There's one thing that I definitely know in life and that is you can always buy something cheaper - telephone service, flights, cars, office supplies, SEO optimization, wedding gowns, pharmaceuticals, wedding flowers, catering....wedding & event planners.  You name it and I'll betcha there's somebody out there that can give it to you cheaper...  I think that the question that people miss is:  But Will It Be What I Want?

Let me give you a scenario that happened to me last year.  I sent out a floral & decor proposal for an event that wasn't huge and over the top.  It was for a nice party and right in line with the type of events we do.  Prior to sending it out, I had gone through and made a few things optional for the client so that they could add in some of the "nice to haves".  Exactly what I told them I would do when they hired me. 

Then, the phone rings....it's the Mother of the Bride.  We'll call her Carol. 

Carol:  "Sasha...in this economy how can you, in good conscience, send me a floral proposal THIS high?"

Please know that I had been through the proposal backwards & forwards and it met all of the required components that the bride simply HAD to have. 

ME:  "Thanks for your call, Carol, I sent it because I believe it fits the desires of Melanie (name of bride has been changed) and I did shave a lot off to try to meet your budget"

Carol:  "But Sasha, how in the world do you expect us to pay for this?  We have decided we don't want to spend more than X"  {this would have been nice to know at the beginning, by the way}

ME:  "Please let me know what you would like to cut and we are happy to  make any changes you like.  We can switch from long tables to rounds & squares, change the design of the flowers..."{basically, I gave her 15 options to make changes}

Carol:  "But Sasha, Melanie wants all that and we expect that in this economy people are hungry for business and would be willing to make a little less profit for the job"

{quizzical look which garners the side note that in this economy, business owners are more likely going to want a higher profit from each job, not lower to compensate for fewer jobs overall - thereby providing the contracted & paid for services ONLY and not over and above the contracted services}

ME: "Carol, I'm not sure that's the case, but let me just say that I've found out something in life and in business...you can always get something cheaper but it will not be the wedding your daughter wants, it will only be the price you like." {if you use this in your business, feel free to say "well, Sasha Souza says..."}

Why have I told you this story?  Because it's true and the statement that I made at the end is an important one when educating couples and ourselves on weddings and what we get for our money. It's easy to say you want a centerpiece to be smaller or "not over the top" or "simple".  Let me give you a visual example.  We have seen this image from the legendary Preston Bailey in our office many, many times.  It's gorgeous with hundreds of flowers in it and I'm sure the image does not do it justice to how grand it is in person:

Can every bride afford it?  No.  But those that value it will seek it & Preston out to design for them and will be thrilled with the results.  Here is how we used his inspiration for a bride who loved the look but couldn't pay the price tag for the flowers:

Could the bride have gotten even this arrangement cheaper?  Yes!  Absolutely but the structure of the piece, the height, the design would have been vastly different.  More like this:

While still pretty, it doesn't emanate the same feeling - BUT it IS CHEAPER!  So, if it's cheaper that they are looking for then this would work out perfectly but the expectation can't be for the gorgeous images above.

Another example...Is the peony any cheaper because of the economy?  No.  So, we offer alternatives and often we substitute with garden roses.  Is it the same?  No.  It's just cheaper and different.  Some brides are OK with that and others REALLY want the peony and are not going to compromise for anything less.  The decision is only theirs to make.

Carol did go on to pay the bill for the flowers when she  understood that what she would get by going elsewhere wasn't what Melanie would have wanted.  We were very willing to make changes to the event to get them closer to their described estimated expenditure but they were unwilling to make any changes whatsoever and simply wanted it to be cheaper.  period.  just. cheaper.

That isn't how this works, people.  If you go to the gas station to fill up your car, you make a decision on the name brand station that you go to, how much you want to pay per gallon & the octane level of the gas you want. 

OR! 

You can go down the street to the gas station without all the special additives.  Will your car run the same?  Maybe.  Maybe not.  My car happens to like Chevron Techron 89 Octane or better.  I put anything less in it and I'm bummed by the lack of power and performance that I get in my car.  I can't go into the clerk and ask them if instead of $2.99 per gallon I can pay $1.49 per gallon and expect the exact same quality & product.  If you want me to shave $100 off an arrangement, you're going to lose $100 worth of flowers & design time. 

So, when you're visiting with your vendors and you ask them to reduce their price please be sure that you are getting the same exact thing - because if you're trying to compare apples to apples and one person says they can do that Preston arrangement for hundreds less than the other person - chances are  you'll be left with arrangement #3 on your 72" round seating 12.

.....next up... a lesson in SCALE!

{after several requests to republish, please feel free with credit & link back to this blog}

Comments

[Wedding Flowers Co]

I applaud you for sharing your insight. Can we have this written up and nationally syndicated to all our readers? Thanks for a great post!

[SEO reseller]

Excellent insights. Because of the high competition in the SEO industry, there are a lot of SEO companies that offer services with cheaper prices than before. I think this complicates the process of getting prospect clients more.

