Discount requests - How do you handle them?

[An Exception]

Just wondering how the pro's on here handle it, and if anyone has any tips.

At the moment I decline any discount request and tell them I'm confident with my price Vs quality.

Then 1 of 4 things happen.

1) They book me strait away anyway.

2) I don't hear from them for 2-3 weeks, but then they get back in touch and book me.

3) I don't hear from them for 2-3 weeks and then out of the blue they make an offer. I decline their offer, but offer them a complimentary engagement shoot.

4) I never hear from them again.

 

[An Exception]

^^^
I used to offer engagement shoots for free, but people kept asking for discount if the didn't have one. So I started charging just a small amount, and use it as a sweetener if I need to.

Sometimes I book weddings just by doing an engagement shoot, because when someone google's the venue, they see my work.

But other than that I stick to my guns.

 

[An Exception]

If you start finding you're losing substantial business because of it then your price is too high rather than you need to offer discounts.

I'd imagine a fair bit of custom in the industry comes through word of mouth, and if one couple gets a discount, every couple they recommend you to will expect that discount as well.

It doesn't matter what your prices are, allot of people will still ask for a discount, particularly if they are spending >1K.
What I get allot of, is "we really love your work but we are on a really tight budget...".

What I'm interested in is how people say 'no', or offer the client a benefit that is still to their advantage.