Going deep on discounts


If you're going to discount, here's a more detailed view of yesterday's rules:

  1. Specific.
    Needs to explain WHY they're getting the discount.
  2. In exchange for something in return.
    Needs to say what's being given in return for the discount.
  3. Explicit.
    Needs to be stated in the proposal what, how and why the discount is there.
  4. Time-bounded. It has to be in a defined timeframe.
    Needs to be a take it now, or leave it.
  5. Written at the end of the quote/proposal for what it is "Discounted price".
    Price → Discount → Price After Discount.

And here's a great article by Blair Enns on a few more rules on discounting price.

Discounting, if used, is one last resort to close the deal. Giving the discount for them "to think about it" is giving any power you had away.

Remember this: YOU have the power.

Rod Aparicio

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Knowing what to say no to is the thing that puts you (and your business) in the expert position. It gives you clarity to choose the right fits for you. It disengages you from incurring into sunk costs (that all-nighter proposal/quote, that long pitch deck, that overexcitement into this next deal). It lets you set and respect your boundaries. It gives you the freedom to walk away. And most of it all: it lets you be the expert.

If... something takes you a lot of effort, you put a lot of passion into it, takes you more time to deliver, has more costly inputs, you learned it for a long time... That has nothing (or very little) to do with how much you price it for. Put it this other way: If it takes you no effort. You don't get over-invested into it You can deliver in no time Costs you nothing You learned it in no time Would that be without value? Getting to know how to do something at a level of mastery that creates a...

The more effort/passion/premium you put in requires a higher price to your market? What are your thoughts on that?