Reason’s You Should NOT do Favors in business
You work hard for what you have and you have done a great job at holding it together. Don’t waste your valuable business time and energy on people who want you to bend over backwards to offer them services for free or at outrageous discounts. People of ALL business types will try to pull a fast one on you by asking for unreasonable things that don’t help you grow they actually HURT your business. Keep in mind, IF THEY CONTACT YOU… YOU are in the driver’s seat baby. NOT THEM. Don’t give them control of the road that leads to YOU and what you have to offer. Read on…. (click “next” after each segment above or below)
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1. What’s the Return for a LACK of investment?
8 Reason’s You Should NOT do Favors in business
Isn’t that an interesting statement? It is because the answer to it is absolutely NOTHING for YOU. If you want to work for free then tell your landlord or mortgage company you want to live for free too…. and see what they say.
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2. How will this person EVER see the VALUE of something that is Free?
8 Reason’s You Should NOT do Favors in business
A woman told me this at a business conference and she was right. You don’t have to prove yourself to anyone if you have a legitimate and needed service. Offering your services for free is a HUGE mistake that YOU will never stop paying for.
3. Never Allow a Client to “Test” your Services
8 Reason’s You Should NOT do Favors in business
People tried this with me early on but as my business grew they stopped trying this. If I’m running banners with Alicia Keys and Beyonce on my site, there is no need for me to prove my value for an independent client who has a lesser known client. The ads speak for themselves. If someone comes at me with this BS, the conversation is very short.
4. Don’t Give the same price Competitors give if your Service is Better
8 Reason’s You Should NOT do Favors in business
This really irritates me because potential clients assume you are desperate when they pull this one. First and foremost I quickly correct them by telling them they get much more value with my brand THEN I give them numbers to back it up which usually shuts them up (or down). If your service is superior to your competitor’s and you can prove it, always have the information handy. Also, take into account if they utilized your competitor’s services first THEN they come to you, it’s usually because the competitor’s services did not deliver and they expect you to cut them a deal when they should have come to you in the first place. Them wasting their money is NOT your responsibility and saving money many times can cost you TWICE as much when you try to cut corners in the advertising game, perhaps it’s the same with your business.
5. What if the “Client” tells others about the break you gave them?
8 Reason’s You Should NOT do Favors in business
…chances are THEY WILL. Then you will have prices all over the price. My clients constantly tell me what competitors charge so what would stop them from telling them what I charge?
6. Don’t let anyone put your business down (unless it sucks)
8 Reason’s You Should NOT do Favors in business
This is something that I absolutely won’t stand for. I know my value and it’s not based on tenure or ego, it’s based on who I reach. I CONSTANTLY do research and try new ways to improve what I do. When a potential clients comes for a discount by putting my business down it’s like bad credit. I probably won’t take their calls again. Early on, this worked because you may not be too sure about your business and you may lack confidence but once you DO know your value and you develop the confidence, don’t let others shake it. There are some clients you just have to say no to.
7. Barter ONLY when the benefit is GREATER to you.
8 Reason’s You Should NOT do Favors in business
Barters should always and I mean ALWAYS be win/Bigger win situations FOR YOUR BENEFIT if the person contacts you. Believe it or not, SEVERAL major corporations have contacted me to do barters as early as last week. Let me get this right… you make millions and you want to offer me next to (or) nothing to promote your brand? I don’t think so. I’ve had companies literally ask me for $10,000 worth of advertising for a $250.00 admission ticket where I had to pay for my plane fare and hotel. Really? I don’t think so. Many sales people at corporations are told to see what they can get free first and I don’t fall for that anymore and neither should you IF you have value (see next statement “What is Value”). If a client comes at you with a deal where it benefits YOU more than them then you may want to consider. In my example, if a client needs me to promote their event weeks in advance they need ME more than I need them and I would rather they pay for the advertising and I will buy my own admission ticket since I am paying for my plane fare and hotel too. The problem is, I usually don’t want to go under these conditions and see no value in it for my audience so it’s not a win/Bigger win situation.
8. What is “Value?”
8 Reason’s You Should NOT do Favors in business
PLEASE understand what “Value” in small business is before you assume you have it. “VALUE” is NOT tenure, it is NOT who you know and it is NOT a hook-up service. While you may be able to use any or all of them at times to make money TRUE “VALUE” is how well your business does to reach the target, sell to the target or convince the target and the WAY you do it. Your consistency your delivery, your relationships and client satisfaction. If a client does not come back to you with more business after the first time, something is wrong. You should not be in business for YEARS still trying to create new clients and struggling. You should have regular clients. Like a barber, like a grocery store like a Cleaners and so on. Value is NOT attacking to potential clients or attacking potential client for not utilizing your services. Nobody is business owes you a damn this. You owe your business the advantage of providing a great service to your target and THAT my friends is what “Value” is.