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What's your reply when you elevator pitch and the prospect says 'Well, depends how much?'

by payoman
11 replies
I am getting this fairly regularly, I will give the basic pitch that 'we develop your business a website and a Google campaign (SEO/PPC whatever) to generate more revenue' and one of the first questions is 'how much?' or 'depends on the cost'.

The problem is, since most of these business owners have no idea how much profit they make per client, and you can't immediately tell them how much extra work you can generate for them, they can't really appreciate the costs.

How do you guys selling SEO/Websites work around this problem?
#depends #elevator #pitch #prospect #reply
  • Profile picture of the author abbot
    Banned
    Originally Posted by payoman View Post

    I am getting this fairly regularly, I will give the basic pitch that 'we develop your business a website and a Google campaign (SEO/PPC whatever) to generate more revenue' and one of the first questions is 'how much?' or 'depends on the cost'.

    The problem is, since most of these business owners have no idea how much profit they make per client, and you can't immediately tell them how much extra work you can generate for them, they can't really appreciate the costs.

    How do you guys selling SEO/Websites work around this problem?
    "Depends on how many new customers you want"

    Always use it, always gets them thinking, always close them.
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  • Profile picture of the author misterme
    "It doesn't cost you anything because it's making you money...." but you know, that's the snazzy answer typical reply. Hey but maybe your pitch is actually pretty good and when you're getting that response it means you've struck a vein and maybe it really is just a matter of price? Of course if you quote high or maybe even your normal fees they may balk. So what if you came up with some sort of easy intro no brainer test drive me type of offer just to use for those occasions? And see what happens? As in test an offer, as opposed to coming up with a snazzy answer.
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    • Profile picture of the author Claude Whitacre
      Any price you quote is going to be wrong, and they will balk. Besides, what if you said "$500"?. Would they instantly say "Come on over"? Most likely not.
      And anything you tell them at that point is just another thing to say "No" to.

      Me? I might say "Any quote I'd give you here would be wrong. And I don't want to quote you for services you don't need. When should I stop by for a few minutes, and find out which services would best serve you, so I can give you a firm quote?"

      That should get a few to make an appointment.

      If you have a few minutes there (meaning not a real elevator pitch), you could ask them what interested them. "Why do you think a new website would be a good idea?"

      But I kind of like Misteme's idea of a standard intro offer that is so low priced, it's hard to object to...just to get your foot in the door. I mean that literally. Once you're there, you can easily convert them to a more complete package.

      But, what I always use myself? "It's less than your worst part time employee. You will want to see this. I won't waste your time, I promise. Will you be in tomorrow afternoon?"

      (Yes, I really talk like that)

      I just want to make an appointment or move on. This accomplishes that.
      And when I show up, they know it's to do business.
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      • Profile picture of the author misterme
        Originally Posted by Claude Whitacre View Post

        But I kind of like Misteme's idea of a standard intro offer that is so low priced, it's hard to object to...just to get your foot in the door.
        That's what I'm saying. It has to be a ridiculous offer. But something where they don't really get much they can run with. Like a free checkup. In which case the snazzy answer to 'how much' becomes, "let's not rush ahead, let's find out what you need first. But whatever it costs, you're not gonna say yes unless the price is right. Right?" And then the guy agrees with that, and there you go. Make it eeezy.
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        • Profile picture of the author CurtisSWN
          Elevator are SUCH a good place to sell services....

          Just give them your card and tell them "call me". Pitching them right then and there is like telling a girl "just go home with me now", ain't going to work so well.
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  • Profile picture of the author Rearden
    "It's one-hundred million dollars and the contract lasts 99 years!!!"

    "LOLs and chuckes"

    "No really, it all depends on which program you decide works best. BUT bottom line... if you don't like what I have to offer, no hard feelings -- you can throw me out and we'll still be friends, fair enough?"
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  • Profile picture of the author scottgallagher
    You can't give a good price without knowing more about their business.

    DO NOT GIVE ANY PRICE until you have established the value.

    A website is a digital brochure in prospect minds. Today, with social, video, interaction, all that jazz, a website doesn't just help the marketing department. There is value all over the place, and they need to understand a website's efficiencies and profit motives.

    If they don't, your price is worthless and you've turned the deal down before the elevator doors open.
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  • Profile picture of the author donaldhamilton
    A lot of great advice here - but the theme is pretty consistent: you can't really (and credibly) give a price until you know what they want. I usually say "It depends on what you tell me about your business. Then we can work together to prioritise what you need, so we are talking about things that really matter to you.". I hadn't thought of adding Claude's "Will you be in tomorrow afternoon?" bit, but love it!
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  • Profile picture of the author Rearden
    Yup to the poster above.

    If you can illuminate the biggest values you can help the business owner with and assure them it will take 10 minutes to do it, the ones who are truly interested will meet with you.

    The others who ask the question and refuse to meet are goobers anyway.

    Remember, if you have to ask that question anyway, you probably can't afford it to begin with.

    Otherwise, you reduce yourself to a commodity, with its value based upon only price.
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    • Profile picture of the author Claude Whitacre
      One thing that gets talked about a lot is "Elevator speeches". One thing I find they have in common is that they aren't the way anybody talks in real life.

      If I said "What do you do?" and you said "I maximize profit opportunities while exploring opportunity gaps for clients allowing them an aggressive market share"..I would say "That's great!" and walk away.

      For my retail store (talking to non-business owners) I say "I sell $800 vacuum cleaners for $399".

      Really. I sell a lot of vacuum cleaners. About 1% of the time I say that, they buy. About 10% of the time, they ask "What brand?" or "How do you do that?"

      I figured out that I made about $5 every time someone asked me what I do for a living.

      Anyway, I just wanted to vent.

      Reardon's "10 minutes"? Solid advice. I say "It will take ten minutes unless you have questions. Fair enough?"


      And when asking "Will you be in tomorrow afternoon?"

      You have to sound like you expect them to want to talk to you. It makes a huge difference.


      Originally Posted by misterme View Post

      , "let's not rush ahead, let's find out what you need first. But whatever it costs, you're not gonna say yes unless the price is right. Right?" And then the guy agrees with that, and there you go. Make it eeezy.
      There's gold in them there words, pardner.
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  • Profile picture of the author timgreen
    Maybe ask them what they are expecting to pay for the service you are offering.

    If they say higher than you were going to then you can quote lower with your original quote you had in mind and everyone's happy.

    If they say lower, bring out the numbers and say I think paying $x amount per customer is more than worth it, obviously this will only work if you charge a fair price.

    Just my opinion anyway.
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