The Hidden Cost of Bait & Switch
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The Hidden Cost of Bait & Switch
I just spent two hours of my life watching a masterclass in how to destroy trust. Not because I wanted to – but because someone turned what was supposed to be a "partnership discussion" into one of the most awkward bait and switch attempts I've seen in years.
The first email was artfully crafted. They had apparently studied our business, saw perfect synergy, wanted to create something incredible together. No cost involved, just pure collaboration and growth. The excitement in their words was almost contagious.
The first call felt strange. Between enthusiastic proclamations about joint ventures, I noticed subtle shifts toward discovery questions. Not the genuine kind where someone's trying to understand your business – the mechanical type that follows a sales script. Still, I stayed curious.
By the second call, the mask wasn't just slipping – it was actively falling off. An hour in, there it was: The real pitch. Twenty thousand dollars. Monthly. For a service that was never mentioned in any previous communication.
Here's what's fascinating: I actually love what they do. Their service looks incredible. Under different circumstances, I might have become their biggest advocate. But now? That door isn't just closed – it's welded shut.
The Psychology of Self-Sabotage
We need to talk about why intelligent businesses still attempt bait and switch tactics, because it reveals something fascinating about human psychology and the stories we tell ourselves about sales.
These companies aren't trying to be deceptive – at least not in their minds. They've convinced themselves of a compelling narrative: If they can just get in front of the right people, their product will sell itself. The value is so obvious, so overwhelming, that any initial misdirection will be forgiven in light of the incredible opportunity they're presenting.
But here's what they're missing: The moment of revelation poisons everything that comes after.
When that $20,000 price tag finally surfaced today, something profound happened. It didn't matter how good their offering was. Every feature, every benefit, every proof point was now being filtered through a lens of suspicion. My brain wasn't evaluating their service anymore – it was cataloging all the small moments of misdirection that led to this reveal.
Think about that psychology for a moment. Even as they were demonstrating genuine value, my mind was replaying every ambiguous phrase from their emails, every deflected question about costs, every subtle redirect during our conversations. The very mental energy that should have been focused on understanding their value proposition was now dedicated to pattern-matching their deception.
What fascinates me most about bait and switch tactics is how they fail even basic game theory. Let's break down the actual cost of what happened today.
First, there's the direct cost. This company invested in sophisticated email outreach. They dedicated a senior sales rep to multiple hour-long calls. They deployed their carefully crafted presentation deck. Time, energy, and resources – all burned in service of destroying their own credibility.
But that's just the surface damage. The real cost is exponential.
Every business decision creates waves that travel far beyond the immediate interaction. Right now, their brand lives in my mind as a cautionary tale. But it's not just sitting there passively – it's actively shaping future conversations.
Think about how this plays out. Next week, someone will mention their company at a conference. Instead of saying "Oh yeah, I've heard great things," I'll share this story. Not out of malice, but as a genuine warning. That's how reputation damage compounds – through authentic moments of people protecting each other.
The modern market runs on trust networks. When someone asks for recommendations in Slack communities or private groups, they're not just looking for capabilities – they're asking for stories of actual experiences. And negative stories travel faster and stick longer than positive ones.
The False Logic of Foot-in-Door
Here's what keeps me up at night: Somewhere, right now, a talented team is being convinced that they need to hide their true value to get meetings. That transparency is a luxury they can't afford. That everyone plays these games at their level.
They're being taught to trade long-term trust for short-term calendar slots.
I recently spoke with a sales leader who justified their bait and switch approach with conversion metrics. "Look at these numbers," they said, pointing to their meeting acceptance rates. But they weren't tracking what happened after the reveal. The lost deals. The damaged relationships. The poisoned referral networks.
It's like measuring the success of your fishing technique by how many fish bite – while ignoring how many slip away with your expensive lure.
So why do companies really hide their prices and true intentions?
Because it's not just about sales tactics – it's about deep-seated fears and market insecurities.
Behind every bait and switch lies a fundamental belief: That your true offering isn't strong enough to earn attention on its own merits. That if people knew the real investment level upfront, they'd never engage. That you need to earn the right to present your price tag.
But here's what actually happens when you hide your value: You communicate doubt. Not just to prospects, but to your entire market. Every dodged question about pricing, every vague response about investment levels – they're all saying the same thing: "We don't believe our value is self-evident."
And the ironic, counterintuitive truth is that high prices can be your best marketing tool. When you lead with premium pricing, you instantly communicate confidence in your value. You attract clients who understand investment versus cost. Who appreciate directness. Who respect clarity.
