Stan was frustrated.
He kept hearing “That’s too expensive” after presenting his solution to prospects.
The real issue? He never got a clear answer on budget before jumping into pricing. Despite knowing he should bring up money early, the conversation always got vague.
So he went to his manager, Phil, and asked:
“How do I stop hitting a wall when I bring up price?”
Phil looked up and said, “Have you tried bracketing?”
Stan blinked. “Bracketing? What’s that?”
What followed was a simple but game-changing strategy to eliminate pricing guesswork.
What Is Bracketing in Sales?
Bracketing is a sales technique that helps you get specific about your buyer’s budget—without making the conversation uncomfortable.
Instead of asking, “What’s your budget?” (which often leads to deflection or vague responses), bracketing gives the buyer an easy way to indicate a range.
Example
Let’s say the buyer says, “Money’s not really an issue.”
Rather than taking that at face value, you might respond:
“I appreciate that. We have several options that range from $30,000 to $60,000. Would you say you’re more comfortable between $30K and $45K, or between $45K and $60K?”
If they say $30K–$45K, follow up with:
“Are you closer to $30K or closer to $45K?”
And then:
“How close to $30K would you say?”
At that point, you’ve established a baseline—and they’ve self-identified their budget in a comfortable, collaborative way.
Why Bracketing Works
Too many salespeople rely on hope instead of clarity when it comes to money. They deliver a strong presentation, only to be rejected on price—often because they never confirmed what the buyer was actually prepared to invest.
Bracketing helps you:
Identify a realistic price range before presenting
Reduce pricing objections at the close
Avoid wasting time on unqualified prospects
Maintain trust and open dialogue
And just as important: if the buyer’s budget doesn’t align with the value you’re offering, you can address it before investing more time.
How to Handle Budget Misalignment
If your buyer’s expectations don’t match reality, address it head-on.
For instance:
“Mr. Prospect, we have a problem.”
Let the silence do the work. Almost always, they’ll respond with:
“What’s the problem?”
Then say:
“Based on what you’ve described, this solution is going to be closer to $40,000 than $30,000. What can we do about that?”
From there, you might explore:
A phased or payment plan
Scaling back features or scope
Offering a different tier or model
The goal isn’t to win every deal—it’s to win qualified deals.
The Result? More Qualified Conversations, Better Outcomes
Once Stan applied bracketing, everything changed.
He stopped guessing and started qualifying.
He had more honest conversations, spent less time chasing the wrong leads, and ultimately closed more deals—at better margins.
Final Thoughts: Don’t Leave Price to Chance
Bracketing is a simple but powerful way to guide buyers into productive budget conversations.
It’s not pushy. It’s not aggressive. It’s professional and effective.
If you're tired of getting blindsided by price objections, start using bracketing—and stop selling in the dark. For more tips on this subject, join us for a Sandler class. Click here to find out how to reserve your seat no strings attached!
