Respond to the 'your price is too high' objection
intermediateClaude SonnetSalesAeobjection-handlingpricenegotiationae
Use case
Use this prompt when a prospect pushes back on price during a deal. Price objections are usually value gaps in disguise — this prompt generates a response that uncovers the real concern and reestablishes ROI without discounting.
The prompt
You are a senior account executive coaching another rep through a price objection. Generate a response strategy and specific language for handling this situation. Deal context: - Prospect name:{{prospect_name}}- Prospect title:{{prospect_title}}- Company:{{company_name}}- Deal stage:{{deal_stage}}(e.g., post-demo, post-proposal, verbal commitment stage) - Your price / proposal amount:{{price}}- What the prospect said exactly (or approximate):{{objection_quote}}- What you know about their budget situation:{{budget_context}}- The ROI or value case you've built so far:{{value_case}}- Competing alternatives they've mentioned (if any):{{alternatives}}Generate: ## 1. Objection Diagnosis (internal, not to say aloud) What is the real concern behind this price objection? Is it: - A genuine budget constraint (no money)? - A value gap (they don't see enough ROI yet)? - A negotiating tactic (testing if you'll budge)? - A prioritization issue (competing with other spending)? - Something else? Name the most likely diagnosis and why, based on the context. ## 2. Immediate Response (what to say next) A 3–5 sentence verbal response that: - Does NOT immediately defend the price or offer a discount - Opens with empathy, not defensiveness - Asks a clarifying question to confirm the real objection - Keeps the deal alive without giving up margin ## 3. Value Reframe (if the real issue is a value gap) Talking points that reconnect the investment to the ROI case — using their numbers, not yours. ## 4. If They Push for a Discount Guidance on how to handle a discount request: what to offer (if anything), what to ask for in return, and what to avoid saying. ## 5. The Question That Moves the Deal Forward One specific question to ask that either resolves the objection or surfaces the real blocker.
Variables
{{{{prospect_name}}}}Replace with your {{prospect name}}{{{{prospect_title}}}}Replace with your {{prospect title}}{{{{company_name}}}}Replace with your {{company name}}{{{{deal_stage}}}}Replace with your {{deal stage}}{{{{price}}}}Replace with your {{price}}{{{{objection_quote}}}}Replace with your {{objection quote}}{{{{budget_context}}}}Replace with your {{budget context}}{{{{value_case}}}}Replace with your {{value case}}{{{{alternatives}}}}Replace with your {{alternatives}}
Example
Input
prospect_name: Rachel prospect_title: VP of Marketing company_name: Stratum Media deal_stage: post-proposal, two weeks from quarter end price: $84,000 annually objection_quote: "We love what you've shown us, but $84K is a stretch. We were thinking closer to $60K." budget_context: Rachel mentioned in discovery that they have a $120K martech budget for the year; unclear what else is in it value_case: we estimated 15 hours/week saved in manual reporting = ~$65K in team time annually, plus attribution clarity worth 10-15% improvement in campaign ROI alternatives: they mentioned evaluating one competitor who quoted $55K
Output
## 1. Objection Diagnosis This is most likely a combination of a negotiating tactic and a value gap — not a true budget constraint. Rachel mentioned a $120K martech budget in discovery, and $84K is 70% of that, which feels large when framed that way even if the ROI exceeds the cost. The competitor quote at $55K is giving her a benchmark that makes your number feel inflated. The "we love what you've shown us" opener is a positive signal — she wants to buy, she's trying to buy cheaper. ## 2. Immediate Response "Rachel, I appreciate you being direct — that's helpful. Before I respond to the number, help me understand: is the $60K a hard budget ceiling, or is the concern more about whether the value justifies the investment at $84K? Those are actually two different conversations, and I want to make sure I'm addressing the right one." [Wait for her answer before saying anything else about price.] ## 3. Value Reframe "Let me come back to the numbers we built together. We estimated about 15 hours a week in manual reporting time for your team — at a loaded cost, that's roughly $65K a year in team time alone. So at $84K, you're essentially breaking even on time savings in year one, and getting attribution clarity that you told me is worth 10–15% in campaign efficiency on top of that. Does the math still feel off, or is it more about where the $84K comes from in the budget?" ## 4. If They Push for a Discount Do not drop straight to $60K — that's a 29% discount that signals your price was inflated. If you're going to move at all: - Offer a smaller move (e.g., $76K) in exchange for something: a longer contract term, a faster signature date, a logo reference, or an expanded scope commitment - Say: "I can work with you on the number, but I'd need something in return to get there. If we could lock in a 2-year term, I can get to $76K. Does that work?" - Never discount without asking for something. It trains them that your prices are negotiable on demand. ## 5. The Question That Moves the Deal Forward "If the investment number weren't the issue — if we were at $60K today — would you be ready to move forward? I want to understand if price is the only thing between us and a yes."
Tips for best results
- 1Never be the first to introduce a discount. Let them ask explicitly — and even then, ask what they'd give you in return.
- 2Run the 'diagnosis' section seriously. Responding to a negotiating tactic as if it's a budget constraint is one of the most common and costly mistakes in sales.
- 3If you can't articulate the ROI case in concrete numbers, the price objection will always win. Make sure the value case is built before you get to pricing conversations.
- 4After running this prompt, ask Claude: 'What are 3 things I should NOT say in response to this objection?' — the negative guidance is often as useful as the positive.
- 5The best outcome of a price objection conversation is learning whether price is actually the issue. If they wouldn't buy at $60K either, that's critical to know early.
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