Read Time: 5 minutes
Learn why amplification beats discounting, how to handle budget pressure strategically, and how AmpPlus drives bigger deals and better performance.
The Temptation to Discount
In a crowded market, it’s easy to think a sharp discount will help you win the brief. And sometimes it does. But if discounting becomes the default, it starts to eat into more than just your margin, it chips away at your value.
There’s a better way to stay competitive and still protect margin: off-network amplification
Two Ways to Handle the Same Budget Pressure
A client pushes back on your $40K content proposal. They say they have $15K to spend. You have two options:
| Discount the Proposal | Amplify the Proposal |
Base Content Package | $40,000 | $40,000 |
Client Budget | $30,000 | $30,000 |
Response Strategy | Apply a $10K discount | Keep rate card, add $10K of AmpPlus |
Final Deal Value | $30,000 | $40,000 |
Impressions Delivered | ~500,000 (organic + minimal boost) | ~1.3 million (via multi-channel amp) |
CPM Achieved | ~$60 | ~$23 |
Outcome | Lower margin, limited reach | Stronger performance, protected rates, higher ROI |
The client gets what they want—better CPMs—but the path you choose changes everything.
Why Amplification Wins in the Long Run
1. You can hit the CPMs—without cutting your prices
With AmpPlus, you can scale distribution and reach cost-effectively. This means you can deliver on the CPV, CPM or AV benchmarks the client wants, without discounting your core content or throwing in bonus display to hit numbers.
2. Discounting trains buyers to expect less value for less money
The more you discount, the harder it is to maintain premium positioning. Over time, it becomes harder to hold your rate card, especially when clients start benchmarking your price, not your product.
3. Amplification increases the total deal size, not just the spend per line
By adding scalable, performance-based amplification, you can grow the value of the proposal without needing to slash unit costs. That means higher total budgets, and stronger margins.
4. It’s more sustainable, more scalable, and more strategic
Discounts drive short-term wins. Amplification drives repeatable, profitable growth, especially when paired with smarter targeting, better optimisation, and guaranteed deliverables.
Comparison: Amplification vs Heavy Discounting
Business Impact | Amplification | Heavy Discounting |
Profit Margins | Protected—adds value, doesn’t subtract | Erodes quickly, harder to recover |
Client Perception | Value-focused and strategic | Price-focused and transactional |
Deal Size Impact | Grows total value | Reduces per-line value |
Scalability | Easier to repeat and optimise | Becomes harder to sustain |
Brand Positioning | Premium, problem-solving partner | Commoditised, rate card–led supplier |
The Takeaway
If you want to stay competitive and protect your revenue, discounting shouldn’t be your first lever. Use AmpPlus to scale the deal, deliver on performance metrics, and grow value without sacrificing your rates.
Winning the brief shouldn’t come at the cost of your margins.
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