Small Business is Never Just Black & White
When working with a locally owned small business, that interaction is never just black and white. Each experience with every company often has its own attributes.
Recently, when shopping a local retail business, the phrase “we can work with you” was used. It really was a welcome and unexpected phrase. It brought home the concept that the company was willing to make a sale that perhaps was also not black and white. Earning one’s business has become a phrase we hear more and more these days and, with this particular business, they made that phrase reality.
When you are selling your products or services, price may not be as static as a tag implies. Most small business owners have great passion about what they do and what they create. They may be willing to negotiate for various reasons on price, within limits, of course. Moving inventory out the door, moving forward with services, both mean forward progress for a small business, as long as a profit can still be made.
In the reference above, the conversation revolved around upcoming ‘Black Friday’ discounts. Apparently, some retailers begin pricing for the biggest shopping day of the year as of the beginning of the month of November. In this instance, the owner did not wish to lose out on a sale today while the potential buyer waited a few weeks for a significant discount. And with the time value of money, a dollar today is worth more than that same dollar a few weeks from now. The devils made sense.
Exchanges that are positive and display a small business’s interest in valuing your purchase today can go a long way. They build trust, have favorable first and lasting impressions, and likely result in this experience being spread to other potential buyers. Perhaps, someone will even write a Blog about it that is read by thousands of followers!
If you find yourself as a buyer or a seller of small business products or services, engage the conversation, you will likely find the ability to negotiate at some level. The phrase ‘we can work with you’ shows the desire to do business with you, embrace the effort, and support and promote locally owned businesses, yours and those in your community. Note the words as well. They did not say ‘let’s make a deal’ or ‘we can lower the price’ or ‘we will take what we can get’.
Living in the ‘grey’ space of life is where most of us spend our time. Enjoy the journey when you find such an opportunity!
Be well.
