AI Business › Resources › 2026-10-19
The first message is often just "how much?" and the instinct is to answer it. But a price with no context is a number floating in the air — too high and they vanish, too low and you've capped yourself for a job you haven't even scoped. You are not refusing to answer; you are refusing to answer badly. The goal is to get to a number that fits the real work, in as few exchanges as possible.
This pairs with Lesson 8 (set a price you don't apologize for) and handling "too expensive" (after you've named it). This guide is the moment before the number.
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Never say "it depends" alone — that's a non-answer that frustrates. Always pair a range with one question. The range respects their time; the question earns your right to quote properly.
| They say | You reply |
|---|---|
| "How much for a website?" | "Projects like that usually run between ₦X and Y depending on pages and features. So I can give you an exact figure — how many pages are you thinking, and do you have the content ready?" |
| "Price?" (one word) | "Happy to — it depends on scope, so give me two details and I'll send a firm number today, not a guess. What's the main job you need it to do?" |
| "Just tell me your starting price" | "My starting point is ₦X for [the smallest real version]. Most clients land a bit above that once we scope it properly — shall I size it to you?" |
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A single number anchors the whole conversation to one figure. A range tells them you're experienced enough to know jobs differ, and it keeps the final quote defensible: you land inside the range you already showed, so it never feels like a surprise or a hike. And the question you attach does the qualifying — if they won't answer two simple questions, they were probably not serious, and you just saved yourself a free consultation.
← All guides · Lesson 8: pricing without apologizing · Is this person even worth quoting?