Understand Your Buyer > How To Lose The Sale > FU PRICING

 

What is it?

FU Pricing is a deliberate strategy where you price something higher than normal – not to increase profit, but to signal that it’s not really for sale. It’s designed to politely say “no” without actually saying it. The “FU” stands for exactly what you think, and the idea is to discourage a certain type of buyer, request, or project by making the cost unappealing on purpose.

 

Why does it work?

It works because pricing is a filter. When someone sees a number that’s way above their expectations, it quickly discourages them from moving forward – without you having to justify or explain your reasoning. It’s especially useful when you’re asked to take on work that’s outside your sweet spot, doesn’t interest you, or comes with red flags. If they walk away, great. If they say yes, it’s worth your time and energy.

 

How can you use it?

You can use FU Pricing for custom work, awkward requests, one-off services, or clients who seem like a bad fit. Instead of turning them down outright, simply quote a number that reflects the true cost to your time, sanity, or schedule. You can also use it to protect your focus – keeping you available for the right clients, not just any client. Just be honest with yourself: if they accept, you’ve got to follow through.

 

Example

In 2008 in the UK, the company Northern Rock was in financial difficulty. I actually personally held a mortgage with them which was up for renewal. At renewal, the payment jumped from about £700/month to £4000/month – they were making themselves deliberately uncompetitive to push us away as they needed to reduce the number of outstanding mortgages they had.

 

 

See also

• The Qualify Effect