It is only worth what somebody is willing to pay for it

I have been enjoying a program called Four Rooms.

This is a series in which people who believe they have a valuable artefact get a chance to sell it to four of the country’s leading buyers. But, once they turn down an offer, there’s no going back.

This program resonates with me as part of my business involves working with voice overs and composers and as such I have been party to many negotiations where I am acting as the middle man.

The difficulty is that voice over artists and composers tend to want as much money as possible for their craft when they are doing a custom job (understandably) but clients mostly don’t appreciate the negotiation and the inconsistency of prices, especially on small corporate voice over jobs.

Personally I think that the differentiation occurs when something is no longer unique or rare. For example the millionaire dealers in ‘Four Rooms’ are masters of their networks. They sell unique and rare items and have a database of customers who will pay premiums for such items.

In my opinion, with the online proliferation of voice talent and composers, buyers in 2011 do not see these services as unique or rare but more of a commodity that they should be able to access readily without negotiation or complication. In our line of business making it difficult for the client just means we are going to lose more business than we win.

Your service is only worth what somebody is willing to pay for it and if there is an abundance of comparable services you need to think about how you make a clients life easier and win more business.

I welcome others opinions / comments and have a look at the program, it is fascinating.