| Quick Answer: When a prospect asks “what do you charge?” in a LinkedIn DM, do not dodge it or blurt a number with no context. Acknowledge the question, give a helpful range or starting point to respect their time, and gently move to a quick conversation to understand their needs before quoting precisely. This balances transparency with the context a considered B2B price requires — keeping trust and the deal intact. |
“What do you charge?” is one of the trickiest moments in a LinkedIn conversation. Answer with a flat number and you risk pricing yourself out before showing your value; dodge the question entirely and you look evasive and erode trust. Both extremes kill deals. The skill is to handle pricing in a way that is transparent, respectful of the buyer’s time, and structured so that value comes before the precise number. Here is how to navigate it.
Why is the pricing question so tricky?
Pricing in B2B usually depends on scope, and a precise number out of context can mislead in either direction — scaring off a good fit or underpricing a complex job. But buyers ask because they have a real need to qualify you on budget, and ignoring that need feels evasive. The tension is between giving a useful answer and giving an accurate one. Handle it badly and you lose trust or the deal; handle it well and you build both.
Should I just dodge the question?
No. Refusing to give any indication of price — “it depends, let’s hop on a call” with nothing else — frustrates buyers and signals you might be hiding something or about to oversell. Many people simply want to know if you are in their ballpark before investing time. Dodging entirely disrespects that. Transparency builds trust, so you should always give them something useful, even if it is a range rather than an exact figure.
Should I just send a number?
Also no, not without context. A bare number, with no understanding of their needs and no framing of value, invites a snap judgment based on price alone. The prospect cannot weigh it against the outcome you deliver because you have not established that outcome yet. A naked figure also strips out the nuance of scope. The goal is to give a helpful indication while ensuring value and fit are part of the conversation before any precise quote.
What is the right way to respond?
Balance transparency with context. A strong response does three things:
- Acknowledge the question directly, so you are not evasive.
- Give a useful range or starting point to respect their time and qualify fit.
- Invite a short conversation to tailor a precise quote to their needs.
For example: “Most engagements like this start around [range], depending on scope — happy to give you an exact figure once I understand your situation. Open to a quick call?”
How do I use the price question to qualify the lead?
The pricing question is also a qualifying opportunity. By sharing a starting range, you quickly filter out prospects who were never in your budget bracket, saving everyone time. Those who remain engaged after hearing a ballpark are genuinely viable. Then the conversation you propose lets you understand their needs, demonstrate value, and quote accurately. Used this way, the price question becomes a useful checkpoint rather than a threat — it sorts serious buyers from tyre-kickers early.
How do I keep the value front and centre?
Whenever price comes up, anchor it to outcomes. Briefly reframe around what the buyer gets — the result, the time saved, the revenue gained — so the number sits in the context of value, not cost. A price feels expensive in a vacuum and reasonable next to the outcome it delivers. Because LinkedIn is the leading channel for B2B lead generation, per Sprout Social, the conversations you have there are often high-value — all the more reason to frame price around the return it produces.
Should I publish my prices publicly or keep them for conversations?
There is no single right answer — it depends on your offer and strategy. Publishing prices or clear starting ranges on your website works well for productised or lower-complexity services, because it qualifies buyers before they ever reach out and saves everyone time. For bespoke, high-value, or scope-dependent work, keeping precise pricing to conversations is often wiser, because the number genuinely depends on the buyer’s situation and is best framed alongside value. A useful middle ground is to publish a “starting from” figure or a typical range publicly, giving buyers enough to self-qualify while reserving the exact quote for a conversation where you can establish fit and value. Whatever you choose, the principle is the same as handling the question in a DM: avoid total opacity, which frustrates buyers, and avoid a context-free number, which invites snap judgments. Give enough to qualify, and reserve precision for where value can be established.
How can an agency handle these conversations for me?
Handling pricing, qualifying, and converting DM conversations well — consistently and in your voice — is a real skill. Attention Grabbers manages outreach conversations and moves qualified prospects toward calls as part of our LinkedIn lead generation service. To handle pricing questions in a way that protects both trust and the deal, book a call with our team.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I share my prices in LinkedIn DMs?
Give a useful range or starting point rather than dodging or quoting a bare exact number. Transparency builds trust; context protects the deal.
What if I quote and they disappear?
A range filters out non-fits early, which is useful. For those who stay, frame the precise price around value in a short conversation.
Is it bad to say “it depends”?
Only if you stop there. “It depends, and here’s a typical range” is helpful; a bare “it depends” feels evasive.
How do I avoid being judged on price alone?
Anchor the number to outcomes and fit, ideally in a conversation, so value is established alongside the figure.
Can the price question help me?
Yes. A ballpark qualifies leads quickly, filtering out those outside your budget bracket and surfacing serious buyers.
Key takeaways
- Don’t dodge the pricing question and don’t blurt a context-free number.
- Acknowledge it, give a useful range, then propose a short call to quote precisely.
- Use the ballpark to qualify fit and filter out non-buyers early.
- Always anchor price to the outcome and value the buyer receives.