How NOT to Thrive!
In a couple of weeks or so, my newest book, Thrive! will be published. It is my first, hard cover, self-published book. I’ve decided on this route, despite new contracts with McGraw-Hill for 2010 and another publisher pending, because I wanted to completely control Thrive!. (The sub-title is “stop wishing your life away”).
I hired self-publishing expert Elaine Floyd, whom some of you heard in my publishing workshop in Washington, DC a couple of years ago. She has been fabulous, serving as a general manager for the project, highly responsive, proactive, and well organized.
Recently, we agreed on a Kindle version of the book, so she sought out some quotes to make the necessary adjustments. There are considerations about footnotes and the index, which are tough to include, it turns out, and technical matters that make narcolepsy seem desirable.
In any case, after Elaine doing the preliminary work, a partner in a firm which specializes in this work puts together a simple work agreement and asks me for a deposit of half the fee. I’m in Key West at the time, on the way to Miami, and he says an electronic invoice is attached, or I can use the link he’s provided. Well, there is no invoice attached, and the link is confusing.
I write back and ask him to send me a conventional invoice, but feel free to begin, I’m good for the money. Obviously, Elaine can vouch for me and my body of work is pretty easy to access. But I’m also happy to wait until I get the invoice and pay it. There is no rush.
Instead, he writes me an email declining my business, since he must respect and treat all customers equally. Can you get a nosebleed on that high a horse?
His total fee is under $300. He had warned us that the index might cost another $75!
Just as I have continued to promote Elaine as a great resource, and will be doing more of that, I was prepared to help anyone and everyone involved in the production of this book, from the designers to the printer. But the Kindle guy doesn’t care to look beyond his nose, or think of the fourth sale first, or much beyond his own bureaucracy. In fact, he’s so offended he’d rather decline my business than send me a conventional invoice.
Obviously, he’s undercharging for his work (though not his relationships) but that’s not surprising given his myopic view of business. Let this be an example to everyone: Understand that each prospect and customer is somewhat different, that your relationship differentiates you, not your “work” (we’ll have a replacement in 48 hours), and you have to make it easy to do business with you.
I don’t blame him about the deposit, I wouldn’t have blamed him about full payment, I just wanted to pay it my way, even if it took longer. He just wanted to do it his way.
Consider your buyer, make it easy to do business, and think about future business. When someone comes to you, and your marketing has worked to that extent, and they decide not to stay, it’s because you’re not being very hospitable. Or very intelligent.
And you’re not going to Thrive!
© Alan Weiss 2009. All rights reserved.
Sally Strackbein
Makes you wonder. I stopped using one hotel for my workshops because the last time I used them, I had to physically go back 3 times to pay them. They would not take my payment at the time of my workshop when I was ready and willing to pay. GO figure.
Alan Weiss
The guy could have learned from me how to charge properly.
Avonelle Lovhaug
I think it is hysterical that he sees it as some kind of egalitarian stance, instead of thinking about it in terms of providing options. Like he’s taking moral stand or something. Yeah, right.
Alan Weiss
Some people are just terrible at business, but the worst arethose who refuse to learn.
Alan Weiss
Think of the difference: He could have had my business and referrals, simply by saying, “Happy to get started, an invoice will be in the mail, can you send the entire amount at that time?”
Instead, he’s another bad example. Reminds me of the woman who designed my brochure a decade ago, and tried to make money on the side from every vender she recommended (photos, printing, graphics) by getting a kickback on an inflated bill to me. I fired her and never, in ten years, sent one person to her. I’ve had, conservatively, a thousand requests for her kind of skills during that time. She could have made a small fortune.
Ron Ratliff
Tragically short-sighted! I predict that he’ll be back looking for a J-O-B in the very near future.
In the meantime, I look forward to the new publication.
Rabbi Ginzberg
Should he have been reading the book he was formatting, he would have realized he was doing something wrong.
(I always wonder about the waitstaff at high priced seminars… I mean, they are in the room at $10,000 a head event with top speakers.. can’t they take action based on what they hear?)
Perhaps its illegal to profit from information at seminars overheard while serving drinks. 🙂
Alan Weiss
I’ve had waitstaff hang out in the back of the room (I don’t allow anyone to clear tables while I work) or in the hallways, and many have commented on what I’ve spoken about. It always shocks me that the hotel MANAGEMENT feels they are above attending the expert sessions being held on their properties. Many don’t even bother to meet me when I’m responsible for tens of thousands of dollars of business for them.