On a recent episode of The Sales Hunter Podcast, Mark sat down with Marcus Sheridan, a leading authority on pricing transparency and author of “Endless Customers.” In this energetic exchange, Marcus unpacked the evolving buyer’s journey, the growing demand for price visibility, and how AI is forever changing how companies gain trust, leads, and sales.
The Price Transparency Shift
Today’s buyers have changed. The first question on their minds is no longer just “Does this solve my problem?”—it’s “What’s this going to cost?”
“When a buyer says, hey, I need to buy something…literally the first question they have that comes next is, roughly, what’s this going to cost?” —Marcus Sheridan
Ignoring the question doesn’t work anymore. Buyers want at least a rough estimate before they’re willing to go further. In complex markets or bespoke services, exact figures aren’t always possible—but customers still expect a ballpark, plus a clear explanation of what drives costs up or down.
What’s Holding Companies Back?
Three classic objections keep companies on the sidelines:
- Every project is unique.
- Don’t want competitors to see pricing.
- Fear of scaring buyers away.
Marcus calls out these concerns as outdated. Competitors already know each other’s ballparks, and buyers get frustrated when they see “call for quote”—what Marcus colorfully calls “the middle finger of the Internet.” Withholding pricing unintentionally drives prospects to the competition.
AI and the Coming Wave of Transparent Pricing
Artificial intelligence isn’t on the horizon—it’s here, and already transforming how buyers discover vendors. Google now highlights companies with pricing estimators in search results. More importantly, new features let buyers have AI check prices for them, bypassing human interaction entirely.
“These major movements are precursors to what will be the era of pricing transparency, which is coming for almost everyone.” —Marcus Sheridan
This shift isn’t just for home services or B2C. As Marcus explains, what starts in home improvement rapidly spreads to B2C, then B2B. Companies relying on old habits—especially “contact us for quote” strategies—are getting left behind.
Why Transparent Pricing Builds Trust (and Sales)
Buyers want education and reassurance, not sales friction. When companies clearly discuss pricing, explain value, and set real expectations, they build trust before a salesperson ever enters the conversation.
“AI is obsessed with recommending companies that are verifiable, that are citation based, that explain the reasoning for whatever it is they believe or do.” —Marcus Sheridan
In B2B, even for big-ticket and custom solutions, the winning strategy is sharing ranges, market standards, and cost drivers. The result: AI trusts you more, prospects see you as a credible resource, and you stay at the top of the recommendation list.
Cost Content Outperforms Everything
The data is clear. In both B2C and B2B, the top-performing web content for generating leads, traffic, and sales is cost-based content. Companies brave enough to answer, “What does it cost?” dominate the conversation—and the customer’s shortlist.
Staying Ahead of the Tsunami
Waiting is not a strategy. Pricing transparency is a tsunami set to disrupt traditional sales and marketing. The companies who proactively address the cost question shape buyer expectations, win trust, and earn their place in a future dominated by AI-driven recommendations.
Mark’s advice: Don’t be reactive and follow the crowd. Be proactive. Educate, build trust, and embrace the new transparency buyers already demand.
Ready to Lead?
Companies that evolve with these trends stand to win more qualified conversations, better leads, and endless customers. That’s why Marcus Sheridan has been on stages for over a decade preaching the power of radical transparency. The time to act is now, before the rulebook changes again—and leaves traditionalists behind.
For leaders looking to keep their pipelines full, price isn’t a secret to hide. It’s a conversation starter for building trust and business that lasts.
