Proposals: how to flip a 'no' into a 'yes'

One of the biggest mindset shifts I’ve had in business is this:

“No” isn’t the end of the conversation. It’s the beginning of the next one.

Most of us send a proposal, hear a no, and then we walk away second guessing ourselves. We wonder what would have happened if we zigged instead of zagged.

But what if wasn't the end of the conversation? What if no didn't mean “never”— but actually meant: “not like this.”

If you’re willing to get a little creative, a lot of those no’s can be turned into very profitable yes’s.

I just had one of these experiences and here's how we managed to flip it...

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First, present your proposal live

Whenever possible, walk your client through the proposal in a real-time conversation. When you present live, you can watch their face, hear their tone, and read their reaction to the pricing.

After you explain the scope and price, just pause and ask:

“Does this work for you?”

If it’s too high, they’ll tell you.

Now you’re in the real negotiation. And you’ve got a few solid moves.

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Move 1: Adjust the scope to fit their budget

Ask them, “What number would make this a yes?”

Let’s say your proposal is $27,000 and they say they need it to be closer to $20,000. One option is to adjust the scope accordingly. Remove or reduce certain deliverables so the reduced price still makes sense for your business.

What you should never do? Just slash the price without changing the work.

Tip: go into every meeting with an idea of HOW you might alter the scope to achieve a lower price. Remove deliverables, adjust rounds of revision, put limits on meetings or admin... there are tons of ways to cut on costs if you're creative.

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Move 2: Adjust the payment structure

If you're having a hard time adjusting the work, another variable you can tinker with is the payment structure.

Here’s an example I used recently:

Proposal: $27,000 Client’s ideal budget: $20,000

I countered with this:

• $22,000 upfront
• We collect the first $11,000 in revenue generated from our work

So yes, I’m reducing their upfront risk. But I’m also increasing my potential upside.

I’m taking on more risk, so I’m building in the chance for a bigger reward ($22k + $11k = $33k).

This only works if you’re confident in your work—and if you’ve priced your base fee to still cover costs and generate margin. But done right, it can win deals and make you more money.

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Move 3: Apply this to retainer work too

Say your retainer rate is $3,000/month and the client says they can only do $1,500/month.

You say:

“We’ll start at $1,500/month, and once results come in, the first additional $1,500 in performance-based revenue goes to us. After that, we do a 60/40 split.”

So you make yourself whole first, then you both share in the upside.
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A few important caveats:

1. Don’t do this too early in your business. If you’re still figuring out who to trust or how to guarantee results, you’ll want more stability and cash flow up front.
2. Don’t cut your base fee too low. You should still be able to cover your costs and profit even if the performance upside doesn’t hit.
3. Do this when you’re confident in the work. You’ll only want to offer this kind of structure when you believe the project can deliver results and you trust the client to follow through.

These kinds of deals have two big advantages:

First of all, they help you close projects you’d otherwise lose. Instead of walking away from a $20k “no,” you turn it into a win—and possibly even a bigger one than your original proposal.
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Second, and this is arguably the MOST important, they give you more confidence to charge your real price. Because you know if your full proposal doesn’t land, you’ve got structured, strategic ways to downsell without losing the deal.

In short, the next time a client says no, don’t panic. Lean in.

Ask questions. Get creative. There's often a solution there that still works for both of you.

Go find it.

— Shane