Out of curiosity, what would the average cost be? Why the pricing question is an invitation, not an obstacle
It’s one of the most common moments in a lead generation call.
The conversation is going well. There’s genuine interest. And then, almost casually, it arrives: “Out of curiosity, what would the average cost be?”
A challenging question and… #
If there is ever a time to play dumb, this is it.
Not because the question is unwelcome, quite the opposite. It’s actually a positive signal. Someone asking about cost is someone who is beginning to imagine themselves as a buyer. The interest is real. The timing, however, is not yet right for numbers.
Truthfully, even if I had full visibility of my clients’ pricing structures, I couldn’t help with an answer at this stage. And even if the client themselves were on the call, they couldn’t quote accurately either; not without knowing considerably more about the prospect’s specific requirements, scale, and situation.
This isn’t evasion. It’s professionalism.
Establish spec before quoting any figure #
New Era’s clients don’t offer commodity products or services. There is no standard price list, no off-the-shelf solution, no average cost that means anything without context. The only way to provide an accurate, meaningful quote is through a proper conversation: a meeting or call where requirements can be explored properly, on a one-to-one basis.
Which is precisely the next step worth proposing.
The pricing question, handled well, becomes the gateway to the very conversation you were trying to arrange. Redirect warmly, propose the meeting, and let the real dialogue begin.
Shooting in the right direction matters infinitely more than the speed of the shot.
“If you’re not shooting in the right direction, it doesn’t matter how well you’re shooting.” — Jay Maisel
Thank you for reading.
PS: I create small, digestible guides on Gumroad for business owners who hate aggressive tactics and prefer relationship-led approaches. New resources are added regularly. For longer reads on lead generation and the human side of sales, follow me on Medium and join the daily conversation on LinkedIn.
Please see the links below:
Gumroad: https://richardbulldomican.gumroad.com/
Medium: https://medium.com/@richard-bulldomican
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richardbulldomican/
