Although price should not be avoided, price should also not be the first thing you talk about. It is super important to truly understand your client before getting into price. If your client is a big company, price could be the least of their worries. Whereas, if your client is a small business a large investment could break them.
Introducing price in some situations could cause a client to block out everything else you say in the meeting. This is because, they might focus on the fact that the price is too high and not listen to the benefits your product offers. Therefore, it is important to take your time and make sure the prospect understands the value of your product in their situation. If the product is truly what your client needs price will not be a big issue.
If a prospect asks you prematurely about price it is important stay in control of the situation and continue the conversation at your own pace. Maybe say something like “price is really important, but would you mind if I asked you a couple more questions before answering that”.
Price can be a delicate topic and that is why it should be the last thing addressed so you can truly understand where your client is coming from.