In the past week, I’ve been asked to present two sessions at one conference for free, do a breakout session on the west coast for half of my normal fee and fly to the Midwest to do a two day training program for next to nothing. Honestly people, I’d love to work for free, if only my bank would waive my mortgage payment this month as a way of paying it forward. Alas, that’s not going to happen.
I certainly understand that people have budget constraints, but as my mentor Alan Weiss always says, money is about priorities. I’m interested in working with companies that are seeking quality and not just a deal. The quality of my work is guaranteed, which means you have little to lose when hiring me. So the next time you are seeking a partner to work with (notice how I didn’t say vendor), think about the value he or she will be providing you and then decide if their fees are reasonable for the return you will be getting. It is really true in life. You do get what you pay for.
