The order of moves
- Accept the phrase without arguing.
- Ask a clarifying question.
- Work out which version is the real one.
- Answer briefly, to that version.
- Check it is cleared: ask directly.
- Agree the next step.
Why the clarifying question matters more than the answer
«Too expensive» means at least five different things: they cannot see the difference from something cheaper, they are comparing against a different type of product, they do not have the whole sum at once, they are not the one who decides the budget, or they genuinely are not your segment. The first four can be handled in conversation, the last cannot. Without asking, the rep is guessing.
Why pressure hurts on expensive products
- several people take part in the decision, and pressure on one of them does not move it
- the cycle is long, and pressure today produces nothing three weeks out
- the dearer it gets, the more the customer fears a mistake: pressure amplifies the fear
What works instead of pressure is removing risk: clear terms, a guarantee with specific limits, the option of starting with a smaller step.
On one project we gave the reps a 14-day money-back guarantee, with a condition attached: only on completion of eight homework assignments. It removed the distrust at the moment the invoice went out and protected the school at the same time.
How to drill it
- One objection per week.
- Two live examples: one where it worked and one where it did not.
- Every rep says their own version of the clarifying question out loud.
- The best phrasing gets written into the matrix.
What to do with a refusal
- record the reason in the system, word for word
- ask what could have changed the decision
- park the contact for a set period and bring it back as a new enquiry
- do not argue: a customer you argued with does not come back