How do you respond when a customer asks, “How much is this going to cost?”

KendlJ · April 10

Hey Pro Community! I’d love to hear directly from you about what works best in real customer conversations.

When a customer leads with, “How much is this going to cost?”, how do you usually respond?

Do you give a price right away, ask a few questions first, or focus on the value of your service before talking numbers?

I’d especially love to hear:
what you actually say back
how you stay upfront on pricing while still showing your value
what approach has helped you keep the conversation going and win the job

If you have a go-to response or strategy that works well, I’d really appreciate you sharing it. Hearing how pros handle this in real conversations is incredibly helpful.

DustiO · April 10

Tagging in some pros here to get their insight!

@amccarthy @busyb @AR2i @soonerkimmy @SarzozaPhoto
@Bretdouglas @Chuva @Cliff @CodyRisner @TechExpert @AntilleanRestoration @adonayflooring @callargo @Jack_Marquardt @JWC @Juliano_50 @_Nura101 @ShaquealThomas @Trevorbelk

_Nura101 · April 10

Hi @KendlJ :) If the lead asks for the pricing, I usually start with letting them know the pricing AND what the price includes (which indirectly talks about the value they will get).

One thing I never do is to talk about how awesome my service is, I only focus on how they get value and how much easier this is gonna make their life.

I also think it's a good idea to end the message with a specific question or direction that is related to what they're currently need (just to move the convo forward, and also make them feel like we understand them). Dont say things like "does this sound good to you?" or "would you like to move forward?" Say something like "have you tried xxxx before?" "Do you have a xxx?". More curiosity without any rush if that makes sense.

Hope that helps!

Juliano_50 · April 10

It really depends on what type of work you do. I'm in the home painting industry and asking me for a price over the phone indicates that the person never had their house painted before, do not understand how it works and are price sensitive. I have a clear note on my profile saying that we do not give prices without seeing the work and I still get leads every now and then asking me for the price. A face to face meeting increases by a lot my chances of booking a job.

Cliff · April 10

customer asking me for pricing varies on type of job for me, considering I charge by the job and not by the hour. But asking for as many details as possible and pictures is very important.

SarzozaPhoto · April 13

Good question. It took me a while to land on something, but I usually start with something like: "I offer clear and transparent pricing, and I'd like to get you an accurate quote, but to do that, I'll need to ask you a few questions to get an idea of your vision."

For me, that takes me off defense and puts me on offence as it allows me to connect with the lead on a human level before we talk pricing. I've found that people hire whom they like more than anything. So shelving the price conversation helps me get to know them and vice versa.

End of the day, if their only determining factor is price, then I come to peace with the fact that they just aren't my client, as they see no value in service or skill.

KendlJ · April 13

@_Nura101 This is incredibly helpful, thank you. I really appreciate how clearly you explained this.

I especially like your point about focusing less on “how awesome” the service is and more on the value the customer actually gets. And ending with a specific, relevant question makes a lot of sense too. It feels much more natural than asking something broad like “does that sound good?”. Thank you again for the insight!

KendlJ · April 13

@Juliano_50 This is really helpful, thank you. That’s a great point that the right approach can vary a lot depending on the type of work, and painting makes a lot of sense as an example where seeing the space first is critical.

I also appreciate your point that asking for a price right away can sometimes signal that the customer may not know what goes into quoting the job yet. I sure wouldn't know any of that as a first time homeowner myself😅

When that happens, how do you usually explain the need to see the work first without losing them? Is there any wording you’ve found works especially well for getting them to agree to that face-to-face meeting?

KendlJ · April 13

That makes a lot of sense, especially if pricing depends on the full scope of the job rather than an hourly rate.

Really appreciate you pointing that out. Getting details and photos up front seems like such a big part of giving a more accurate quote and starting the conversation off on the right foot. Thanks so much for sharing that. @Cliff

KendlJ · April 13

@SarzozaPhoto This is so helpful, thank you! I really like how you worded that. It feels open and honest, while still giving you space to understand what the customer is really looking for before jumping into price.

I also thought your point about using that moment to connect on a human level first was really thoughtful. That’s such a helpful way to think about it! At what point do you usually bring pricing back into the conversation?

Juliano_50 · April 13

If the lead seems to be the right fit for us I explain that giving prices over the phone is guessing and professional companies estimate the work. I just try to make them understand that we offer a very professional service and if that is not what they are looking for I don't waste my time chasing a lead that won't go anywhere.

AR2i · April 15

@KendlJ

Great question — I see this all the time.

When someone asks, “How much is this going to cost?” my response is usually something along the lines of: “Everyone’s situation is different — let’s schedule a quick call to go over the details so I can give you an accurate number.”

In my experience, giving a number too quickly (especially in bookkeeping/tax work) either scares them off or sets the wrong expectation. Because every situation is different, and I want the price to reflect what they actually need — not a guess.

Once I understand their situation, I’ll provide a clear quote and explain what’s included so they can see the value. That transparency has helped me build trust quickly and avoid surprises later.

What’s worked best for me is keeping it conversational, not salesy — people just want to feel like you’re listening and not trying to “sell” them something.

That approach has led to better conversations and much stronger clients in the long run.

KendlJ · April 16

@AR2i That’s really helpful, thank you. I like how you keep it straightforward and focus on giving an accurate number instead of rushing into a quote that may not fit the situation.

Your point about quick pricing creating the wrong expectation is such a good one too, especially for work like bookkeeping and tax where the details really matter. I also like how you tie the quote back to what’s included so the customer understands the full picture.

Thank you, again, for this insight!

DerHilfer_LLC · April 17

"Quality isn't expensive, it's priceless."
This is really simple, if I'm "too expensive", for you, I'm "too expensive right now." Call me when you're ready.

A corollary: "Marry for money and you will pay for it."

ArvinC · April 17

This thread has such a great community vibe @KendlJ @_Nura101 @Juliano_50 @Cliff @SarzozaPhoto @AR2i @DerHilfer_LLC @DustiO

Thanks for all the helpful input and support from everyone!

How do you respond when a customer asks, “How much is this going to cost?”

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