what

Opinionated

Co-Founder & VP Sales @ PLURiTy

For sure, when I need to actually send pricing prior to a meeting I send it right before the zoom so we can "review it together"

salesdaddy

Fire Starter

Senior Account Executive

Eh, if your quote is going to "scare" them away. You should ask yourself if you've priced it right, shown them that the product does something that is worth the price you are asking, and be confident in your relationship with the buyer that if they go quiet for a minute that if you need to ping them after a week - you can.

I find a lot of sales people who "get ghosted" or something of that nature think that and there to be this massive pricing fight every time. That things need to be "negotiated" down - how can any rep take themselves seriously as a sales person at the conclusion of a sale when you always give a 50-70% discount?

Why wasn't the proper discovery done to figure out what works for their business and how it might be valuable?

I strongly disagree with this take its like 80s boiler room talk.

1POT

WR Lieutenant

Head of Sales

I think you’re missing the point. The point is to use as leverage for a convo versus just sending over the price. That’s amateur hour.

salesdaddy

Fire Starter

Senior Account Executive

Why is it a fight or difficult with your buyers though? Why do you need to force a conversation? Are the deals were you force a conversation and are pushing the deals you are winning? Are they the buyers that stick around and buy from you at another company?

1POT

WR Lieutenant

Head of Sales

It’s more about testing the buyer. Qualifying the buyer. Not fighting the buyer. If I gave every prospect a price I’d be following up forever or until I got fired because I spent too much time chasing people who were never going to buy.

salesdaddy

Fire Starter

Senior Account Executive

I guess I think that we are doing our qualification at different places? And both probably work? *handshake emoji*

goose

Politicker

Sales Executive

This is the problem with the war room. People sell different things. That results in different strategies and tactics.

Anyone who sends a proposal or price to a client without any qualification isn't selling; they are the equivalent of a "get a quote" button on a website.

daddy

Executive

Major Account Manager

I talk about price and budget 1st so I don't waste 7 meeting on a company that has sticker shock at the end.

SPT

Valued Contributor

Director, Channel Sales & Partner Alliances

I've heard of doing this, too. It's a double edged sword ...if they hang on for 7 meetings before getting the price maybe they will be sold on how the solution actually 'pays for itself' - saves time, money, potential brand reputational damage. I'm on the fence about which approach is better.

daddy

Executive

Major Account Manager

Ive booked multiple meeting with people in the end to find out they are not even a decision maker or in the right department. Nothing is surprising anymore.

goose

Politicker

Sales Executive

You win this one. No question.

UncleBob

Executive

Client Growth Manager

Yup, never talk price until you've established value!

Sales4what

Opinionated

Co-Founder & VP Sales @ PLURiTy

Definitely agree with this. I will normally leave pricing off the table until im meeting with my prospect again, if they do not like the price VIA email or phone its easy to just ignore the call/not respond to an email. Ive seen that by holding it off until you're in that meeting it gives some leverage and a good chance to "follow up and see if I can offer better pricing". On the flip side, if the product is good than moving forward should be no brainer.

goose

Politicker

Sales Executive

You sell software?

Sales4what

Opinionated

Co-Founder & VP Sales @ PLURiTy

Literally everything but. I have my own brand and I’m working in logistics services at the moment, and those costs are insane these days.

goose

Politicker

Sales Executive

I wouldn't think logistics is a commoditized marketplace but what do I know...

Zbo

OG Sales Savage

Account Executive

@1POT, This is challenging for a lot of reps when a customer specifically askes to see pricing in the first call. How do you best dodge that question without looking like a sleaze?

1POT

WR Lieutenant

Head of Sales

Give a range. That range depends on various factors you don’t know yet. Then when it’s time to properly price the solution...you get all the details needed and circle back up to discuss. Crazy to just send pricing. 🐒 can do that for a lower OTE

Zbo

OG Sales Savage

Account Executive

And how do you prevent them from ghosting when you share a range?

1POT

WR Lieutenant

Head of Sales

You don’t. You just qualified in or out at that point rather than hoping they can afford it

fodysseus

WR Officer

Sales Manager (Mid-Market)

Used to have a rep on my team that nipped this in the bud off the bat. He had a great attitude and was very likeable, and would say something to the effect of:

"OK everyone, I know we have the checkbooks out already, but let's put them away for now and make sure this product is a fit for what you actually need to accomplish. Based on my homework and what we see in the space..blah blah."

If they keep honing in on pricing, address it in a way that makes them feel like they've been heard, and iterate why we need to talk about fit prior. I think if you can do this with confidence, and hold your ground about your process, it will be well worth any "constructive" tension at the beginning.

SPT

Valued Contributor

Director, Channel Sales & Partner Alliances

Great approach.

SalesPharaoh

Big Shot

Senior Account Executive

Very helpful question here glad you asked it.

SPT

Valued Contributor

Director, Channel Sales & Partner Alliances

I've had prospects who insist that I email the pricing over. They refuse to get on the phone. Then what?

DialForDollars

Opinionated

Account Executive

In that situation someone already beat you to help them make a decision and they need another quote to justify their decision to management (most likely), you're better off giving them a range instead of a precise number

CadenceCombat

Tycoon

Account Executive

Ding ding ding! Correct.

fodysseus

WR Officer

Sales Manager (Mid-Market)

You could also try, depending on how much room you have with the product, to try to tie it back to them/get more disco like:

"Honestly, it's a wide range. I'd rather work with you to tailor something that will fit your business size and needs, not just a one size fits all approach - you might need something different than (competitor). I've done my research and have some ideas like (A), and (B). Can we talk through some options?"

1POT

WR Lieutenant

Head of Sales

If they really insist - You can tell them that you are sending them the formal pricing over but have something in mind you can’t send over email that could help influence price that you want to discuss with them. If they are still not willing to discuss then they are most likely playing you for a fool.

daddy

Executive

Major Account Manager

Use vidyard(free) to record you walking through the proposal, Can use audio and Video

SPT

Valued Contributor

Director, Channel Sales & Partner Alliances

Hummm....interesting idea! Creative approach. Thank you.

derrick_mac

Good Citizen

Outbound Sales Executive

Always discuss pricing together. Eliminates so many walls & obstacles. Most importantly, HUSH & listen after giving price. You'll learn where you're truly at.

CuriousFox

WR Officer

🦊

This is why I cannot stress enough the importance of having the attention of the correct people from the very beginning.

JordyA

Good Citizen

Director of Enterprise Sales

Present pricing on a separate call with all stakeholders on the call. Need to get feedback and not let them try and sell themselves.

fuzzy

Notable Contributor

CMO (Chief Meme Officer)

When they ask for pricing early on, just reply "At least $3."

Seth_Davis

Big Shot

Regional Sales Manager

The fact that so many companies make monumental decisions based on mainly price is mind boggling to me. Sometimes I wonder how some of these executives got to where they are at because many of them are strategically inept.... of course that’s our job to educate and SELL them. Can’t do that when you’re just sending over a price.

sketchysales

Politicker

Sales Manager

Absolutely 100% this. I never send a large quote without having a scheduled next point of contact in the diary.

goose

Politicker

Sales Executive

As if getting them back to the table matters...

I agree with you but if they don't give a shit about your proposal when you send it they won't give a shit about your proposal when you share it in person. There has to be more here.

Diablo

Politicker

Sr. AE

Absolutely, I care a shit about 2 types of prospects:

1. That wants to know only pricing (but it depends upon so many different dimensions that they don't understand)

2. Prospect that doesn't have time to talk

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1POT

Stop sending pricing over...that's a great way to get ghosted

40 comments

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