To be or not to be upfront with your prices...that is the question

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Permalink Reply by John R. Brochu on November 16, 2008 at 10:57am

Bonnie:

If you answer the price question without building rapport it will encourage a buy on price scenario. Ask yourself this question. If the only piece of information that a potential client has is your price, what is deciding factor in choosing between you and the other six practitioners.

Do you think that your chances of booking more sessions would increase if you modeled the behavior of the other local hypnotherapists?

Yours in Health,
John Brochu
BrochuHypnosisCenter.com

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Permalink Reply by Fable Goodman on November 16, 2008 at 11:03am

I agree with Conrad,

When people ring up and ask about a price. If you simply answer that qestion you have shortchanged them.

I always tell them how much I charge for a session. but towards the end of the conversation. There are more important bits of information that need to be passed on first.

If someone for instance rings up and says " how much would it cost for me to come and see you for stopping smoking?"
I might say something like:

" Well perhaps, I can explain a few points to you, including answering that question, and then you can decide what you want to do."
when they say yes to that. I then explain, that:

" the most important thing is that you make your own clear committed decision to be a non smoker, and if that is what you decide to do, then hypnosis can help to make it a lot easier... the way I work, usually one session of treatment is all that is neccesary for that, and that session takes about an hour and a half. so when you come to see me, you will be here for about an hour and a half, and at the end of the session I will also be giving you a CD recording to listen to each day for two weeks afterwards. with this, and the work we have done in the session, most people find it gives them all the help they need... and the fees I charge for that are £60. that's a few things to think about, is there anything else I can tell you?"

Now the cost of the session is in context of the work we will be doing, and means something.

Hope this is helpfull.

LOve and hugs,

Fable

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Permalink Reply by Richard Nongard - NLPBoard.com on November 16, 2008 at 11:25am

I put my prices on the wesbite and tell them on the phone. I never do free consults. I only want people who want to pay me, and I only want people who want to pay the fee I charge... and I collect it upfront before the first session.

I also don;t trade dollars for hours. I sell solutions. You can see my website and my programs and prices at www.TulsaHypnosis.com

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Permalink Reply by Wizardoftrance on November 16, 2008 at 12:13pm

I totally agree with you Richard. If they want to price shop, let them. I also deal in solutions and I guarantee the results for a year. The solution has to be worth the price to them. If it is, then you have a customer.

I use the following metaphor when talking price with a client, particularly if it is a smoker:

"If I gave you a pen with my name on it for free, and it developed problems, what would you do with the pen?"
"Now if you paid $250 for a pen with your own name on it, and it developed problems but was guaranteed, what would you do?

"I deal in helping people solve problems and/or achieve goals, and that's what I charge for. How much is your solution worth to you, when it is guaranteed that you will achieve it?"

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Permalink Reply by chris john on November 16, 2008 at 1:49pm

and that takes us back to another forum question about guarantee's.

to be honest, your gonna find in general everyone who calls you
will of called someone else before, and no doubt after before they commit.
you just gotta put your persuasive cap on when talking.

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Permalink Reply by Stephen Gruber - www. ask-the-hypnotist.com on November 16, 2008 at 4:00pm

I always tell people what I charge on the phone and do not offer any free sessions.

I do not want to have to deal with "tire kickers". People I think appreciate this.

However, I do agree with the point about building a relationship first (I have rarely had someone ask first about price). I just say "will you tell me a little about the issue you want to work on" or "may I ask you a few questions about **** and then I will be happy to tell you how hypnosis may nor may not be able to help."

Price is usually the last point of discussion and often I have to bring it up. And I always do so that their are no surprises for them when they get to the office.
Stephen

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Permalink Reply by Roger Moore on November 16, 2008 at 6:08pm

I build the rapport and tell them what I charge per session. I know when I am considering something for myself, I want to know about what it will cost. No point in wasting my time or the professionals if I don't want to pay that much - if they won't give me an idea on the approximate cost I move on to some one who will.

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Permalink Reply by James Hazlerig on November 16, 2008 at 7:37pm

I have my prices on my website, and when someone asks, I tell them--though I might first say, "Let's discuss what you want to improve in your life before we talk about the cost." However, I don't like it when I ask someone how much something asks and they get squirrelly on me. It destroys rapport for me. I don't like sales pitches that go on and on without telling me the price. I'd rather hear that a session costs this much and here's why that's a great deal, so that I can evaluate it myself.

