Marketing FAQ of the Day: Should I Lower My Prices To Get More Customers?

Marketing FAQ of the Day

Short answer: NO.

Competing on price erodes margin, trains your market to wait for discounts, and puts you on a treadmill you can’t outrun. If you want to grow, compete on value. The buyer isn’t hunting for the cheapest. They’re hunting for the safest choice that solves the problem with the least risk.

Why Price Cuts Backfire

✅ Lower prices shrink profit, which kills your ability to invest in quality, speed, and service.

✅ Discounts attract bargain hunters who leave as soon as someone goes cheaper.

✅ Price becomes the story when your offer and proof should be the story.

If you’re the cheapest, you’re saying your only edge is cost. That’s a weak position.

What Buyers Actually Buy

Customers buy confidence. Your job is to make the decision feel obvious and safe.

✅ Clear outcomes they can visualize.

✅ Social proof that reduces risk.

✅ Process clarity so they know exactly what happens next.

✅ Guarantees that remove fear of a bad decision.

✅ Packaging that frames value, not just time and materials.

How To Compete On Value Instead

1) Use Good, Better, Best Packaging

Give customers control without forcing a yes or no. Let them choose how they win.

Example for a home exterior cleaning company

Good: Standard House Wash

✅ Soft wash on siding up to 2 stories

✅ Rinse of soffits and fascia

✅ Basic window rinse

✅ 14-day workmanship guarantee

Better: Complete Curb Appeal Package

✅ All Standard services

✅ Gutter face brighten

✅ Exterior window cleaning

✅ Front walk and entryway cleaning

✅ Priority scheduling

✅ 30-day workmanship guarantee

Best: Premium Protection Package

✅ All Complete services.

✅ Driveway and patios.

✅ Post-clean glass detail.

✅ Plant and landscaping protection plan.

✅ Text and photo job updates.

✅ 90-day workmanship guarantee.

Notice what happened. You framed the buying decision around outcomes, speed, and experience, not just “a wash.”

2) Stack Proof

Make proof the headline, not the afterthought.

✅ Before and after photos with the exact service name.

✅ Short video testimonials explaining the original problem, your process, and the outcome.

✅ Review badges and star ratings near your call to action.

✅ Mini case studies with numbers, time saved, and the customer’s quote.

3) Lead With Outcomes, Then Price

Price sits beside value, never in front of it.

Example script

“Based on the staining and oxidation on the north side, the Complete Curb Appeal Package is the right fit. It restores the siding, brightens the gutters, cleans the glass, and gets the entryway looking new. Most homes like yours see a visible lift in under three hours, and you’re backed by our 30-day guarantee. That package is 549. If you want the driveway and patio included plus glass detail and text updates, the Premium is 899.”

You gave a recommendation, tied it to their problem, named outcomes, and anchored the premium.

4) Remove Risk

If it feels risky, price becomes the argument.

Remove the risk.

✅ Clear guarantee with simple language.

✅ “We’ll make it right” policy written on the estimate.

✅ Photo and text updates during the job.

✅ Post-service follow-up with a single-click review link.

5) Use Anchoring To Frame Price Correctly

Most people have no idea what your service should cost. Anchor their thinking.

✅ Lead with the premium package first to establish the ceiling.

✅ Present the recommended mid-tier second to feel like a smart move.

✅ Offer the entry tier last for budget sensitivity without discounting.

6) Add Value Instead Of Dropping Price

If someone asks for a discount, upgrade the experience.

✅ Include faster scheduling.

✅ Add a small but meaningful add-on.

✅ Extend the guarantee window.

✅ Offer a maintenance plan that lowers lifetime cost without cutting today’s price.

Example response

“I don’t discount that package, but I can move you to Thursday morning and include our glass detail. That way you get the results you want and we keep the quality standard we’re known for.”

7) Do The ROI Math With Them

Make the “why now” obvious.

Residential example

“Curb appeal increases perceived home value and speeds up sale timelines. Our average exterior refresh adds the visual equivalent of a few thousand in perceived value for under a thousand in cost. Even if you’re not selling, it protects surfaces and prevents more expensive repairs.”

Commercial example

“Slip-and-fall claims average several thousand dollars. A recurring walkway treatment reduces that risk and keeps you within compliance. One avoided incident pays for your annual maintenance.”

When A Discount Makes Sense

Be strategic and intentional. Never reactive.

✅ Prepay or bundle discounts tied to contract value.

✅ Off-peak scheduling incentives to fill your calendar.

✅ Seasonal maintenance plans that lock in recurring revenue.

✅ Referral credits issued after a paid job closes.

These protect margin and drive the behaviors you want.

Tighten Your Sales Conversation

Use this flow on every estimate.

✅ Diagnose the real problem in their words.

✅ Recommend one package confidently.

✅ Anchor with the premium, present the recommended package, then the entry.

✅ Tie each feature to an outcome they care about.

✅ State price once, then pivot to scheduling.

✅ Offer one value add if needed, not a discount.

✅ Close with a clear next step and a simple guarantee.

Micro-script

“Given what I’m seeing, I recommend the Complete Curb Appeal Package. It solves the oxidation on the north wall, brightens your gutters, and gets the glass right so the whole front reads clean from the street. Premium adds driveway and patio if you want the full reset. Complete is 549, Premium is 899. I can hold Thursday or Saturday morning. What works best?”

Common Pitfalls To Avoid

✅ Listing tasks instead of outcomes.

✅ Throwing three prices with no recommendation.

✅ Letting the customer lead the scope.

✅ Apologizing for your pricing.

✅ Quoting by the hour instead of by the result.

Quick Action Checklist

Use this to upgrade your next 10 quotes.

✅ Build Good, Better, Best packages with named outcomes.

✅ Add three proof assets to each package.

✅ Write a one-sentence guarantee that a fifth-grader understands.

✅ Create two upgrade-instead-of-discount responses.

✅ Train your team on the micro-script and role-play it.

✅ Track close rate and average ticket by package.

The Bottom Line

Price is a story. Tell a better one. Lead with outcomes, package like a pro, remove risk, and back it up with proof. When you do that, you’ll close at healthy margins and attract customers who care about quality, not coupons.