Usually my pricing is straightforward and simple. I believe in an understated approach that leaves both me and my clients feeling good about our work together. Sometimes, though, I face a tough negotiator. Salespeople call them "grinders," the ones who wear you down until you crack. You can often tell a grinder in advance, because they talk tough from day-one: "We're on a tight budget, You're going to have to sharpen your pencil, We're going to shop this around," etc.

In this case, I prepared a chart that showed our fees at 200% of the usual. When the grinder asked about price, I showed him the chart. Natuarlly, he pushed back. I immediately began giving small discounts for made-up reasons: You're the kind of company we like doing business with, We really want you to succeed, You're on such a tight budget," etc. After five or six "discounts," we settled on a price that was 20% above our usual fee. When working for overly-demanding clients, I like to be well-paid.