Someone Has to Be the Most Expensive. Could That Be You?

Here’s something to consider: Someone has to be the most expensive in your market. Could this be you?

In his best-selling book: “Someone Has to Be the Most Expensive”, author Andrew Griffiths shares his views on how competing on price is a death trap.

The obsession with being ‘competitive’ has led many highly skilled tradespeople to devalue their own work and themselves. Every time you reduce your prices to win a job, you are training your customers to expect lower quality work. Even worse, you reinforce the industry’s biggest obstacle: that all trade services are the same, and price is the only differentiator.

Think about this analogy. When was the last time you chose a surgeon, lawyer, or accountant based on who was the cheapest? I would say – never. You looked for the best. Someone who you could trust to deliver the best outcome, quality, reliability, and peace of mind.

Are you up for looking at your pricing differently? Pricing for profit, quality and self-worth is the key. In fact, it is time to disrupt the traditional approach to winning work through being the cheapest.

Your price reflects value; so, set a new standard!

The highest-priced businesses in any industry don’t just charge more for the sake of it. They offer a superior experience, a unique approach, and a level of trust that others don’t. They also repeatedly give great perception that they are the best.

Take luxury car brands. A Mercedes-Benz isn’t just a more expensive car because of its parts. It’s expensive because of how it makes people feel; the status, the engineering, the experience.

Tradespeople who are up for charging premium rates need to create a similar perception. If your customers say, “They’re expensive, but they’re the best,” then price resistance disappears. The real question isn’t ‘if’ people will pay your price, but what you’re doing to make your service worth it.

Raising your prices requires raising your service levels.

If you want to be in the top 10% of what your industry charges for work, you can’t just keep offering the same experience. A higher price must be backed by an elevated customer journey. Here’s some things to consider:

1. Flawless Communication

Simple yet so powerful, and many tradespeople mess this up. This may only be a few of the ‘cowboys’ yet this tarnishes the rest of your trade. They show up late (or not at all), without communication, fail to return calls, and leave customers wondering when, or if, the work will ever get done. If you want to be the best be obsessively reliable. Respond to inquiries quickly, confirm appointments the day before, and give clear, written timelines.

2. Gold Class Service

Think about the difference between a budget airline and flying first class. What perks can you add that make the experience exceptional? Some of the clients at PROTRADE United have taken the following approach.

• An electrician offers an electrical safety audit of the entire home as a complimentary service with any job over $500.
• A plumber provides a 24-hour priority service guarantee for VIP clients who sign up for a maintenance program.
• A landscaper provides clients a 3D visualisation of their outdoor space before you even break ground, so they can ‘see’ the final result in advance.

What could you provide that has the customer say “Wow…that’s different!”