Discount Request Response Scripts

Core principle before you read a single script

Never give a discount without getting something back. Every script below ends in a trade, not a concession. Skip the trade and you've just taught this buyer — and their procurement team — that your price was never real.

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Pattern 1 — The early low-ball ("Can you do any better on price?")

Usually asked before they've seen a full proposal. It's a reflex test, not a real objection.

Script: "Happy to talk pricing once we've finished scoping exactly what you need — right now I'd be quoting a number that's either not calibrated to your situation or padded to leave room to come down, and I don't want to do either to you. Let's finish scoping, and if the number doesn't work for the value it delivers, tell me and we'll figure out what CAN move — timeline, scope, or contract length are usually more flexible than the price itself."

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Pattern 2 — The end-of-quarter squeeze ("If we sign by Friday, what can you do on price?")

Script: "I can tell you honestly — signing by Friday doesn't change our costs, so it's not really a price lever. What it does let me do is go to bat for [an extra onboarding session / this year's pricing before the increase / the add-on module free for year one]. Would that make Friday work, assuming the rest of the terms are already where you need them?"

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Pattern 3 — Competitor-quote leverage ("[Competitor] quoted us 20% less for basically the same thing.")

Script: "Good to know — can I ask what's actually included in that number?" (Listen for gaps: seats, support tier, onboarding, SLA, term length.) "If it's genuinely the same scope, same support, same terms, I want to know that too — I'd rather lose to a real apples-to-apples number than pretend ours is special when it isn't. But quotes that are 20% apart usually aren't 20% apart on what's included. Let's put both proposals side by side, line by line."

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Pattern 4 — A real, hard budget ceiling ("I need to get this under [round number].")

Script: "Got it — that's a real constraint, so let's solve it honestly instead of me shaving the number and hoping it survives your approval process. Two honest paths: one, we adjust scope to fit that number — here's specifically what would come out. Two, we keep full scope and structure payment across [a longer term / two budget cycles / a phased rollout] so the same investment fits this year's number. Which one actually solves your problem?"

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Pattern 5 — The champion relaying pressure ("My boss is going to ask if this is your best price.")

Script: "Appreciate you flagging that — it tells me your boss is going to scrutinize this, which is a good sign they're serious. Here's what I'd rather do: let's get 15 minutes with your boss directly so I can walk through the value case myself, instead of you relaying pricing logic secondhand. If pricing genuinely needs to move, I'll know exactly what to trade for it once I hear their actual concern."

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The Value Trade Framework

Never agree to a discount without naming a trade. Pick one:

• Longer contract term (12 → 24 months) in exchange for X%
• Upfront annual payment instead of monthly/quarterly
• Case study, reference call, or logo usage rights
• Reduced service tier or slower SLA
• Smaller initial scope, expansion later at list price
• Earlier signature date (this week, not this month)

The one-line trade script (use after any discount ask): "I can look at that, if [pick a trade above] — does that work on your side?"

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What NOT to say (these phrases cost you margin every time)

• "Let me see what I can do" — implies a secret lower price is waiting to be unlocked.
• "I'll have to check with my manager" — outsources your authority and invites a repeat ask.
• "This is already discounted" — invites "well, discount it more."
• Any concession offered before the buyer has finished stating their real objection.

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Follow-up email template (send within 1 hour of the call)

Subject: Following up on pricing Hi [Name], Good talking through this today. To recap where we landed on pricing: [restate the number]. As discussed, that's contingent on [the trade you agreed — term length / payment terms / scope]. If [budget/approval constraint] changes on your end, let's revisit — happy to look at scope or timeline adjustments that keep the investment aligned with the value you're seeing. Let me know how [next step] looks for you. [Your name]