Selling isn't about cutting your price until the client says yes. It's about steering the perception of value right through to the signature. Here are 12 proven tactics, to be used ethically and at the right moment.
Frame the value (before the price)
- Anchor: set the first price reference, backed by a rationale. Everything will play out around it. *The anchor point*
- Contrast: present a premium option first, and yours will look reasonable. *The contrast principle*
- Prove it through others: "your competitors are already using it" reassures more than any argument. *Social proof*
Create momentum
- Scarcity & urgency: an offer available without limit motivates no one. *FOMO · The urgency lever*
- Concede wisely: every concession must have something in return, never given away for free. *The false concession*
- Use silence after your proposal: it puts the client to work for you. *Strategic silence*
Close
- Assumptive close: talk about the next steps as though the deal is done ("when do we get started?"). *The assumptive close*
- Lock it in writing: restate the agreement and formalise it straight away.
*(The last 4 tactics, reframing, calibrated questions, the alternative, and re-engagement, to be developed in a second part or a dedicated article.)*
Train your sales team on the AI simulator: it plays the difficult buyer and debriefs every conversation.
FAQ
How do you respond to "it's too expensive"?
Don't drop the price on reflex: isolate the objection ("too expensive compared to what?") then reframe on value by breaking down what the price covers. Nine times out of ten, "too expensive" means "I haven't yet perceived enough value", not "knock off 20%".
When should you make a concession in a sales negotiation?
As late as possible, and never for free. Every concession calls for something in return (volume, commitment, payment terms, a client reference). Giving in too early or too readily devalues your offer and triggers a spiral of demands.
Going further
- Find the technique suited to your sale
- All the techniques · "Sales closing" family
- Practise closing with the AI
