How do I respond when a B2B prospect says the price is too high?
Ask what they are comparing it with before you defend or discount it. The objection is often about doubt over value, timing or budget rather than the price itself.
'Too expensive' is a conclusion, not a reason. The prospect might be comparing you with a cheaper freelancer, with doing nothing, or with a budget set before they understood the problem. Each needs a different reply, and an instant discount answers none of them: it only tells the buyer that your first number was not serious.
In small B2B service deals, roughly one price objection in three turns out not to be about price at all but about uncertainty: the buyer is not sure the result will justify the spend. Reducing risk with a smaller first phase or clearer milestones usually works better than reducing the price. Keep discounts for a trade, such as a longer commitment or faster payment.
Example: a prospect says a €6,000 website rebuild is too much. You ask what they had in mind, and they mention €4,000 from another studio. You walk through what the other quote leaves out, then offer a €3,800 first phase covering the pages that bring in leads, with the rest later. The client gets a smaller commitment and you keep your rate.
Five replies matched to the real reason
- Compared with a cheaper quoteCompare the scope line by line rather than the totals. Most gaps sit in what the other offer leaves out.
- Compared with doing nothingPut a number on the problem: lost leads, hours spent or revenue missed each month.
- The budget is fixedOffer a smaller first phase that fits the budget instead of the same scope for less money.
- Unsure it will workAdd a milestone, a relevant case or a short paid pilot so the risk feels smaller.
- Negotiating by habitHold the price politely and restate the outcome. Buyers who haggle out of routine often accept once they see you are confident.
Price objections become rarer when price comes up early. If you share a range on the first call, as explained in whether to talk about price on the first sales call, the proposal holds fewer surprises. When a deal is lost on price anyway, treat it as information and keep your momentum.