16/09/2026
Client says:
“I can get it done cheaper.”
Don’t negotiate.
Don’t say “good luck.”
Here’s what to do instead.
First, understand what is really happening.
The client is not always telling you that your price is too high.
Sometimes, they are checking whether your price is flexible.
They want to know one thing:
“If I push a little, will this person reduce the price?”
This is where many business owners make a mistake.
They immediately start defending their price.
“Please, my price is already low.”
“I can give you a discount.”
“Okay, how much is the other person charging?”
Now the conversation becomes about price.
And once the conversation becomes only about price, it becomes harder for the client to see everything else you bring to the table.
Here’s a simple example.
A caterer gave a client a ₦150,000 quote for an event.
The client replied:
“I can get someone to do it for ₦100,000.”
The caterer became worried and immediately offered ₦120,000.
The client still didn’t agree.
Why?
Because the client had learned that the first price was not really the price.
So the caterer changed the approach.
Instead of reducing the price, she asked:
“I understand. What is most important to you when choosing between the two options: the price, the quality, or what is included?”
That changed the conversation.
Now the client had to compare the actual offer, not just the numbers.
That is what you should do.
Don’t fight the cheaper option.
Don’t insult it.
Don’t beg the client to choose you.
And don’t reduce your price just because someone else is cheaper.
Ask a question that helps you understand what they are comparing.
You can say:
“I understand. Before you decide, may I ask what is included in their offer compared with mine?”
Or:
“That’s understandable. What are you mainly comparing between the two options?”
This works because you stop reacting emotionally and start getting useful information.
Maybe their option is cheaper because it includes less.
Maybe the client only cares about price.
Maybe they are testing you.
Either way, you now know what you are dealing with.
And if the client chooses the cheaper option after making a clear comparison, let them.
Not every opportunity is meant to be yours.
The goal is not to win every price conversation.
The goal is to make sure you don’t lose good opportunities simply because you handled the conversation badly.
If you want to understand clients better, handle objections, communicate with confidence, build trust, and stop losing opportunities because of poor communication, Get The Client Code Ebook
There are deeper strategies inside that can change how you handle client conversations.
