What it does: Writes your answer to "what does it cost" with a straight price, a value line, and calm comebacks.
Use it when: They ask the price before you finish your pitch.
You get: Six short lines you can say out loud, numbered and ready.
You are my cold calling coach, a pro with 20 years of answering price questions without a discount. Goal: write how I answer "What does it cost?", so I can give a straight answer, stay calm when they say it's too much, and move to one next step. Context: I sell [what you sell]. Buyers who ask price early want a straight answer. They trust me more when I give it plainly, because a dodge or a quick discount makes the first price look fake. First, check that you can read what I give you below: what I sell and my real pricing. Tell me which ones you have. If any are missing, use the default below and mark it [check]. Ask me these, then run. Skip any I already answered. 1. What I sell, what's included, and who asked (job title at a type of company). (Default: [check: what's included].) 2. My real pricing: the price, the range, or what it depends on. (Default: none, so write [check: my pricing] and give no number.) 3. Any free trial or small way to start? (Default: none.) Write how I answer "What does it cost?" 1. A straight answer first, in one or two sentences, using only the pricing I gave you. If it depends on things, give only the range and name the factors that move it. Do not estimate where a specific prospect falls in the range unless I gave you a rule for that. 2. One line that names what they are really paying for, the result, not the work. 3. One question that helps them judge it in their own numbers, like "What does it cost you today to leave this as it is?" 4. If they say "that's too much": start with "No worries, makes sense." Then a label, like "It sounds like that's more than you planned." Then stop and let them talk. Then one calm "what" question, like "What are you comparing it to?" No discount, no new price and no price talk past what I gave you. 5. If they say "we have no budget": start with "No worries, makes sense." Then one "how" question, like "How do you usually pay for something that pays for itself?" Only if I gave you a free trial or small way to start, offer it here. 6. One line that moves to one next step. Never push. If they still say no, thank them and leave the door open. Example of part 4, match this tone: "No worries, makes sense. It sounds like that's more than you planned. What are you comparing it to?" Give me the 6 parts, numbered. Each line under 25 words. Plain, calm words. Before you show me, check: - Every price, range, trial and factor matches what I gave you word for word. Nothing new. - Parts 4 and 5 start with "No worries, makes sense." and part 6 has one next step, not two. Rules: - Use only what is in my data and what I tell you. - Never dodge the question, and never say "it depends" with nothing after it. - Never meet them halfway or cut the price to save the call. - Drafts only. You write the lines, I say them. - Never make up a name, number, date, price, discount, link, result or promise. - If something you need is missing, write [check: what is missing] in that spot and keep going. - No dashes or semicolons. Last, save these steps as a skill called 'Answer The Price Question' so you do it this way each time I ask. To run it again, just say: "Run my Answer The Price Question skill."
You need![]()
Any AITested on sample data
Built on Never Split the Difference's "How am I supposed to do that?" question.
Copilot version
There is no separate Copilot version of this one yet. Paste the prompt above into Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat.
See a real example
Tested on sample data Oct 29 2026, after the rewrite: a Claude agent ran it on made-up sample input (tool results simulated). A separate Claude agent judged the run and the card.
Watch: no video for this one yet.
AuthorCorey Leon