[Tiffany]

Simply put, this is an awesome blog post. I believe you have completely hit the nail on the head with regard to those who chance "bargaining for services." It is true, everything is negotiable, just make sure you're truly ok with the new offer.

[G.E. Masana]

I just went through this. The couple get back to me admitting they can't find anyone comparable for less as they were hoping to. I offer to do a smaller job for a smaller price to suit their budget, but no, they want it *all* for less. Red flag. They tell me they can't imagine anyone else shooting their wedding - but of course that's just rhetoric because they're looking for others. Certainly a contradiction! And another red flag. So I told them I didn't feel I was the person for them, thanked them and wished them well.

Next time this happens, I'll certainly quote you!

[Rebecca Pettigrew Photography]

BEST. ARTICLE. EVER.

[Andrew Bryant Photography]

Brilliant post on overall value for the wedding day. We're right there with you... charge what you're worth and don't underestimate the service you provide. Thanks for posting this!

[Amberdawn]

Someone came to my blog yesterday to try and guilt me with "you get what you pay for." The thing is, there were lots of reasons I didn't even like the venue I was reviewing. And it wasn't because I wanted something MORE luxurious. Just the opposite, I thought the place was too stuffy and formal. So like you say, it's best when a person understands their priorities. I guess that commenter didn't realize that I do!

[Rhonda Patton Weddings]

The old saying goes, "You get what you pay for".....I have had my share of brides who want platinum for peanuts. My question is, are you looking for someone cheap or are you looking for someone who is competent with a quality product 'cause you can get cheap anywhere! Great illustration Sasha!

[Cassandra Bromfield]

Somebody had to say it!

[ashleysbrideguide.com]

excellent post! brides definitely need to really understand this! i'm sharing it with my nashville brides, blog readers.

[Melissa]

Well said. You do get what you pay for. With anything if you go for the cheaper product it may or may not add up to your expectation. Something to always keep in mind.

[Shannon Leahy]

great post! and so true. i'm just going direct people to this post from now on whenever this comes up!

[bride to be]

Thanks for the info. Sometimes it is really difficult to find things brides want without the anxiety of spending too much.

[C plus N]

Great post,

I recently let go of a potential client because she kept price haggling again and again and again. We originally gave a %50 discount because she was a friend of my partner. Even after that she would try to get it down by $50, or $100, I kept cutting out items and lowering the price to try and please her....eventually I gave up!

I was finally honest with her and said it was hard for me to be excited about the project because all she focused on was our price and not our work.

Thank you !

[JIll Johnson]

Sasha well put and I hope future bride and grooms begin to understand, along with fellow vendors who keep undercutting the industry. I love your little quizzical insert of your thoughts. Great visual for a phone conversation

[Denise Silverman]

You blew us away when you came to Austin to share your experiences and philosophies with our industry. We consistently refer back to the lessons we learned from you that evening. And you've done it again here. We've shared this post with our entire team and I've printed it out and hung it on my wall. Thank you for your wisdom and candor!

[Gina]

This is my new favorite piece of wisdom form you! It had inched ahead of - calling carnations mini peonies. Genius as always!

[Robbie Schlosser]

Hi Sasha,

Thanks for your inspiring presentation at Silicon Valley NACE yesterday, and thanks for referring to this eloquent blogpost about valuing our time, skill, and artistry. It's a good dose of powerful medicine -- especially for people who aren't used to haggling. (They're the ones who tremble when a client screams, "WHAT!", no matter what fee you quote them.)

"Let Me Clarify" is the perfect title, and I look forward to your future posts!

[Karissa]

I love you, excellent, to the point but so sweetly put! Thank you.

[Juliet Douglas]

Excellent post Sasha! I love the way you explained it.

[kenju]

I had to say something similar many times when I was in business. Too bad I didn't have this to send to people who were trying to get something for nothing. Very well said!

[Anna-Jeannine "DJ AJ9"]

Bless you, Sasha!

I'd hate to ask prospective clients if they'd take less to do their job because of the economy, but that's really what we're talking about, here! Us service providers have mortgages, too!

There are literally dozens of places that brides in our area could get cheaper DJ service than with us, and I've been known to tell them up-front. If you're looking for the lowest bidder -- we're not it.

If you're looking for a high-quality, caring, legitimate business that will help you achieve your goals for the evening and is genuinely interested in your happiness, those professional DJs deserve to be paid a professional wage.

If I "wheel and deal" with clients, it means that our staff takes a pay cut. If our staff takes a pay cut, it likely means that we will not be able to keep the best DJs on staff, and the quality of our service will inherently decline. You get what you pay for!

[Heidi @ Zenadia]

Sasha this post is SO good!! I loved every word.

[Brit]

My favorite post ever. Thanks Sasha!

[Christa Ginsberg]

Simply fantastic. So well said, Sasha! I would love, with your permission, to link up with you so that my readers can read this fabulous posting as well?