Tag: Manipulation

How kind is your business?

Posted on by philipdodson

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In a world dominated with ‘where is the money it that?’ mentality, it is sometimes seen as weak, or even difficult to even contemplate, considering the notion of kindness in business.

We confuse kindness with doing something for free in order to manipulate others to reciprocate. Many people think it is clever to leverage the basic human instinct to return a favour. I can hear the guru’s saying ‘give and then take’.

I can hear the words of the much lauded Gary Vee ringing in my head ‘give, give, give and the take em for all they’ve got’ or something like that, maybe it’s ‘Jab, Jab, Right Hook’.

Kindness is doing something for others for no gain, other than the chemical release in our own bodies that makes us feel good, makes us happy. This is not a selfish act in a malicious way, it is a way of making us happy, after all happiness is a choice.

So choose acts of random kindness in your business and make yourself happy and spread that happiness to your customers and potential customers, spread to all the humans that interact with.

Simply because you can and simply because creating happiness in your life and that of the others you connect with is a pleasure not to be missed.

After all what is life about, if it isn’t for enjoying the journey.

How about a discount?

Posted on by philipdodson

25percent off

How about a discount?

No.

Why do we over inflate our prices in order to build in a buffer, for the inevitable price negotiation?

It’s all part of the conditioning of the manipulative sales process that has become the norm.

There is such a lack of imagination, that it seems adding a benefit or chopping the price is the only way to get noticed.

If you demonstrate why you do what you do, if you show the value of what you offer, then the price is of no relevance. Price fairly to start with and then provide something that is remarkable, worth paying for whatever the price, and the price doesn’t have to be anything other than just fair.

You are the arbiter of what’s fair, after all it’s what your time is worth.

It is not about using price as a tactic to sell, if you have to do that, then you have failed to communicate your cause, your reason for being, to the other party. All they are looking at is what you offer.

You are more than likely talking to wrong audience, as all you have attracted is the ‘laggards’ who buy everything based on price.

They are not your audience, you are looking for the people who buy you, for what you, and your business, stand for.

Build trust, loyalty, and something meaningful, and stick to your values, do not get seduced into using price as the tool to make sales.

There is always someone who will sell cheaper. Let them go there.

The answer is ‘no’.