I was thinking the other day about a client I had who just didn’t get it.
We had spent quite a bit of time looking at the way he ran his business. He had experience in the promotional arena, but was now in a completely different field. When he brought me onboard, he agreed to listen and take my advice to heart.
It worked for a while.
He sang my praises instantly in the beginning. What I showed him was remarkable in his eyes. He saw himself building a large business. He saw himself hiring more people. He saw himself moving ahead.
Then we hit an impasse. Instead of doing what I advised, he wanted me to do it all for him. He didn’t have the time.
I said OK. But, I added, it would cost him XXXX for me to do it.
Here is the bombshell.
It wasn’t worth it to him for ME to do it at that price.
We discussed the fact that doing the things he asked me to would bring in X more clients at X more profits, for X more dollars in the bank.
What the real story was…. After I had made some money for him, he did not want to KEEP paying me!
Most of the business owners do not see what a silly mistake that is.
It’s like the old story of a full line of machinery breaking down and a tech comes in and taps a little place on the machine. Everything working now, so the tech wants $250.
For a little tap, you’d think that was high. But for getting a large machine back in order, it was cheap.
My former client didn’t think I should be paid to do some valuable business development work for him (He said he could do it himself.)
Where is he now?
Still locked up in his small plant, unable to get out, because he hasn’t grown.
Paying the price now, pays off big time later.
