I hear salespeople regularly ask for help with prospects who incessantly respond with, “I can get it cheaper from…” The best way for me to respond is to compile a list of nearly 20 quotes for readers of this newsletter from the archives. Start sprinkling some of these into your presentations and proposals and see if they don’t help your effort.
⇒”It is unwise to pay too much, but it is worse to pay too little. When you pay too much, you lose a little money; that is all. When you pay too little you sometimes lose everything, because the thing you bought was incapable of doing the thing it was bought to do. The common law of business prohibits paying a little and getting a lot. It just can’t be done.”
⇒“There is hardly anything in the world that some man cannot make a little worse and sell a little cheaper, and the people who consider price only are this man’s lawful prey.”
⇒“Would you order a steak from a restaurant menu that only costs $3?”
⇒“If you think it’s expensive to hire a professional, wait until you hire an amateur.”
⇒“Good quality is cheap; it’s poor quality that is expensive.”
⇒“The bitterness of poor quality and service is remembered long after the sweetness of a low price has faded from memory.”
⇒“We offer three kinds of service: ‘GOOD-CHEAP-FAST; You Can Pick Any Two.’ Good service cheap won’t be fast. Good service fast won’t be cheap. Fast service cheap won’t be good.”
⇒”Buying quality items is one of my top ways to save money. Paying more upfront for an item that lasts longer makes financial sense.”
⇒”Overall, I tend to spend more on items to get better quality, more comfort, and extra longevity and durability.” The upfront costs might be higher, but over time, a more expensive purchase can pay dividends by serving you better and lasting longer.”
⇒“Being frugal doesn’t just mean saving money—it means spending your money wisely. That also means some things may be cheap now, but actually cost you more in the long run, while other times it makes sense to spend more now for a better, longer-lasting experience.”
⇒“I tend to go for the cheap things when it comes to things I don’t care about, or when it comes to things that are of comparative quality regardless of price. For things that vary greatly in quality, I tend to come down on buying the quality item instead. After all, just because something is cheap, doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s frugal. If the cheaper item wears out before it’s time you’re going to be spending more money to replace it.”
⇒”When you do find companies that make quality products and support this mindset, invest in them. It shouldn’t be difficult—many are proud of their commitment to quality, even if it means their prices are a little higher. Companies that generally put quality first are usually proud to say it, and their customers are usually proud to back the statement up.”
⇒“Good work ain’t cheap, cheap work ain’t good.”
⇒“Where quality is the thing sought after, the thing of supreme quality is cheap, whatever price one has to pay for it.”
⇒“Buy best and you’ll only cry once.”
⇒“I’m not so rich that I buy cheap things.”
⇒“Quality is never an accident. It is always the result of intelligent effort.”
⇒“Quality, quality, quality: never waver from it, even when you don’t see how you can afford to keep it up. When you compromise, you become a commodity and then you die.”
————I’m Flattered————
In response to last week’s Thanksgiving post, I received this from Mike Jones-Rollins Region Mgr.:
“Happy Thanksgiving Mr. Robinson! I am thankful for people like you in my life that have been great examples and mentored me. Thank you Doug!”
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