Stop Negotiating with Yourself

As a vCIO, your job is to provide strategic technology guidance that helps your clients reduce risk, increase productivity, and drive their business forward. Yet too often, I’ve seen my vCIOs talking themselves out of proposing the best solution before the conversation even begins. They assume the client will balk at the price, so they scale back their recommendations, offering a compromise that may not fully solve the problem.

Stop negotiating with yourself!

Your role is not to guess what your client can afford or is willing to pay. Your job is to present the right solution: the one you truly believe in! Let the client decide if they want to invest in it.

Build a Business Case

When you focus too much on cost, you lead the conversation down the wrong path. Instead, you should be asking:

• How does this solution reduce risk?
• How does this solution increase productivity?
• How will this help my clients achieve their goals?

These are the factors that matter most to decision-makers. Business owners aren’t just looking for the cheapest option; they want value. If a solution helps them prevent downtime, improve efficiency, or protect their data, they will be far more open to making the investment.

Let the Client Decide What’s Too Expensive

When you assume the client won’t pay for the best solution, you are limiting their options before they even have a chance to weigh in. Instead of self-editing, confidently present the solution that makes the most sense for their business. If price is a concern, let them be the ones to say so. At that point, you can explore alternative approaches but don’t start from a place of compromise.