price_objection_response_email
Generate a professional email responding to a client's price objection. Choose from three routes: hold your rate, offer an alternative scope, or politely walk away.
Instructions
Write the email you send when a client pushes back on your price — 'can you do it cheaper?', 'we only have X budget', 'that's more than we expected'. Distinct from discount_request_response (which handles a specific ask for a discount — this covers any form of price objection, including vague pushback, sticker shock, and budget gaps) and budget_negotiation_email (which opens a negotiation — this responds to one already in progress). Three routes: hold_rate (defend your rate and the value behind it without apologising — default; works when you're confident in your price and the client is worth keeping on your terms), alternative (offer a reduced scope or phased approach that fits their budget — works when you want the work and can genuinely deliver something smaller), walk_away (decline clearly and warmly — works when the budget gap is too large or the engagement wouldn't be worthwhile at their number). Required: client_name, objection_summary (what they said — e.g. 'said the rate is too high', 'mentioned they only have $2k', 'asked if we can do it for less'). Optional: your_rate (your quoted rate or total — e.g. '$150/hr', '$4,500 fixed'; helps make the hold_rate response specific), their_budget (what they said they have — e.g. '$2,000', 'under $3k'), project_name, alternative_scope (for alternative route — the specific smaller version you'd offer, e.g. 'strategy and wireframes only, no build', 'phase 1 homepage only'), route ('hold_rate' | 'alternative' | 'walk_away' — default hold_rate), your_name. Does not count against your monthly draft limit.
Input Schema
| Name | Required | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|---|
| client_name | Yes | First name or full name of the client | |
| objection_summary | Yes | What they said — e.g. 'said the rate is too high', 'mentioned they only have $2k', 'asked if we can do it for less'. Keeps the response specific and grounded. | |
| your_rate | No | Optional: your quoted rate or total — e.g. '$150/hr', '$4,500 fixed'. Helps the hold_rate response name the number directly rather than referring to it vaguely. | |
| their_budget | No | Optional: what they said they have — e.g. '$2,000', 'under $3k'. Used in alternative and walk_away routes to acknowledge the gap without making the client feel judged. | |
| project_name | No | Optional: the project name or short description — e.g. 'the brand identity project', 'your website redesign'. Adds context to the email. | |
| alternative_scope | No | For alternative route only: the specific smaller version you'd offer — e.g. 'strategy and wireframes only, no build', 'phase 1: homepage and contact page only', 'a 5-page site instead of 10'. Be concrete; vague alternatives feel evasive. | |
| route | No | hold_rate (default): defend your price and the value behind it — no apology, no discount. alternative: offer a genuinely smaller scope at their budget — only use when you can actually deliver something worthwhile at that number. walk_away: decline graciously — use when the gap is too large or the engagement wouldn't be worth it at their number. | |
| your_name | No | Optional: your name for the sign-off |