then stop talking
The silence after your price is doing more work than you think.
Say your price. Then stop talking.
That's it. That's the email.
(Ok, not really. But it could be.)
Here's what usually happens instead. You say the number, the silence lasts about half a second, AND you gotta jump in. "But we can work with your budget." or "And I could throw in..."
They haven't said a single word yet. And you're already negotiating. With yourself. Bro, if you are negotiating with yourself, you will always keep on losing.
So why am I telling you this?
Because that silence isn't them saying no. It's them thinking. (I know, my friend. It feels like ten minutes. It's usually about four seconds.)
The silence after your price is the client deciding. Don't decide for them.
So here's how to run it, the same way every time.
Say the price once. Out loud, plainly. No "but."
Stop and smile. Count to 8 in your head if you have to. (8 is longer than it sounds. That's ok. Just breathe.)
If they say it's a lot, don't drop it. Ask a question. "I totally understand. Finances aside, do you feel confident that working together would get you where you want to go?"
If they sell you back to you, it really is about money, and now you can talk about that together. "Okay, I really want to help you. Let's have a conversation about the financial side and see if we can find something that makes sense."
payment plans, pay structure, or even stripping away from the deliverables to work with their budget, but only after we've isolated that that's the real issue.
Because if they hesitate, it was never about the money. Now you know what the real conversation is.
Closing isn't a personality trait you're either born with or you're not. It's a process you run the same way every single time. it's the ability to stay calm and collected at the right moment
Sounds like you. Hey, reply and tell me what you're really worried is going to happen. no judgment!
Jonathan "count to 8" Ray
PS. Practice the silence on your pet first. Cats are excellent at awkward pauses. It's their specialty.
