I find that being a solopreneur (or just as CEO of a small startup), it's hard to invoke "company policy". You can say your board won't go for XYZ, but if your customer knows you own most of the company, that wouldn't fly either.

Tips?

Good point. You could replace company policy with "I do offer Escrow option with a customized/enterprise plan at $x/Year with a minimum contract to compensate for the additional overhead, cost and risks that comes with setting it all up"

Then, stick to it and don't try to justify it too much.

"Experience for previous clients shows that this is the best solution for everyone involved."