profile

Rod Aparicio

Money is not a problem.

Published over 1 year ago • 1 min read
"Money is not a problem."

In a negotiation in behalf of a client, I asked my client:
"Please give me the prices (at full) for these 2 programs your customer wants to buy. Money is not a problem. They have as a minimum 24K euros."

The answer?

"Here. This is the price —but you can offer it for less."

The "less" price?

16K

The fear of "losing" the opportunity made them leave money on the table. Despite having the extra approved budget.

Of course, now comes the ethical question:

"Isn't this ripping your clients off, Rod?"

No.

  1. The price is at the standard level. Without discount. (Why offer one when they don't ask for it? 🤷‍♂️)
  2. A bigger margin makes the business more profitable. Which means a longer time for the business to keep serving.
  3. The customer is happy to pay for it. The value of what they make with this is in the millions (literally).
  4. A bigger margin enables you to serve better on whatever might or might not happen.
  5. Having the price agreed, approved by the customer, enables you to think of "What could I do for this price, so they're delighted?"
  6. Whenever they call you, you'll be more than happy to answer and serve them.
  7. You'll look for more clients like this one. They're good-fit clients.
  8. You're seen as THE expert. And experts charge more.
  9. The price is acceptable. Go and try again with others like them.

Here's the thing

Seeing everything from a perspective of fear of losing will make you ignore the green flags and go to your default: Give it for a lower price.

You'll leave money on the table.

You won't serve your customers at your best. Because what they want (and you, too) is to be delighted.

And you're delightful.

Rod Aparicio

Get one tip, question, or belief-challenge that just might change the way you market, to help your customers buy. A *daily* email for b2b founders on improving your business —without the bullshit.

Read more from Rod Aparicio

Many people in sales think that's charm what gets them to keep accounts and/or close deals. It's not. In the vast majority of cases what gets (mis)labeled with charm is: over promising, underpricing or conceding to any price pressure or to give away discounts as a default And that's not charm. It's a lack or underdeveloped skills in sales —but most importantly, in knowing how to articulate the value they help create. What are the ways you train and develop your skills? Because "charm" will...

about 14 hours ago • 1 min read

Is it bad to keep the same price for 10 years? Or is it good to keep the same price for 10 years? Same. No incremental raises, no inflation, no higher-costs compensation, nothing additional.

1 day ago • 1 min read

Knowing how to do their thing is what differentiates experts from non-experts. Now, it's not only knowing how to. Having this in the back of your head makes it visible, BUT only when it's in action and you're not in action 24/7. There's a way, though: with your how-to structured and articulated. How do your customers have access to your knowing how to when they look for someone like you?

3 days ago • 1 min read