Proven Principles Of Success Series | Cheap Is Cheap; Values Is Priceless

Walking through the posh mall in Kobe [Japan] taught me more than I could ever imagine. Brand name stores - such as Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Prada, Tiffany and Co. - lined up the second and third floors. Of course, in each of these stores, you have the "Bouncer" and their associates, guarding the goods and waiting for paying customers. Now before, that would intimidate me and make me think, "Nah, I don't deserve to be in those stores if they're going to give me the death glare." But I learned, recently, to be bold and say, "You know what, so what if I don't have the financial means now to buy anything in the store. Let me give it a shot. What are they going to do, shoo me away once I step in?" So, I went into Gucci and lo and behold, they greeted me with a smile.

Even though it's customer service to greet guests at the door with a smile, this customer service felt different. As I was perusing the new purses and handbags, one of the saleswomen came up to me (of course, the conversation was mostly in Japanese) and informed me about the new lineup they had in the store. She didn't pressure me into buying. There was no price tag showing. And the best part: she showed me around the store and allowed me to try on the purses to see which ones I liked. In short, she built a relationship with me and gave me her contact card, should I wish to come back and invest in one of their purses.

While that story may seem like, "Oh, honey, she's just trying to sell you", even if she was, it wasn't forced or coerced. And I felt special because of that brief interaction. She added value to my Gucci experience. Let me take it a step further. In Japan, summers get so ridiculously hot that most stores sell handheld fans - some battery operated, others rechargeable. In the expensive mall, I bought a fan for $21 USD, although I could get it for $3 USD. "Why buy such an expensive fan?" Here are my reasons and experiences:

1. It was USB and it had an essential oil cartridge, should I wish to drop a dab or two of my favorite essential oil flavors.

2. It's eco-friendly and durable

3. Upon approaching the register, I was about to set my money on the tray. As I did, the lady behind the register opened the box, pulled out the product, and checked to make sure I didn't get a defunct fan, all the contents were in the box, and everything was in pristine condition. I've never seen a cheap dollar store perform an inspection on their fans before.

That Cashier Lady added value to my shopping experience. If she didn't do what she did, I wouldn't know that the fan wasn't working; and I'd have to take it back to get a refund or switch out for a brand new, working fan.

Here's the down-low: Expensive things are cheap; and cheap things are too expensive to keep up with. This is a principle God taught me and dropped in my spirit. Upon further explanation, He impressed on my spirit this analogy: How many times have you gone out and bought cheap socks, only to wear them to the point where they become Holey socks (not holy socks; that's completely different)? And what about lingerie or shirts that are so cheap, they either have holes or become dingy? I've probably gone through a good amount of holey socks, which was super annoying. But the thing is I got what I paid for: an item that, though cheap, didn't last a long time. Now, what about purses? Oh, the times, I had to go and get a new purse because either the strap was frayed or beyond repair; especially my favorite over-the-shoulder, cross-body bags. But now, I have a Kate Spade and Calvin Klein purse, both of which have lasted me 2-3 years. Sure, they were expensive (actually, one was a gift); but I don't have to go out and buy a new purse unless I absolutely wanted to.

The major point of discussion today is value! Now, I could've gone in all of the expensive stores just because I wanted to. But I didn't because not all of them seemed valuable to me. Only the store brands that I really liked - those are the stores that caught my attention. In short, I was being picky. Now, I'm normally picky when it comes to food - and for good reason since I'm lactose intolerant. But to be picky with clothing and name-brands? You see, it's better to be picky and only get what you deem as valuable. One thing I don't find amusing is seeing my peers show off a handbag or shoes just to show off. Now, I'm happy for them, so long as they bought that handbag or pair of shoes because it added value to them. But if they bought it for the "gram" (Instagram) or to show off to their FB friends, then they just wasted time, money, and everyone's attention.

It's good to show the goodness of God by sharing, "Hey, ya'll, I got a new car; Look, I purchased my first home in cash". Go ahead and share that! Just make sure to give credit to God. But let's be clear on one thing: You don't see Bill Gates or Warren Buffet show off their pimp new ride on Facebook, now do you? It's like hiding a precious gem or stone, never opening the glass container that it's in. They're hiding their valuable items - the things you don't see on the internet - because it's valuable to them. They put a price on the items of their choosing because they saw value in said items. Why don't you and I do the same, instead of buying a name brand items just to buy a name brand?

Sure, there is brand loyalty. But that can only take one so far. It's value, at the heart of it, that determines what belongs in your house and what doesn't. It's the same for who you spend time with. