Two Money Traps to Avoid
Let’s talk money—because avoiding it costs you! Whether you're a consultant, a creative, a coach, or even a seasoned salesperson, you’ve probably felt that hesitation. You don’t want to come across as pushy or “too salesy,” so you downplay the numbers, delay pricing conversations, or worse—give away your best thinking for free.
Sound familiar? Here’s the truth: protecting your expertise and being upfront about value isn't aggressive, it’s professional.
Let’s break down the two most common money traps—and how to avoid them like a pro.
🚫 Pitfall #1: Free Consulting
The Scenario: You hop on a discovery call. You’re friendly. Helpful. You want to build trust. So, you lay it all out:
- The client’s problem
- How you’d fix it
- What that fix looks like
Boom—you just gave away the farm.
What happens next?
They say, “This is great info! Write me a proposal and I’ll take it to the team.”
Translation: “Thanks for the free roadmap.”
Reality check: They’ve already talked to others, and everyone gave similar answers. Now it’s a race to the bottom on price—or worse, they ghost you.
Quick Fix:
- Resist solving everything upfront.
- Focus on the impact of their challenges, not the how you’ll fix them.
- Save the magic for paying clients.
💸 Pitfall #2: Quoting a Price Too Early
The Scenario: A prospect says: “I think I’m overpaying—what would you charge?”
You feel the pressure, so you throw out a number. Later, you realize their actual needs are deeper (and pricier) than they admitted. Now you’re stuck either:
- Upping the price and looking shady, or
- Eating the extra cost to save the relationship.
Quick Fix: Try this script next time:
“Based on what you’ve told me so far, this sounds like it could run between $4,000 and $5,000. But here’s the thing: that’s just an estimate. I usually find clients tell me about A, B, and C… and once we dig deeper, D, E, and F show up. So, if we go forward, we’ll lock in the scope together, and anything beyond that will be additional.”
This shows you’re thoughtful and protects your bottom line.
💼 Bottom Line
Your expertise is your currency—don’t give it away for free. It’s not about being pushy. It’s about being professional and protecting your value.
Next time you’re on a call, remember:
- You’re not selling. You’re diagnosing.
- Be curious before you’re generous.
- Confidence in your value = confidence in your price.
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✅ More money tips!
How to Uncover Budget with Danny WoodÂ
