The Sales Rep Dilemma: Selling Value When Everyone Wants a Discount
I remember the moment it all clicked: I was seated across from a busy and overworked purchasing manager who had three competing quotes, all cheaper than mine.
She looked over my proposal and said something to the effect of “We really like your product, but I need for you to match the other competitor’s price for us to consider moving forward with you”.
In that instant, I realized two things:
1.) Veterinary hospitals and clinics face relentless pressure to manage costs while maintaining high standards of care.
2.) If I kept relying on discounting as a selling strategy, I’d never be able to deliver real value as a sales representative.
I wanted to give customers the best deal possible, but I also didn’t want to turn myself into a vending machine for price cuts - scurrying to drop numbers at the slightest hint of pushback.
As I observed myself trying to build relationships through discount-driven strategies, I realized these relationships resembled flimsy sandcastles—impressive at first but quickly dissolved by the next wave of cost-focused negotiations.
If all I brought to the table was a willingness to hack away at prices, I would become about as memorable as an online clearance sale that ended last week.
I wanted more than that.
I wanted to help my customers to thrive rather than merely survive.
I wanted to know that when I stood behind a product or service, it meant I was offering genuine, lasting value - not just a cheaper invoice.
Beyond Transactional: Why Discounting Felt Like a Dead End
At first, I’d tried justifying small discounts to “build goodwill.” But what goodwill, exactly?
A client who expects further price concessions down the line? That’s like feeding an addiction—you do it once, and it shows up on your doorstep every day, craving for more.
Each time I slashed prices, I noticed something disconcerting: my clients started paying more attention to the discount than the product itself.
It reminded me of the ancient parable of throwing pearls before swine—except, in this scenario, I was the one devaluing the pearls. Suddenly, I wasn’t a seasoned advisor; I was a low-cost peddler who’d devalue my product at the drop of a hat.
Modern complex selling, especially in veterinary circles, demands more than quick fixes and corner-cutting. Vets, techs, and clinic managers are overwhelmed by phone calls, new technology implementations, staff shortages, and the unrelenting pressure to turn a profit without compromising care.
My role is not about showing up like a well-dressed beggar, asking them to please, please buy my stuff. My role is to help them see that my solution is a gateway to better workflows, happier staff, and healthier animals.
Every buyer in the veterinary space seems to be armed with mountains of data—online reviews, competitor quotes, endless marketing emails. Yet despite all that information, many are more anxious than ever. It’s like they’re drowning in a sea of choices, desperately clutching at the lifebuoy of “lowest price” because it’s the easiest yardstick to wield.
But here’s the kicker: buying decisions that impact an entire clinic and its’ patients aren’t just about spreadsheets. They’re deeply emotional.
Veterinary hospital staff are responsible for the care of living, breathing creatures. Practice managers and purchasing managers often shoulder the burden of balancing budgets while ensuring top-tier care and happy customers. Techs often operate in a whirlwind of tasks, feeling the emotional toll of seeing sick or injured animals every day.
When a clinic manager fixates on cost, I see it as a defense mechanism.
Are they anticipating buyer’s remorse?
Do they fear backlash from staff or ownership if they overspend?
Do they fear of the product’s features being oversold?
Instead of fighting that fear with a “better discount,” I’ve learned to confront it head-on. I’ll ask, “What worries you most about integrating a new product?” or “How do you see this investment shaping your practice a year from now?” By getting them to voice their fears and aspirations, I pivot the conversation from immediate price cuts to genuine reflection on what the practice truly needs.
“To give real service, you must add something which cannot be bought or measured with money, and that is sincerity and integrity”
-Douglas Adams
Shifting Focus: From Cost to Collaborative Gain
Whenever I hear, “What’s your best price?” I treat it as an invitation to uncover the real issue.
It’s rarely just about saving a few bucks. Often, it’s that they don’t see how a higher price yields a correspondingly higher payoff. If they saw a direct line from investment to improvement, they’d probably be less likely to haggle for a cheap fix.
These days, I try to respond with something like, “I understand budget pressures. Let’s talk about what’s most critical to your success. Where do you see room for the biggest impact?”
By focusing on real goals — streamlining workflows, reducing staff turnover, or increasing revenue through new services— we, as reps, start weaving a narrative that unravels the discount default setting in their mind.
