Practical Sales Training™ > How To Convert > Running Costs
What is it?
Running costs show what something really costs once you start living with it, not just what you pay on day one.
Instead of anchoring the decision to a single upfront price, they reveal the longer term picture. Energy use, maintenance, subscriptions, time, and effort all come into view.
That fuller picture helps people judge value more sensibly, rather than making a decision based on a headline number that only tells part of the story.
How does it work?
Most buyers fixate on purchase price because it’s immediate and easy to compare. It’s the number right in front of them.
Running costs gently shift that focus. They answer the quieter question buyers are already carrying in the background but rarely stop to calculate properly: what will this actually cost me to live with?
When you show how something adds up over months or years, the decision starts to feel different. A higher upfront price can suddenly feel reasonable, even reassuring, if the ongoing cost is low. At the same time, something cheap to buy can begin to look expensive once the hidden costs surface.
Running costs remove guesswork. They replace vague assumptions with something concrete and understandable.
How can you use it?
You use running costs to calm price anxiety and bring a sense of control back into the decision.
Instead of letting buyers get stuck on the upfront figure, you guide their attention toward a version of the cost that feels more manageable and more realistic.
Breaking the price down into daily, weekly, or per use amounts helps here. Smaller numbers feel easier to accept and easier to justify. Large, abstract totals tend to trigger hesitation.
Running costs also reduce fear of regret. They answer the unspoken concern of “Will this end up costing me more than I expect?” When people can see the long term impact clearly, they feel more confident that there won’t be any nasty surprises later.
They’re also a quiet way to justify a higher price. You’re not arguing that it’s cheap. You’re explaining why it makes sense. When the ongoing cost is low, the upfront price feels more logical and less risky.
Finally, showing running costs signals transparency. It tells buyers you’re comfortable showing the whole picture, not just the attractive part. That confidence builds trust.
The goal isn’t to prove something is cheap…. it’s to make the spend feel sensible.
Running costs shift attention away from fear and towards reassurance, which is often what buyers need to move forward.
Example
This rechargeable hot water bottle adverises how cheap it is to run as one of the most defining features.
See also
