Give Me the Price, Not an Endless Line of Hoops
Give Me the Price. Give Me the Button.
I recently sat in on an intro training, and honestly, the beginning was beautiful. The presenter was incredibly warm. She used people’s names, looked right into the camera, and truly made everyone in the room feel seen. I remember thinking, Wow, this is how business should feel.
Then we got to the part where you’d expect to hear the price.
Suddenly, the warmth evaporated, and the corporate gymnastics began. Instead of a number, we got a form. No price tag. Just a flashing button that said, "Apply Now." If you’ve been around the block, you already know what that code means: Please book a high-pressure sales call so we can corner you into saying yes before you have time to think. I want to talk about this—not to mean-girl that specific presenter, but because this has become the exhausting default in American sales culture. And if you didn't grow up navigating this specific flavor of manufactured urgency, it doesn't just feel slick; it feels like a trap.
Caught Off Guard Twice
Think about how this impacts non-native English speakers. If English isn't your first language, you're already doing double the cognitive work. You’re translating technical terms, reading between the lines, and trying to gauge what’s sincere versus what’s performance. That’s exhausting even when a pitch is 100% transparent.
Now, layer on a culture where questioning an "expert" or pushing back is considered deeply disrespectful. In many cultures, trusting the presenter's polish is a sign of good manners. Sadly, modern sales funnels are weaponized to exploit those exact good manners. You get caught twice: once by the slick tactic, and once because your own kindness made you easier to catch.
Let’s Get Back to Honest Sales
We don't need to act like sleazy used-car salesmen to grow our businesses. What happened to the radical honesty of just making a great offer? A truly good pitch doesn't require a maze.
When a funnel relies on manufactured urgency, you can instantly recognize it by the hoops. Not just one hoop, either—a whole circus-dog routine of them: the hidden price, the 15 minute phone call, the ticking countdown clock, the "only 3 spots left!" warnings, and the warmth that suddenly feels less like genuine connection and more like bait.
A truly honest, human pitch skips the performance entirely. It looks like this:
- The price is just... there. No hoops, no mandatory phone calls, no secrets.
- Radical transparency. You are upfront about what’s included, what isn’t, and who this isn't a good fit for.
- Zero guilt trips. If someone says no, you bless them on their way. No "you're playing small" or "don't you want to invest in yourself?" passive-aggression.
When you trust the value of what you’re selling, you don’t need to trap people in a funnel to manage their hesitation. You give them the facts, and you trust their judgment.
My Stance
If your offer is worth what you’re charging, own it. Say it out loud. Put it on the page. Let people decide for themselves, on their own time, with their own bank account open in another browser tab. If you have to trick or pressure someone into a "yes," you didn't earn that sale. You engineered it.
I'm ready for a shift back to simplicity and mutual respect. I’m tired of the games. Give me the price. Give me the button. If I want it, I’ll click. It really can be that simple.
A Quick Checklist for Your Next Webinar
The next time you're sitting in a training and the vibe starts to shift from helpful to high-pressure, take a breath and ask yourself:
- Where is the number? Are they being upfront, or am I hunting for a price tag?
- Does this solve my original problem? Or did they spend thirty minutes convincing me I have a new problem only they can fix?
- Can I find real proof? Are there reviews out there on the internet, or only curated screenshots on their own slides?
- Is "No" a safe answer? If I walk away, do I feel respected, or do I feel manipulated?
You wouldn't sign a contract in your personal life with someone who hid the terms until the last second. Let's stop putting up with it in business. Let’s support the creators, leaders, and businesses who treat us like adults—with honesty, clarity, and real respect.
