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Not hardly, for the past 16 years I've seen franchises come & go very frequently. Most of these people have the money to buy a franshise but don't have the talent or expertise to make a sucessful business work. As most of you know it takes a lot more than money to operate a sign shop. I get paid an average of twice what franchise shops charge & I have more work than I can do & since I've been around almost 16 years you can bet I'm here to stay. I bet I'm not the only one on this BB who charges what thier worth & will not settle for less It's hard to get rich when you give your work away but with most cheap O shops they know what their worth, not much & that's what they charge!
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I usually tell them that my competitor is FAR MORE QUALIFIED than I am, to tell them the value of their work. I happen to KNOW the value of mine, and that is reflected in the price they've been given.
Astute business people will quickly understand this statement, but it'll go right over the heads of Morons. Gives you a fast indication of who you're dealing with.
------------------ Ken Henry Henry & Henry Signs London, Ontario Canada (519) 439-1881 e-mail kjmlhenry@home.
Some days you get to be the dog....other days, you get to be the fire hydrant.
posted
I think a better approach would be to ask some questions instead of becoming confrontational or defensive. Such as "Mr So and So is the price one of the most important reasons for your purchase today?" He might reply "Yes" to which you say "I understand how you feel, many of my happy customers felt that way before they purchased one of my signs, but what they found was that after considering the value of effective signage vs. the price that the extra spent was well worth the additional cost.
The important words here are feel, felt, and found.
Just one of the things I've learned since I started work in professional sales.
------------------ Terry Teague James River Signs Reeds Spring, MO tlteague@tri-lakes.net
Posts: 434 | From: Reeds Spring | Registered: May 1999
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posted
I like your answer Ken. Me, if a competitor quotes a price that's well out of order I say "go get it while you can, they won't be business long with prices like that, whereas I've been supporting my customers for nearly 20 years and hope to do so a while longer". I tell them that, sure-as-eggs, you get what you pay for in life!
------------------ Gray M. Hodge Cam River Signs Somerset, Tasmania.
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I don't say it meanly,very nicely with a smile,jokeingly in good jesture but with confidence.I never treat my customers with anything other than good manners I give a fair price. Then I show them my portfolio. It's not very often they leave without buying,I usually sell them.
posted
I would like to think that my “favorite” answer falls in line with Ken Henry and Terry Teague. Engage in dialog to understand the customer, and for the customer to understand you. For that, there is no “standard” response as each occasion is unique; general similarities usually do exist though. Granted, it may only take a few seconds to learn this is someone you wish not to call “your customer,” but with a gut feeling and a few extra minutes, you may end up with a “new client.” And that new client now has an understanding of you and your business, and you with his. Is that what they call a “Win-Win?”
All that being said, I do like to slip this one in where I can…
“I’d much rather explain my price than apologize for my quality.”
[ October 11, 2001: Message edited by: Steve Shortreed ]
-------------------- Bob Gilliland InKnowVative Communications Harrisburg PA, USA
"The U.S. Constitution doesn't guarantee happiness, only the pursuit of it. You have to catch up with it yourself." Benjamin Franklin Posts: 642 | From: Harrisburg, PA, USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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I break out a three year old copy of the pricing guide. I might not clinch the job but at least the customer leaves with the knowledge of whose price is really out of line, plus I don't have to tread the thin line between witty and smartass
------------------ George Perkins Millington,TN. goatwell@ionictech.com
"I started out with nothing and still have most of it left"
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This topic was meant to have some fun and just see how humorous some of your answers would be that's why I added the smiley. It wasn't meant to show if I could be a smarta-- or not to my customers. Was meant to be topic that wasn't so serious & wouldn't cause confrontations but it quickly went from me asking a simple question to someone giving me advice, which I don't need, nor did I ask for. Another demonstration how some get OT so quickly. This is not meant to be a scolding either just an observation.