What to say if a client says it's 'too expensive'

First of all, it's important to remember that you cannot convince everyone to buy/purchase if they believe it's too expensive. But this doesn't mean you shouldn't try. In your health career, you're going to have several instances where a patient/client might refuse treatment because they believe it's too expensive. If you receive 10 of these reasons and you manage to turn 2-3 around, that's 20-30 people if you have 100.

It is worthwhile to learn how to deal with this objection.

My personal favourite, assuming they are being honest, is to simply downgrade what you offer in favour for a lower price.

For example, if you have pitched 2x/week for 6 weeks in your treatment plan, and they say it's 'too expensive,' you can offer 2x/week for 2 weeks, followed by 1x/week until discharge. This would substantially reduce the total price.

Sometimes you might run into the problem of what is correct dosage versus managing cost? The answer in my opinion is it's irrelevant - if the patient can't pay, they won't come in. It's better to treat them 3 times over 6 weeks, modifying your treatment plan to reflect an infrequent approach, than insist on 10 times over 6 weeks, most of which they won't turn up to.

The next way to handle this objection is to create a lower tier offer. I believe the traditional healthcare model in the allied health field is changing. Most clinics offer something like a 60 minute initial, followed by 30 minute follow up assessments. With the rising cost of living and reduction in discretionary expenses, these almost act as premium products.

By creating an even lower tier, you tap into a market of people that would like treatment but cannot afford the 30 or 60 minute price point.

For example, you might provide a 15 or 20 minute consultation that ONLY provides education and exercise progression. If your price tiers are thus:

60 minutes - $150 (initial/reassessment + manual therapy + education + exercise)

30 minutes - $120 (as above)

15 minutes - $90 (reassessment + education + exercise progression ONLY)

So when your patient says 'it's too expensive', you can direct them to the 15 minute option and outline what they get.

The last way to handle this objection is to present your case. An iPhone is $1800-2200 dependent on size of your memory. This is more expensive than most treatment plans however people will still happily pay it. And that's because there's a strong case for the value they're providing.

When you buy an iPhone - you get an entertainment and communication device all in one. It also works in sync with all other Apple products, which adds to its value. In other words, it adds far more value to the user's life than it costs. Not to mention, there's quite a status signal attached to the iPhone.

When you are treating someone, you have to remind them that the value you provide is beyond the 5-6 sessions that you treat them for. You are helping them return to pain-free living, interact with their community or sport endeavours. A key note to add here is not to deny their experience.

One of the worst things to say when someone says 'it's too expensive' is... 'no it's not!'

You might feel like it's an insult to your service but tame your emotions - because it's not about you at this moment. It's about them.

Instead, simply agree by saying that you understand it's not a cheap investment. And the reason that it's not cheap is because you want to provide the best care and service you can.

So it might go something like this:

'Hey [client], I understand it's not a cheap investment, and the reason it's not cheap is because we want to give you the best care and service we can. As you know, compromising price means compromising quality.'

Then, you'll follow up by saying something like this:

'It's a short term investment that'll get you back to doing the long term things that you love. Would that be a bad idea?'

Realistically, if you present that - most people will say 'no ,that's not a bad idea.' But if they come up with a nuanced, semantical quip like 'yeah but I could still do that with someone a bit cheaper,' your best course of action is to say:

'If that's what you feel is the best course of action for you, I encourage you to do that.' Alternatively, you could just say 'sure, if you're looking for a lower tier option, I've got [these options].

Personally, I've always found that having a lower tier offer AND working with the patient/client works best. Presenting your case is a great option only IF you feel the patient is ready to receive a new perspective.

Either way - never let a patient/client go when they say 'it's too expensive' without at LEAST trying something. The worst that can happen is they say 'no.'

If you'd like to learn more about objection handling - my next trust-based selling course begins 6/11!

Comment 'TRUST' and I'll PM you.