Strategically Discuss Budget in the Sales Process

How and when you discuss money during your sales process has a more significant impact on selling success than your price.

A few years ago, I engaged the services of a PR company to help me promote an event I was organizing.

I found the firm's two partners to be pleasant hosts and experts in their field. After a few minutes, our conversation moved from small talk to the business matter at hand.

It was a relatively straightforward deal, so we had almost concluded our meeting within an hour. There was just one crucial matter we hadn't yet discussed - money.

It didn't look like they were going to bring the topic up, so I looked the two partners in the eye and said, "we should probably talk about money now!"

Their response was intriguing.

One of the partners shifted uncomfortably in his seat. The other went bright red, turned to her colleague, and tellingly stuttered, "this is where I leave you guys to fight it out," and she left the room.

Both were uncomfortable discussing money.

Their attitude toward money undoubtedly hurt their pocket and did nothing to inspire confidence in me.

The minutest hesitancy, sideways glance, or voice inflection will likely trigger your prospect's unconscious defense system resulting in stalls, think-it-overs, and delays.

None of these options helps you close the sale. Worse still, because we avoid discussing money, we fail to set the ground rules on how and when we are going to get paid.