What To Say When Clients Can’t Afford You

Of course we ALL dread hearing the words “I would love to, but I just can’t afford it” when talking to a hot prospect.  How do you handle this all too common occurrence?

Here is some very practical help, plus a download to give you the perfect words when this happens.

Let’s take a step into the dating world for a moment.
You meet someone on Match.com and really hit it off. They ask you on a date, you say yes, and you have three very enjoyable evenings. You reach out to set up a fourth date, and you get the following reply: “I’m sorry, I’ve enjoyed this, but I just don’t have the time for it right now.” Do you think it’s really about the time?

Of course not. It’s about avoiding conflict; it’s about saving face; it’s about saying one thing and meaning another. You will probably never know the real reasons behind the decision, because time is a sacred excuse in our busy society.

What time is in our personal lives, money is in the business world.

Some people are flat broke, but those people are not usually seeking out services that require them to spend money. What clients are really saying when they say they can’t afford something is, “I’m not willing to prioritize this above the other things I am spending my money on.”

That’s a hard message to hear; it’s easy to back away.

But the question is, why? The answer may or may not win you a client, but it will help you understand how to shape your business. The following download will help you answer this question: When Clients Say They Can’t Afford You