I recently watched a founder completely transform their sales process by leading with their price. Not hiding it, not apologizing for it – celebrating it. "We're expensive," their website announced, "because we deliver exceptional results."
Their meeting requests dropped by 70%. Their close rate tripled.
They weren't just selling a service – they were selling confidence in their own worth.
Something powerful happens when you start leading with your true value and price: You get your life back.
Think about those two hours I lost today. Not just the calls – the preparation, the follow-up, the mental energy spent processing the deception. Now multiply that across every bait and switch attempt in business. We're losing countless hours to elaborate dances that could be avoided with a single clear email.
Time isn't just money – it's opportunity. Every minute spent with the wrong prospect is stolen from the right one. Every hour invested in maintaining a facade could be spent delivering actual value.
The Market is Shifting
Here's what's fascinating about the current business landscape. As more companies resort to tricks and tactics, straightforward communication is becoming a rare and valuable differentiator.
I watched this play out recently with a competitor who completely revamped their approach. They stripped away all the typical sales language and wrote a simple message on their website: "Our service starts at $15,000 monthly. We're selective, we're not for everyone, and we deliver exceptional results for the right partners."
The market's response? Overwhelming. Not just in terms of leads – but in the quality of conversations. By being clear about who they weren't for, they attracted exactly who they were for.
Because people will pay more for certainty.
When you hide your price, you create uncertainty. When you mask your true intentions, you generate doubt. Every moment of ambiguity builds resistance to your eventual ask. But when you lead with clarity, you create the space for actual value discussions.
That $20,000 monthly service that was pitched to me today? If they had led with it in their first email, framed properly with clear value propositions, I might have seen it as an investment rather than an ambush.
Every business interaction shapes the environment we'll all work in tomorrow. When we tolerate deceptive tactics, we normalize them. When we practice transparency, we elevate the entire market.
Think about the compounding effect:
Every straight-forward transaction sets new expectations
Every clear proposal raises the bar
Every honest interaction makes deception more obvious
Here's something I've noticed after years of being radically transparent: The deals you lose fast become your best referral sources.
Last month, someone approached us about running ads on my podcast. Within minutes of reviewing their needs, I knew we weren't the right fit. Instead of dragging things out, I immediately connected them with another show, who’s audience was a perfect fit.
That five-minute interaction just led to three qualified referrals. Why? Because genuine care for someone's success – even when it doesn't benefit you – creates the kind of trust that money can't buy.
The Hidden Value of Quick "No's"
Something else struck me after those wasted calls today. I started thinking about all the prospects I've turned away instantly when they weren't a fit. Each time someone on my team wondered if I was being too direct, too quick to disqualify.
Those quick "no's" have consistently become our strongest advocates. Because nothing builds reputation faster than protecting someone else's time and resources – even when it costs you a potential deal.
The market is starving for clarity. Not just about prices, but about everything. Capabilities. Limitations. Timelines. Real results.
I recently reviewed our last quarter's deals. Something fascinating emerged: Our fastest-closing clients were the ones who received the most direct communication upfront. Not just about costs, but about potential challenges, realistic timelines, and exact deliverables.
They chose us not despite our transparency, but because of it.
Breaking the Pattern
Here's what I wish someone had told me years ago: The fastest way to build a premium brand isn't through perfect marketing – it's through consistent truth-telling.
When that sales rep was trying to maneuver me into their reveal today, they missed something crucial. Their product didn't need the setup. Their price didn't need the disguise. Their value didn't need the misdirection.
They had something genuinely valuable to offer. But they wrapped it in tactics that undermined its worth.
I'm making a public commitment right now: When someone asks about working together, they'll know within 60 seconds if we're a potential fit. No games. No elaborate setups. Just clear communication about what we do, what it costs, and who we serve best.
Because at the end of the day, the greatest competitive advantage isn't a clever sales tactic – it's being the company people trust to tell them the truth.
The Future of Sales
The market is evolving. The old playbook of hook-and-reveal is dying, replaced by something far more powerful – the ability to lead with value so compelling that price becomes secondary.
Think about the last time you happily paid premium prices for something. Was it because someone tricked you into a sales call? Or was it because you trusted they could deliver exactly what you needed?
The businesses that will win tomorrow aren't the ones with the cleverest tactics. They're the ones brave enough to be clear about who they are, what they cost, and who they serve best.
Scott
P.S. If you're reading this and recognizing your own sales tactics, it's not too late to change. The market will reward your courage to be transparent. Your future clients are waiting for someone brave enough to be straight with them. And that someone could be you.
P.P.S. The greatest irony? That $20,000 service actually looked incredible. But I'll never know for sure. And neither will all the other potential clients they lose by choosing tactics over trust.