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Permalink Reply by Bonnie Robinson on November 17, 2008 at 10:29am

James I'm with you on this one. There is nothing that turns me off faster then someone beating-around-the-bush when I ask them a question. If I ask what they charge I want to know that, if they won't answer that then I don't want to talk to them. Don't get me wrong I'll let them explain why it's worth it but when I ask a question that is what I want the answer to whether it be price, why something is the way it is, why someone did something they did.

Time shares calls are a perfect example of this kind of thing.

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Permalink Reply by James Malone on November 17, 2008 at 12:05pm

I post my fees clearly on my website. With a prospective client I will gladly answer that question over the phone, however I prefer to not answer that first. Some phone tactics I have found helpful:

-I rarely answer the phone directly (I am usually too busy to do so anyway). I'd rather do the call back since the person who makes the call controls it.

-When I call back I ask the person if I have reached them at a good time and if so, what are they interested in working with. This gives me a chance to do a quick assessment as to whether they are an appropriate match for my services. It also builds rapport.

-I make sure I cover all the basic pre-talk questions on the phone consult (a basic definition of hypnosis, no loss of control, they can't get stuck, most people can be hypnotized, etc) and perhaps share a representative case story of situation similar to theirs. You have to build rapport and expectation on the phone or the chances greatly increase that you will get a no-show.

-Then I discuss the specifics of what they want to work and the fees and likely number of visits that will be needed and then ask if they would like to set an appointment. If not, I ask for a mailing address so I can send them literature from time to time.

The person who only asks "how much?" doesn't know what to ask! They probably saw an ad for a traveling hypnosis program for weight or smoking that is only $39.95 and that is all they have to compare with. And they probably assume that hypnosis involves sleep, loss of control, etc. If you just answer directly "$100" (or whatever you charge) they probably will just hang up and you've done them a disservice too if they really could have benefitted from your serivces. The rapport and education process begins on the phone.

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Permalink Reply by Jason Shoup on November 19, 2008 at 3:11pm

I think it's a bad approach to be coy about your prices. Be up front with it. As a consumer, I personally can't stand it when I ask a direct question about something and the seller skirts around the issue or avoids it. If they can't tell me what I'm looking for, they've just lost a customer.

By the way, I think I know why most of the hypnotherapists didn't answer their phones. I had something similar happen here in L.A. when I called several listings, trying to gauge the competion, and most didn't answer except for their voicemail.

It's probably because most of them are working out of their homes on a very part time basis, not acting as professional hypnotherapists in a real office.
The few people I DID get through to would say "Hello?" not even identifying their business.
When I asked "Excuse me, is this the hypnotherapy place?" there would be a pause, and then they'd say "OH! Yeah, this is it."
Only one person came across as sounding legitimate or professional.

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Permalink Reply by Robert Dodge on November 19, 2008 at 3:31pm

I have to agree you must be upfront with your prices if asked by a prospective client, most of my clients come to me as a result of ringing around and getting a answerphone message or a broken promise of being called back within 24 hours.
I try to ensure that every call is taken personally if not by me by another member of my family who can take the details as I am sure like me you have experienced times when you are told something like the following " I am busy with a client at the moment but your call is really important to me and I will call you back as soon as I can " or something similar - how often are you called within 24 hours?

A phrase I heard which really explains this situation is "Another Day Older is Another Day Colder"
(This was from my mentor Peter Thomson)

As we know this business is about building rapport and how bad is that if you cannot be bothered to call someone back - how would you feel?

Back to upfront pricing I charge a lot higher than most therapists in my area however each prospective client has a financial threshold they can go to and I personally feel that I am here to help THEM and sometimes a lower rate will be negociated if I feel that its necessary.
I would rather have a happy client who talks about my understanding nature and success with them and can get me referrals than a one time high priced client who never tells anyone.

Finally - your business should have a telephone number that is only linked to that - " Your Business " so when that phone rings (Even if you are a part time therapist) you answer with a professional introduction.
If you are in a session most telecom companies offer a way to transfer the call to another number so a real person can answer - there are also companies who offer a personal answering service however these can be quite expensive.
Just a few personal thoughts

Robert

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