Compromised

Compromise in price signals compromise in value.

If I buy cheaper potatoes, I anticipate throwing away more bad parts. If I buy a cheaper house, I know I’m going to have to fix her up, walk more, or pay more for utilities.

As a rule, when we are talking about interchangeable, commodity-type goods and services, which the clients know and understand, you usually get what you pay for. When things sound too good to be true- that’s exactly what they are.

But that doesn’t translate well into expert services, as there are no easy ways to tell what part of [the desired future state] that the service was supposed to produce is going to be left out when we pay the bargain price.

So even when the client personally pressures you into compromising with your price, they are probably going to wonder what will you leave out. Since they can’t really “kick the tires” to check every part of your work, they will also keep their suspicion even if you don’t actually leave out anything at all. Because compromises in price signal a compromise in value, right?

To avoid looking “compromised”, avoid lowering your price. When this is not possible, always ask for something else in return (reference, introduction, advance payment) so that it looks more like a trade than simply caving in. It sounds simple, but it helps a lot.