I myself use a different tactic to avoid the whole situation entirely (if possible). What I have learned from a course about booking and touring is to work the phone and the potential customer without making them feel like they are being played. Simply get as much information you can, without giving away too much information.
When they ask my fees, I always ask: “What is your budget? There is a standard price range in the area, and if I know your budget I can help you get the best deal.” (I also say this because often times they are considering several different instrumentations that I offer).
If they ask further questions about that policy I just explain that if I quote a price at the top end of the range it might turn them away whereas their budget might accommodate something lower priced. This helps them get what they want, and allows me to still book the event.
Now of course, if they have a large budget I won’t cheat them and charge a ridiculously high fee. I’ll just charge something in the upper end of the range that is appropriate/expected for harpists in my area without maxing out the limit.
In response to this exact comment at hand… I haven’t found anything great yet. I will definitely try the ‘highlight’ comment. It’s definitely better than ‘find a high school’ student… I’ve used that before unfortunately. It didn’t go well.
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