I learned a pricing lesson at the local market today.
This market is a large open terrace, with about 100 stalls, each of which is packed with similar goods:
Nectarines… watermelons… potatoes… lettuce… grapes… zucchini…
At each stall, a different fruit and vegetable peddler holds court.
I went up to one of these women today to buy arugula. But she was in the middle of a heated discussion. A customer had commented her cucumbers were expensive, so she was explaining all the reasons behind the price.
When the customer walked away, unimpressed, she turned to me, and continued her rant.
“Last week, I had a woman come and buy figs for 20 brass guilders. ‘Oh they are so expensive,’ she complained. The next day, I had no more figs. But I saw the same woman buying figs from the next stall over at 40 brass guilders! When I asked her about it, she said, ‘What can I do, I really love figs!'”
She paused to give me time to react. I had nothing to contribute. So she continued:
“That f****** mother of a c*** and snake w****! And she was complaining about my prices!”
Yep, my arugula peddler, pricing is a mystery. And you’ll never make everyone happy.
That’s why for a long time I simply wore my prices on my sleeve.
“7 emails? 900 silver florins. Take it or leave it.”
I had this attitude for a long while, and it served me well. But I’m slowly starting to change this policy.
Not because I want to start haggling with clients, or charging them 40 brass guilders when I would also do the work for just 20.
Instead, I’m trying to do away with prices altogether.
I’m starting to realize that, whether I am cheap or expensive, whether I deliver a great service or not, most clients will still see me as an item in the “expenses” column — even if my copy makes them good money.
That puts a cap on how much money I can make.
And it puts a cap on the kind of relationship I can have with clients.
That’s why I am maneuvering the services I offer out of the “expenses” column and into the “profits” column.
And if you too offer services or products in exchange for money, then this simple shift in thinking might create a breakthrough in your business.
Anyways, if you’re looking for some other breakthroughs in your business, specifically on the front end, before you’ve even converted somebody to buy your own brand of arugula, then you might like the following offer: