Price is what you pay today. Cost is what you pay over a lifetime. A cheap product with high maintenance costs far more than a premium one that just works.
Price Vs Cost Reframe
Core Principle
Ziglar's Price vs. Cost Reframe shifts the conversation from today's price to the total cost of ownership over time. When the prospect says 'too expensive,' you compare the full cost of their current approach against the full cost of your solution, revealing the premium option is actually cheaper.
Step-by-Step Execution
Example in Action
Prospect: $8,000 for a CRM is too expensive. We can use the free version. You: Compared to what? Let's look at the real cost. The free version requires 10 hours/week of manual data entry from your team. At $30/hour, that's $300/week -- $15,600 a year. Plus you told me you lose about 20% of leads because there's no follow-up automation. At your average deal size of $5,000, that's roughly $50K in lost revenue. So the 'free' CRM is costing you $65,600 a year. Our $8,000 system eliminates both problems. Which would you rather pay -- $8,000 once, or $65,000 every year?
Practice this technique with an AI-powered roleplay scenario.