The £14.4 Million Question: Are You Using The Contrast Principle?

Peter Thomson

21d • General discussion

When you quote your fees, what do your clients compare them to?

❌ What they expected to pay?

❌ What a competitor charges?

❌ What they've paid before?

If it's any of these... you're probably losing.

Let me share the single most powerful idea I've learned in 50+ years for positioning fees. I call it The Contrast Principle.

Here's the problem:

"Without contrast, everything sounds expensive, or cheap, and we don't know which one it is."

When you quote a fee without context, the prospect has nothing meaningful to compare it to.

So they default to their expectations.

And in that comparison, you often lose.

The solution:

We sell price based on the CONTRAST between:

→ The financial and emotional impact of the PROBLEM

→ Compared to the price of (or investment in) our SOLUTION

Let me give you a real example...

Years ago, I was discussing training for a company's 300-strong sales team.

Here's how the conversation went:

Me: "How many salespeople do you have?" Client: "300."

Me: "What might you be losing in sales per person per month?

Would that be £10,000, £1,000, or £2,000?" Client: "At least £2,000 a month."

Me: "How long has this been going on? Five years, one year, two years?" Client: "Probably about two years."

Me: "Let's look at what that's cost you..."

→ 300 salespeople × £2,000/month = £600,000/month

→ £600,000 × 12 months = £7.2 million/year

→ £7.2 million × 2 years = £14.4 million

Me: "Does that sound about right?"

Client: "I've never thought about it that way, but yes, it is that astonishing amount."

Me: "If you did nothing different for the next year, you'd likely lose another £7.2 million. I have some good news — it's not going to cost £7.2 million to solve this problem."

Result: The client was happy to pay £250,000 for the training programme.

The key insight:

This is NOT about creating contrast to other consultants' fees.

This creates contrast to the client's current or future state.

Once they've calculated the TRUE cost of inaction, your fee becomes the obvious choice, not an expense, but an investment.

The 4 Questions That Create Contrast:

Before you ever quote a fee, ask:

1️⃣ "What is this problem costing you per month?"

2️⃣ "How long has this situation been going on?"

3️⃣ "What's the total cost over that period?"

4️⃣ "If nothing changes, what will it cost you over the next year?"

Important note on manipulation:

I'm often asked about this. Here's my take:

"Manipulation is the intent of the user."

Any communication technique can be used manipulatively. But these same techniques can also be used with integrity to help clients achieve desired outcomes.

We're not trying to trick anyone. We're helping them understand the REAL impact of their situation so they can make an informed decision.

Now I want to hear from YOU:

💬 Question 1: Do you currently calculate the cost of the problem before quoting your fees?

💬 Question 2: What's ONE question you could add to your client conversations to create better contrast?

💬 Question 3: What's the biggest "I've never thought about it that way" moment you've created with a client?

Drop your answers below — let's help each other get rightfully rewarded for the difference we make! 👇

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