It’s not manipulative; it’s honest. Most people are hungry for someone who actually listens and crafts solutions that integrate seamlessly into their day-to-day chaos.
Be that rep who says, “Let’s talk about how this could lower your staff’s stress levels and free up 20% of their time so they can focus on patient care.” Once they see that scenario, they stop thinking, “Is this product too expensive?” and start thinking, “Can we afford not to do this?”
“The modern customer is not looking for reps to anticipate, or discover, needs they already know they have, but rather to teach them about opportunities to make or save money that they didn’t even know were possible”
- Matthew Dixon
Changing How Clients Perceive Value: Opportunity Cost and Vision
One of the more effective pivots I’ve made as a professional sales rep is shifting from price to opportunity cost.
It’s staggering how many customers don’t tally the intangible losses of staying stuck. If they’re operating with subpar systems, burning out staff, or losing patients to competitors with more efficient services, that’s money—and emotional capital—down the drain.
An insightful question that could help shine some light on such an issue might be “I’d be curious to know how many appointments you could be losing each week because of scheduling bottlenecks. What would you think that translates to in missed revenue per month?”
If the product or solution provides real value, the price of the product or solution will seem trivial compared to the silent hemorrhage of lost income.
But numbers alone can be dry.
So try to bring in vision. Perhaps say, “Envision your clinic running so smoothly that your techs are no longer scrambling, your vets can see two more patients a day, and your clients actually notice the calm confidence in the waiting area. What’s that worth to you?” By helping customers visualize a more harmonious environment, we can anchor our product or solution into something that transcends dollars.
Eventually, the best and most shrewd buyers will still say, “Okay, but how about 10% off to get this done?”
This will happen, and we never want to come off as arrogant or dismissive when it does. My product may be worth every penny of its’ price, but I still need to respect that budgets are real constraints, and sometimes concessions can be part of a broader strategy.
But immediately discounting isn’t always what is in best interest for me or the customer. Instead, I might respond, “I appreciate your position. What if we were to remove or reduce certain support elements—would that still give you the outcome you need while being sensitive to cost?” If they realize that removing critical elements diminishes the solution’s effectiveness, they may see that the original price is justified.
In other instances, I may offer alternative forms of value—extended training, additional warranty coverage, or integration support—rather than just cutting the dollar amount. It’s a way to keep the perceived value high, while still addressing their desire to get a good deal.
The Long-Game: Building Enduring Partnerships
A crucial turning point for me was realizing that a single sale isn’t the end of the journey—it’s often the beginning.
Veterinary practices rarely forget how their suppliers and reps treat them, especially if there’s been a strong emphasis on ongoing support. If I close a deal without discounting but follow through with superior service, I’m far more likely to keep that account for years, earn referrals, and position myself above my competitor peers.
Over time, I’ve seen how this approach pays off for sales reps who genuinely focus on delivering value. When veterinary hospitals and clinics invite these reps to open houses, consult them on emerging trends, and promote them to their peers, it’s a clear indication that the team appreciates their contributions. This cycle of trust yields far greater job satisfaction—and, ultimately, more substantial rewards—than a flurry of discount-driven deals ever could.
If I could reduce this blog down to one key point, it’s that the discount question is rarely about the discount itself. It’s a starting point that often reflects bigger concerns—budget pressures, fear of change, uncertainty about ROI.
As sales professionals in the veterinary world, we have a unique opportunity to address these underlying issues by offering a well-rounded perspective that merges empathy, expertise, and strategic thinking.
We can find more fulfillment and success by reframing our role: we aren’t just reps but instead are collaborators who understand the high-stakes environment in which my clients operate.
We can focus on crafting solutions that truly integrate with our customer’s mission of providing top-level care to animals and peace of mind to their human clients.
As you do this, you’ll watch the conversation shift from “What’s your lowest price?” to “How can we implement this in the smartest way possible?”
So, the next time a customer asks for a discount, consider it an invitation to discuss what really matters to their practice. Discuss their pain points without criticism, highlight your unique value, and propose a path that leads to tangible growth and stability—not just short-term savings.
And always remember: a respectful, solutions-focused approach can transform a price haggle into a meaningful partnership.
