How to handle price objections as a social media manager
When you've spent time creating a proposal and send it off to a client only to hear the dreaded "no", it hurts. It can be even more hurtful when they follow it up with "you're too expensive".
Let's get one thing out of the way - the chances are, your prices are fine. Unless you're charging $2,000 with no experience for 2 pieces of content, your prices aren't actually the problem.
So what is the problem?
It's most likely how you're selling your services. It is probably down to the fact that you're not selling the value of your work. This could be on your end through the discovery call or it could also be the client themselves don't understand or don't value your services.
The solution to both is the same. You need to pivot your strategy from selling services to selling solutions.
Throughout the discovery call, your social media posts, and any interaction you have with potential clients, you want to tell a story that positions you as a solution to their problem. This highlights your expertise and makes you indispensable to the success of their social media strategies.
You can do this in a few ways:
Break down your methods
When discussing case studies, previous clients, and strategies, you want to highlight how you're different. What approach did you take? How was it different? How was it successful?
Data storytelling
You need to be able to tell stories with data. Your clients may or may not understand data so you need to be able to explain it to them in a way that makes sense to them and aligns social strategy with their business goals.
Explain your strategy approach
This doesn't mean giving it all away for free but you should be explaining how your approach to strategy is different, experienced and creative. You also want to display your ability to create different strategies based on each client. No one wants a cookie cutter solution. You need to show your ability to adapt.
With all this said, you can always respond back to a "you're too expensive" email with a "if you let me know your budget, we can adjust the deliverables to meet in the middle". Never work for what you think isn't fair compensation. If the client doesn't want to pay for the full package, you can always go in and renegotiate by adjusting package inclusions and take services out until it meets their budgets.
