May I Convince You to End the Unnecessary Value Gobbledygook?

It is time we acknowledge that value is just another buzzword due to expire

Sorry to disappoint you.

But value does not get the job done.

Price does. Commitment does. Transaction does.

Here’s why. To transact, we need a price point. To get a price point, we need a commitment level. That is it. Really.

But we muddy the water with the word value.

Let’s understand why value cannot close the deal.

Have You Ever Applied for a Job?

You don’t transact on value, do you?

Okay, yes, for sure. You articulate the value you bring to the table. You share your experience and how you can take the company to the next level. That is a necessary value pitch. So far, so good.

But you cannot transact on a fluffy value pitch.

It must be quantified. You must have a price anchor.

That price anchor is your monthly salary.

See? These are two different things. We routinely confuse the two. For better clarity, just remember.

• Value is what we say.
• Price is the string of numbers entering or exiting our bank account.

We cannot bank value.

But we can bank price.

Because price is measured in actual dollars and cents.

The Trap of Free

Free stuff doesn’t make any sense.

They simply don’t.

Contextually, every buyer does their best to juice their suppliers. Or sellers.

• “Can I have a free pancake if I buy your coffee?”
• “May I get a further 10% if I buy 1 more item?”
• “Hey, I am a long-term customer. What are my benefits for loyalty?”

I know I sound like a grouser on repeat. But I am fascinated by the free stuff mentality.

That is not to say I see no meaning in it. I get a psychological kick each time I yank a freebie out of someone.

But it does, occasionally, produce catastrophic consequences.

Allow me to ask you a couple of questions to illustrate my point.

• Would you go to a baker and ask for free bread?
• Would you insist your vendor give you the best support at $0?

Chances are, you won’t.

You won’t because you know things will not work out. Cheapskates always think they win big by sweeping all chips away from the table.

They fail to see that they are engaging in a futile losing ‘value’ proposition.

I would never ask a baker for a free loaf. He will reject me flatly if he is kind. If he decides to teach me a lesson… he will pass me an expired loaf.

The price of free would be a hefty stay in the hospital. And imagine the excruciating pain of stomach cleansing plus potential health damage.

Is this the price I am willing to pay for free? No, thank you.

You likely think the same. Free food is a bad idea.

What about the best vendor support for $0?

Let me make a bet. I am confident I will win this bet.

I know that you know that your vendor knows that any form of support is likely to be cursory at $0. You know it. But you pretend that you can juice a good deal.

The vendor is playing pretend with you, too.

If you don’t understand why… Let me explain.

Every vendor, supplier, and consultant has a portfolio of clients to attend to. Of course, every paying client receives the same treatment. We strive to do our best.

But that will not be the case for non-paying clients.

Management or bosses will question us. It is unusual for us to not invest time and effort with clients who pay good money for our service.

Yes, we use enterprise software to check for client status. Yes, we must prioritize.

And deep down, we know,

• Delivering exceptional services to paid clients brings them back for more.
• Delivering the best service to cheapskate clients encourages them to remain a cheapskate.

Same Black Hole. Different results.

So, no. You get close to near-nothing support.

And this is why the service support staff’s email will always remind you to read the product manual. Chances are, that is a template response for clients on the cheap.

Yup, that is the amount of attention a cheapskate client gets.

The Close

I will end this article with a quote I endorse wholeheartedly.

Cheapskates who pick you because of your price, then ask for a discount, then take up 5x more of your time than any other client.

This is life experience translated into words by an experienced sales professional.

Yes, my dear friend.

Stop using value as a justification for freebie extortion or getting things on the cheap. It doesn’t work. Not today. Not tomorrow.

Toss this bright blue skies, puffy white clouds thinking out of the window.

Instead, respect the person in front of you.

Pay a fair price for what you want.

You will get the maximum benefit of the product and service rendered in exchange.

And, oh.

You will be treated with respect, too.

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Oh, oh, you can buy me a cup of black too! Thank you!