This week’s question from our portal “Ask Us Anything” comes from Maria.
I’m getting ready to raise my prices. Several people want to work with me, but they can’t afford what I do. The pushback is pricing. I feel guilty that we can’t work together, because I love what I do, and I know I can help these people. As I raise my prices, that will make it even more challenging.
How do I handle pushback on pricing, and feeling guilty?
First off…
Nobody pushes back on pricing. That’s not the problem. That’s a symptom.
If someone is literally pushing back on pricing, one of two issues is going on.
- You’re talking to the wrong potential client, or…
- You haven’t explained the urgency and the need for the product or service correctly.
When people say they have a problem with money, that’s not true. Nobody has a problem with money.
We’ve been conditioned to believe we have a problem with money, but we really don’t.
People have a problem with:
- Decisions
- Value
- Commitment
- Follow-through
- Deservability
…But we do NOT have a problem with money.
From a sales perspective, you must:
1) Demonstrate the value of your product or service.
2) Ensure you’re clear on who your ideal client is.
I don’t care if you’re selling pencils. You need to be very skilled at explaining how the value impacts the person’s life.
A big sign that you’re not talking to your ideal client is they don’t see the value of it—even after you’ve done your best to explain it to them.
If someone can’t see the value in what you’re selling, they’re the wrong client. They’ll say, “I can’t afford it,” “My spouse won’t let me do it,” or any number of excuses.
An excuse is a rationalization from someone who believes they can’t do something. That’s it.
As for feeling guilty…what do you feel guilty about?
If your service can truly help someone, there’s no need to feel guilty.
If you’re not getting the client the result—guilt is not appropriate; adjustment is.
In business, my focus is, “How can we help this person?” We’re not looking to be right. We’re looking for, “What is the adjustment that needs to be made to help this individual get the result they want?”
That’s what we’re in business for—to help people get the results they want.
Some people can’t get that result, not because they don’t have the potential (everybody has potential)… but because they don’t have the commitment. They’re not serious enough yet about changing their life to get the result they want. It takes a tremendous commitment to do that.
If there’s no commitment on the client’s end, they won’t get the result.
That’s not a reason for YOU to feel guilty. It’s a reason to adjust who you’re selling to.
You mentioned, “I know I can help them.” No, you don’t. That’s an ignorant statement—and I would never say that again.
You don’t know that you can help anybody.
In order to help someone, they need a commitment on the other end of that. We need their cooperation in order for them to get the result.
