Discovery Calls: Addressing Price Concerns

When a prospect raises fee concerns during a discovery call, it's a signal they're engaged but need more clarity on value. The advisors who navigate this moment successfully understand that price objections during discovery aren't rejections—they're invitations to demonstrate how your services connect to their specific financial goals and deliver measurable outcomes.

Why This Happens

Discovery calls reveal gaps in understanding. Prospects bring up fees because they're comparing you to lower-cost alternatives, they don't yet see how your approach differs from a robo-advisor or DIY investing, or they're testing whether you'll negotiate. The objection often masks deeper concerns about whether professional advice is worth the investment for their situation.

The Psychology Behind the Objection

Anchoring bias plays a role—if prospects have researched low-fee index funds or discount brokers, they anchor to those numbers and perceive your fees as high by comparison. Loss aversion amplifies this: they focus on the cost they'll pay rather than the value they'll gain. Your role is to reframe the conversation from fee percentage to net outcomes, showing how strategic financial guidance protects and grows their wealth in ways passive investing cannot.

How to Handle It

Don't defend your fees or immediately offer a discount. Instead, explore what's driving the concern: are they comparing to a specific alternative, unclear on what's included, or worried about affordability? Listen for the real issue. Then connect your fee structure to their goals—whether that's retirement planning, tax optimization, or legacy building. Use concrete examples of how your approach has delivered value for similar clients. Frame fees as an investment in outcomes, not a cost to minimize.

Example Script You Can Use

Key Takeaway

Price objections during discovery calls are opportunities to deepen the conversation, not end it. When you shift from defending fees to connecting your services with their specific goals and demonstrating measurable value, you turn skepticism into confidence. The best advisors don't compete on price—they prove why their expertise is the smartest investment a client can make.