Posts tagged as:

Ethics

Are You For Sale?

by Daria Steigman on July 7, 2011

sales, branding, business, Independent Thinking, Steigman CommunicationsAssessing value can be one of the toughest challenges facing any business. Bring small business folks together for a conversation, and the topics of rates and handling negotiations routinely come up. Pricing is often in the eye of the buyer—budget, need, demand, and perceived value all come into play. And that’s before you, your credentials, and your “value-add” even walk in the door.

My latest Independent Thinking column is out, and it explores rates, scope, referrals, and the importance of choosing wisely:

For any business, the perception that you are for sale can be deadly. After endless holiday sales, retailers have trained us to wait for the “real” (discount) price to kick in. Is this the message you want to send to your clients and prospects?

While I’ve talked about some of this before, the column goes into a little more depth–including some good food for thought from Kristie Aylett and others on the topic of referrals. Read the column here.

Photo by antwerpenR (Flickr).

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How Much Is a Referral Worth?

by Daria Steigman on April 25, 2011

How Much is a Referral Worth? business, branding, ethics, There was an interesting discussion on the SoloPR tweet chat last week about discounting services. Specifically:

As a new SoloPR [pro], would you give a big discount to a client who offers to or does actively help you grow your business?

If you read this blog regularly, you know my position on discounting. I want referrals from my clients because they value my work, not because my rates are malleable. And any quid pro quo that involves money changing hands (directly, or indirectly via a “discount”) will always make me uneasy. Or, as I tweeted:

This is a biz philosophy issue too. I believe referrals should happen “because”–not “because I’m getting something in return.”

Plus, as one person pointed out, “once you offer a discount, odds are you will never return to your full rate.”

While some people echoed my position on this, others did not. Several people said they would offer a discount–or had done so in the past. One person said that he might do it, but advised setting a scope or time limit. Another say, “Yes to discounts. When you’re new, money shouldn’t be your main concern. Getting your brand out there should be.”

Sorry, still not a fan of this model. There are lots of ways to thank clients. Cheapening your brand isn’t one of them.

Photo by Bixentro (Flickr).

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Whatever Happened to Business Ethics?

by Daria Steigman on September 8, 2010

Whatever Happened to Business Ethics? | Independent Thinking | Steigman Communications, llcI was wrong. Utterly and completely.

I argued with my mom in early August that former HP CEO Mark Hurd would only be unemployed for a year or so. (She thought his career was over.) That he’d do a requisite stint in the wilderness and then get some cushy consulting gig. That’s because, despite being really stupid, Mark Hurd’s a pretty smart business guy.

Turns out that exile didn’t even last a month.

In case you didn’t see the news, Hurd has been hired as Oracle’s newest co-president.

I guess business ethics don’t matter after all. What other conclusion can you draw?

Photo by Hamed Saber (Flickr).

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HP, Hurd, and Business Ethics 101

by Daria Steigman on August 10, 2010

Business Ethics, Reputation | Independent Thinking | Steigman Communications, llcMark Hurd is a very stupid man. With all the money he was earning from Hewlett-Packard, don’t you think he could have paid cash (his cash) for dinner if he didn’t want a paper trail?

You don’t have to pay me $12 million or $10 million or even $1 million. It doesn’t matter the salary, commission, or project fee. I simply pledge today not to cheat on my expense account.

It’s not a sacrifice.

It’s business ethics. And, of course, reputation.

Photo by Justin Baeder (Flickr).

Have you signed up to receive the Independent Thinking newsletter? Now’s the time! Once a month I’ll send you exclusive, subscriber-only content highlighting interesting articles I’ve found, as well as tips on marketing, social media, and how to grow your business. Sign up today!

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