A great pitch is short and it ends with a price.
15 minutes into your pitch. You’re in the zone. Then, someone asks: "Ok, but how much?" And just like that, the energy in the room dies.
We’ve all been there. It happened to me with my very first client at SMADE.
This question is annoying. Not because the client is annoying, but because it reveals a fundamental tension: If you drop a price tag too early, before the value is understood, you risk scaring them off. Especially with a complex product. The price becomes an easy excuse to leave the call saying "sorry I don't have the budget." But if you wait until the 4th call to finally talk numbers, you look like you’re not confident. Your price is the measure of your value. Why hide it?
The real issue isn’t when to show the price, but how to build value before you do.
My take
A great pitch is short and it ends with a price. No useless suspense. Nothing to be ashamed of. It’s a sign of confidence.
Don’t be scared of talking price before the value has been clearly established and understood. Lay the value out. Then let your pricing finish the work and anchor the value.
