SEO agencies: price objection handling
Use this price objection handling exercise to identify whether the concern is affordability, comparison, confidence or scope before discussing a concession. You are discussing a technical and content opportunity audit with a business owner with traffic but few enquiries. The point of the practice is to make a useful decision together, including recognising when the offer is not a fit.
Agree what drives the concern and compare at least two honest options, including keeping the original scope.
The situation
In this fictional brief, important product pages attract poorly matched searches. The buyer wants a prioritised set of pages and search tasks tied to the offer. Your offer is a technical and content opportunity audit, but you must first establish whether its scope addresses the actual need.
A relevant delivery constraint is that the development team can implement only a few changes this month. Treat that as a fact in the exercise; do not remove it to make the sale easier.
| Your counterpart | a business owner with traffic but few enquiries |
|---|---|
| Offer under discussion | a technical and content opportunity audit |
| Evidence available | a sample audit entry connecting a query, page issue, proposed fix and measurement |
| Terms to clarify | Agree implementation ownership, reporting periods and what is outside scope. |
How to approach price objection handling
A useful question for this stage: “If the price stayed the same, which part of the proposal would still feel uncertain?” Ask it when the conversation creates a reason for it, rather than reciting every question in order.
- Acknowledge the concern. Identify the comparison and the decision criterion. Make the scope visible before discussing alternatives.
- Ground the discussion in the buyer’s work. Ask: “Which enquiries should organic search bring, and which should it avoid?” Listen for a concrete example before making a claim.
- Use evidence relevant to the decision: a sample audit entry connecting a query, page issue, proposed fix and measurement. Explain what it demonstrates and what remains unverified.
- Agree what drives the concern and compare at least two honest options, including keeping the original scope.
An industry-specific concern
Buyer: “Can you put us first on Google next month?”
Possible response: “We cannot guarantee positions. We can establish the baseline, fix the highest-impact issues and measure relevant visibility and enquiries over time.”
Why this response helps: it acknowledges the concern, brings the discussion back to a verifiable requirement and leaves room for a different decision. Adapt the wording to what the buyer actually said.
Run the practice
- Prepare for two minutes. One person takes the seller role and one plays a business owner with traffic but few enquiries. Read the offer and constraint separately from your preferred answer.
- Have a five-minute conversation focused on identify whether the concern is affordability, comparison, confidence or scope before discussing a concession. The buyer should answer consistently with the brief and ask for evidence when a claim is vague.
- Add this challenge: The buyer asks for an immediate percentage discount. You can change scope or timing, but you cannot invent margin or authority.
- Pause for feedback. Quote one useful question and one missed opportunity. Repeat the difficult exchange using a different response.
- Finish by writing the actual agreement. A sensible option, when it fits, is to audit one product section and implement a small agreed set of fixes. A clear decision to pause is also a useful outcome.
What to avoid
| Common mistake | Offering a discount before discovering what the buyer is worried about. |
|---|---|
| A stronger direction | Let us check whether we are comparing the same scope and responsibilities first. |
| Scope and claim boundary | Do not invent search volumes, positions or guaranteed indexing dates. |
| What to measure in real work | qualified organic enquiries, separated from brand and support traffic. Establish a baseline and definition before interpreting a change. |
An example conversation
When you say the price is too high, what are you comparing it with?
Our concern is that important product pages attract poorly matched searches. Also, the development team can implement only a few changes this month.
Which enquiries should organic search bring, and which should it avoid?
Can you put us first on Google next month?
We cannot guarantee positions. We can establish the baseline, fix the highest-impact issues and measure relevant visibility and enquiries over time.
If the price stayed the same, which part of the proposal would still feel uncertain?
Your working sheet.
Make the exercise your own. Notes are saved in this browser when storage is available. Download a copy to keep; avoid confidential information on a shared device.
Example: important product pages attract poorly matched searches; the development team can implement only a few changes this month.
Example: If the price stayed the same, which part of the proposal would still feel uncertain? Industry question: Which enquiries should organic search bring, and which should it avoid?
Example: a sample audit entry connecting a query, page issue, proposed fix and measurement. Do not invent search volumes, positions or guaranteed indexing dates.
Example: Propose a clear next step, such as: audit one product section and implement a small agreed set of fixes. Confirm the owner and date.
Review your work
This is a reflection checklist, not an automated assessment.
Questions
Who is this seo agencies exercise for?+
Can I use the example as a script?+
How should I assess the result?+
Fictional training scenario. The dialogue illustrates response choices; it is not a customer testimonial or a record of a real sale.
Explore more sales resourcesTake the conversation further.
Read a practical guide to structuring your sales practice, or explore the current London sales masterclass.
Plan your sales practiceExplore Jordan Belfort in London