Wouldn't THIS be amazing...

You just got off a discovery call with a dreamy prospect who has a podcast in the top 1 percent of Apple rankings, a LinkedIn following the size of a small city, and friends in every corner of your niche.

Your internal monologue sounds something like this:

“I have GOT to land this client. I'll just cut my fee in half and overdeliver. They'll highlight me on the podcast. The referrals will pour in. My pipeline will literally explode.”

We've all played out some version of this la la land fantasy.

In our minds, the script ends with champagne toasts, amazing testimonials, and our Calendly melting down under the weight of all the new inbound leads.

We believe that a lower price is the fast lane to exposure and credibility.

Sweet summer child.

That scenario is marketing folklore.

Here's the real sequence that unfolds most of the time:

1. The prospect sees the relatively low fee and immediately ranks you below other providers. They may still hire you, but the relationship begins on shaky ground because they assume you are the budget option.

2. You promise premium service at a bargain price, then run headfirst into financial physics. A smaller fee stretches your bandwidth. You work longer hours or cut corners to keep margins intact. Either way, your “A-game” becomes mid.

3. Both sides start accumulating resentment. You feel underpaid. They sense you're holding back. Nobody says it out loud, yet the tension builds.

4. The promised referrals finally come, and they want the same discount. They were primed by the anchor you set, so they show up expecting filet mignon at drive-through prices. When you quote full fare, they balk.

That spiral ends with burned energy, sub-standard margins, and a reputation for being “the cheap option.”

Hard pass.

Price is a Signal, Not a Sales Gimmick

Behavioral economists call it price–quality inference.

Humans, consciously or not, use price as a proxy for value. When you discount without a strategic reason (early-bird offer, volume commitment, or clear upsell path), you broadcast one of two messages:

“We must not be that good.” 
“We are desperate.”

Neither narrative helps you win high-caliber clients.

Several years ago, I sat across from a CEO who ran a nine-figure service company. After laying out our process and touting how amazing we are, I quoted our entry-level engagement.

He literally laughed.

He said, “Michael, if your firm were really the best, you would charge at least five times that number.”

There was no coming back from that first impression. I had already anchored too low.

You do not need a PhD in psychology to see how powerful that anchor is.

Once someone decides you are “budget,” it is almost impossible to change their mind no matter how many buzzwords, graphs, and swagger you add later.

Your price plants the flag. 

Exposure Is Not a Currency Your Firm Can Spend

Every invoice you discount is money you will have to earn back somewhere else. Exposure does not pay payroll.

The moment you are tempted to label a discount as a marketing expense, pause and check the math. How many paying clients will you have to land from those referrals to recoup the revenue you just sacrificed?

Spoiler: the answer is usually “far more than you think,” especially when every new lead expects the same sweet, sweet discount.

Great Clients Want to Pay Full Price

The most profitable, enjoyable, and influential clients are in the market for results, not bargains.

They respect professionals who know their worth and are willing to walk away rather than cave. When you set your price according to actual value, three things happen: 

1. You stay profitable enough to perform at your peak. More time for strategy, deeper insights, faster turnaround. That's the stuff that earns referrals.

2. The client feels confident that they hired a pro. High pricing, matched with high competence and high results, reinforces their buying decision. Nobody brags about hiring the cheapest surgeon.

3. Referrals arrive pre-qualified. Because your client already told their peers what they paid and why it was worth it, the next lead walks in expecting to invest at that level.

A quick note: valuing yourself does not mean gouging. The price is fairly based on the transformation you deliver. If your work reliably moves the needle for a business by raising profit, freeing up cash, or accelerating growth, charging a premium is not arrogance; it is math. 

How to Ask for Testimonials Without Discounting

You might ask, “If I stop dangling my discounts, how do I motivate clients to give testimonials?”

Easy. Make it part of the standard engagement roadmap. 

1. Set expectations early. During onboarding, let them know that when you hit key milestones, you will ask for feedback and a public testimonial. Take the fear factor out by mentioning it up front.

2. Guide, don’t script. Provide an outline: problem, solution, measurable result, emotional payoff. Clients appreciate a structure; it lowers the friction of writing something glowing.

3. Make recording effortless. Offer options: a quick Loom video, four bullet points by email, a LinkedIn recommendation. Remove the hurdles.

4. Celebrate their success story. Share the testimonial on your site, socials, and newsletter, tagging or linking back to them. Your client gets visibility, you get social proof, and everyone looks like a winner.

Notice what never appeared in that process: a coupon code or a half-price invoice. 

What About Strategic Discounts?

There are rare times when a reduction makes strategic sense, but treat them like a surgeon treats anesthesia: precise, documented, and sparingly administered.

• Pilot projects with a clear upsell path. A limited scope, short duration, and written agreement on phase two pricing.

• Equity deals. If you accept partial payment in stock, treat the discount as an investment decision, not a marketing ploy.

• Bulk engagements. Multi-unit purchases where volume economics lower your cost to serve. (I have yet to see one of these deals work out in the long run for both parties, but I think there's a world where it could happen.)

Even then, be transparent. Put the full price on the proposal, show the line-item adjustment, and note the reason. That way, nobody confuses the deal with your everyday rate. 

The Professional’s Playbook

To recap, here is the approach that keeps margins strong and reputations stronger:

1. Quote the fee your work truly deserves, every time. 

2. Deliver a transformation so good your client feels lucky to pay it. 

3. Ask for testimonials and referrals as a normal phase of the project, not as a quid pro quo. 

4. Thank them, showcase their success, and keep exceeding expectations.

When you follow that playbook, you attract clients who value excellence and preach your gospel to others.

You sleep better, profit more, and cut resentment out of the relationship entirely. 

Final Word

Discounting your expertise to buy publicity is the Fractional CFO's version of eating junk food: the sugar rush feels great, but the crash comes hard and fast.

Charge a rate that lets you bring world-class energy to every engagement. Perform like a professional.

Collect referrals as a by-product of outstanding work, not as payment for slashing your price.

Your clients do not want cheap.
They want results.
Price accordingly.