How to handle "it's too expensive" without reaching for a discount

That's fair to raise. When you say too expensive, what are you comparing it to? Another quote, your budget, or what you expected going in?

You cannot answer a price objection until you know its reference point. A competitor quote means comparing scope, a budget gap means looking at timing or phasing, and an expectation gap means the value has not been shown yet.

Earlier you said [problem] is costing you roughly [their number] a month. Next to that, does this still feel too expensive, or is it more about where the money would come from?

It uses the buyer's own numbers, not yours, to put the price in context. If they never gave you a number, that is a sign discovery was too thin, and the honest move is to go back and ask.

Let me ask it a different way. Leaving the price out of it for a second, do you think this would actually solve the problem we talked about?

If they say no, price was never the real issue and you need to understand what is missing. If they say yes, you can have a straightforward conversation about making the numbers work, which is a far better problem to have.

If the budget is fixed, I'd rather change what's included than just cut the number. Which parts matter most to you, and which could wait?

Trading scope for price protects your margin and keeps the deal honest. It also prompts a useful conversation about priorities, which often shows the core need is smaller and easier to approve.

Can I ask, if price weren't a factor, is there anything else that would stop you from moving forward?

It surfaces hidden objections before you spend effort on price. If price is the only thing left, you know exactly what to work on. If something else comes up, you have found the real issue.