How to Talk About Your Prices Without Feeling Awkward

The antique shop's bell chimed softly as Alex stepped inside, escaping the afternoon drizzle. She'd passed this place dozens of times but had never ventured in until today.

The shop was a carefully curated treasure trove. As Alex admired a striking mid-century lamp, the shop owner approached.

"That's one of my favorite pieces," the woman said, introducing herself as Eleanor. "It's from a Danish designer's limited collection in the 1960s."

Alex nodded appreciatively. "It's beautiful. How much is it?"

Without hesitation, Eleanor replied, "It's $1,200. The craftsmanship is exceptional… notice the hand-carved wooden base and the original silk shade. The designer's work from this period typically sells for much more at auction."

Alex was taken aback, not by the price itself, but by Eleanor's confidence… stating it matter-of-factly, followed immediately by context highlighting its value rather than justifying its cost.

"Would you like me to plug it in so you can see how the light diffuses through the shade? It creates the most beautiful ambient glow," Eleanor continued.

As Eleanor demonstrated the lamp, Alex found herself considering the purchase despite it being more than she'd planned to spend. There had been no awkwardness, no apology for the price… just clear communication of value that made the price feel secondary.

Later, preparing for a sales call with a potential coaching client, Alex realized how different her own approach to pricing discussions had been. She typically built up to her rates with lengthy explanations, sometimes even prefaced with phrases like "I know this is an investment" or "My current rate is..." as if apologizing in advance.

She'd been treating price as a potential objection rather than a simple feature of her offer… and in doing so, had likely created the very discomfort she hoped to avoid.

The Price Communication Paradox

The next day at a business workshop, Alex observed fellow entrepreneurs in role-plays and noticed a pattern… those with lower rates typically spent more time explaining their prices than those with premium pricing.

The facilitator explained: "When you explain and justify your prices excessively, you send a signal that you need to defend them… which implies they might not be worth it. This creates the very resistance you're trying to avoid."

At lunch, she shared this realization with a photographer who charged premium rates.

"I used to do the same thing," he admitted. "One day, a mentor watched me nervously build up to my rates and said something I'll never forget: 'Your prices are not an apology. They're the simple cost of getting exceptional results.'"

He explained how this mindset shift transformed his business: "The key was realizing that my discomfort with pricing had nothing to do with the actual numbers and everything to do with my relationship to my own value."

The Three Price Communication Modes

Based on these insights, Alex developed a practical framework:

Mode 1: The Apologist

• Excessive build-up before stating prices

• Immediate justification after sharing rates

• Apologetic tone and body language

• Eagerness to discount or negotiate

Mode 2: The Value Justifier

• Stating prices clearly but immediately justifying

• Extensive explanation of what's included

• Comparison to alternatives or competitors

• Businesslike but slightly defensive tone

Mode 3: The Value Anchor

• Stating prices clearly and confidently

• Focusing first on outcomes and transformation

• Presenting price in the context of value created

• Comfortable with silence after stating rates

The Price Positioning Sequence

The order in which you discuss elements dramatically affects how prices are received:

1. Transformation First

   • Who they'll become

   • What problems will disappear

2. Process Second

   • Your unique approach or methodology

   • The support structures that ensure success

3. Investment Third

   • State the investment clearly and confidently

   • Allow for silence after stating the price

The Confident Price Language Patterns

Instead of: "My program costs $5,000."
Try: "The investment for achieving these results is $5,000."

Instead of: "My current rate is $500 per session."
Try: "The session rate is $500."

Instead of: "I know this is a significant investment..."
Try: "Clients who make this investment typically see [specific result] within [timeframe]."

The Price Confidence Exercise

Step 1: Identify your current mode (analyze your last 3 sales call transcripts)

• Review how you introduced pricing in each call

• Note your exact phrasing, tone shifts, and how much time you spent explaining

• Identify patterns of apology, justification, or confidence

• Compare client reactions to different approaches you may have used

Step 2: Craft your value anchor statement connecting your offer to its value before introducing price

Step 3: Practice the pause (state your price, maintain eye contact, count to five silently)

Step 4: Prepare value-focused responses rather than preparing for "price objections"

Step 5: Conduct daily price desensitization practice (state your rates out loud repeatedly)

From Awkward to Assured

A few weeks later, Alex returned to Eleanor's shop to purchase a small vintage desk lamp.

"This piece is $350," Eleanor stated simply when asked, before adding, "It's from the 1940s, with the original wiring carefully restored. The brass has developed a beautiful patina that can't be replicated in modern reproductions."

As Alex completed her purchase, she mentioned how Eleanor's pricing confidence had inspired changes in her own business.

Eleanor smiled. "Pricing is simply information, not a negotiation starting point or an apology. When you truly believe in the value of what you're offering, stating its price becomes as natural as describing its features."

That perspective captured the essence of Alex's transformation. By shifting how she communicated about her rates, Alex had not only increased her business success but had also liberated herself from unnecessary stress. The awkwardness she'd felt hadn't been inherent to pricing discussions… it had been a reflection of her own uncertainty, which she'd now replaced with genuine confidence in the value she provided.

The most powerful price strategy isn't about finding the perfect number… it's about communicating that number with the perfect blend of clarity, confidence, and value context.

Today’s Mega-Prompt: "Price Confidence Exercise"

Feel uneasy when it’s time to name your price? This prompt helps you fix that… for good.

This mega-prompt guides you step-by-step through analyzing your real sales calls, spotting hesitation patterns, and rebuilding how you talk about pricing with clarity and calm. You’ll walk away with a new price delivery habit that feels grounded, confident, and true to your value.

Paid members get exclusive access to a mega-prompt that delivers:

✔ A simple audit to spot where your pricing talk goes off track
✔ A proven method to link your price to your prospect’s real goals
✔ A powerful 5-second pause technique to stop over-explaining
✔ Daily confidence-building practice so your pricing feels natural
✔ A worksheet you’ll want to use before every sales call