How Financial Advisors Handle Price Objections

When potential clients mention your fees seem high in the first meeting, it's easy to get defensive or launch into a rehearsed value proposition. But price objections in first meetings are rarely about the actual cost—they're about understanding value before trust is established. The way you respond in this moment can either deepen their skepticism or open the door to a real conversation about what truly matters to them.

Why This Happens

Clients bring up fees early because they don't yet understand what you do, the results you deliver, or how you're different from other advisors. They're comparing on price because they lack other criteria to evaluate quality. This isn't a sign of being cheap or difficult—it's a rational response when someone doesn't have enough information to assess value. The objection signals where the conversation needs to go, not where it needs to end.

The Psychology Behind the Objection

Financial decisions trigger loss aversion—the fear of making a costly mistake outweighs the potential gain. When prospects lack information to assess your expertise, price becomes their safety filter. It's a rational response to uncertainty, not a rejection of your worth. Understanding this shift helps you see the objection not as resistance, but as a request for more clarity about what it means to invest in professional financial guidance.

How to Handle It

Don't justify your fees or launch into your value proposition—that only reinforces their focus on cost. Instead, shift to discovery mode. Ask what prompted them to seek financial advice now, what outcomes they're hoping to achieve, and what concerns keep them up at night. Listen for the gap between where they are and where they want to be. Once you understand their situation and goals, you can connect your approach to the specific results they care about. This shifts the conversation from defending cost to exploring whether you're the right fit to help them achieve what matters most.

Example Script You Can Use

Key Takeaway

Price objections in first meetings signal you haven't yet established value or built trust. The solution isn't to defend your fees—it's to shift from talking about cost to exploring the outcomes that matter to them. When you understand their goals first, price becomes a natural part of the fit conversation.