***What To Say When New Clients Ask “How Much Do You Charge?”

Does this sound like you: "Before I even get a chance to explain how I can serve them, potential clients will often jump in and ask me, 'How much do you charge?' When they do that, I rarely get the client. What should I do?"

In our 10+ years of teaching coaches and holistic practitioners how to attract clients without struggle, we have heard this issue over and over again.

Has this happened to you in your business? Then let us share with you how to gracefully transition from the potential of a lost client into an opportunity for a loyal client.

First of all, you should know that when this happens it's actually a REALLY good sign. It's likely they are a good potential new client and interested in what you have to offer them. But if you handle the conversation poorly, you'll lose them.

Look for the match

At Thrive Academy we've created a signature system called Heartselling™ which teaches you how to have an authentic conversation with a potential client that has them asking to work with you, rather tha "hard-selling" them into a 'yes.'

Taking the time to find out what they're looking for is key to this successful approach. But when they ask, "How much do you charge?" before you've had the chance to see if you're really a match, it can be awkward. They don't have all the information they need to make a decision…and you don't want them making their decision solely on price.

The problem is that if you answer the question right away there isn't any context for them to hear an answer that makes sense to their need. This is especially true for businesses that provide several offers or options for their services. You have no basis for an answer and the potential client has no basis to make a decision.
If the person is just bargain shopping they're not going to be a good client for you anyways, right? However, this doesn't mean the person CAN'T be a good client. If you answer their question about price right away, you may never know.

How to go from lost client to loyal client

When you get this question too early in the conversation, here is what you can say: "It depends. I find that different people require different levels of support, so I'd like to discover a little bit more about what you're looking for, so I can make the best recommendation."

And then you schedule a free or low-cost consultation with them in which you can talk with them more deeply about what they're looking for, where they are now and what's missing for them in their life (or business or whatever is relevant to the service you provide). You then share with them how you can help them, and make a recommendation based on your experience.

This is where the graceful transition from lost client to loyal client comes in. With this approach you are able to find out if it's a match for you and this potential client to work together. You'll have ample time (and their full attention because they've committed to a session with you) to explain how you can help them, so that once they hear the price they can make an informed decision – one that is much more likely to be a 'YES.'