Talk About Money First!
Summary
Talk about budget before anything else—it's the primary disqualifier that saves everyone time. A luxury consultant demonstrates how saying no to misaligned clients (like those requiring 6-person approval for a $1K engagement) actually protects both parties and maintains project quality.
Key Takeaways
- Lead with budget constraints in client conversations; if finances don't align, there's no point discussing services. Money is a hard filter that eliminates incompatible partnerships early.
- Identify decision-maker authority upfront. If multiple stakeholders must approve, budget multiplies 10x due to complexity. Single decision-makers enable faster, higher-quality outcomes.
- Walk away from misaligned clients confidently. A $1K budget requiring 6-person consensus signals poor project fit—protecting your time and ensuring client success requires boundary-setting.
- Charge premium rates ($3K-$10K range) for luxury consulting, but only to buyers with clear vision and solo decision authority. Service quality depends on client alignment, not just price.
- Use discovery calls to qualify, not pitch. Establishing budget, decision-making structure, and expectations first prevents wasted meetings and misaligned projects.
Related topics
Transcript Excerpt
Just talk about money first. Talk about money because money is the disqualifier. If I don't have enough or it's too much, we're not working together. You don't need to tell me any more about anything. You want to have you ever worked with a luxury consultant before? >> No. >> Great. I'm glad to hear that. Just before we get started, I need to let you know about a budget because it becomes a sticky issue with some clients. Is it okay if I tell you about this first? >> Yes. >> Wonderful. To work with me, it's going to be anywhere between 3,000 to maybe $1,000. >> What could you do for me for that price? Well, I'd love to talk to you about that, but I just want to make sure with you. You're okay with spending roughly a thousand? >> I need to speak to my team about it. >> You need to speak to …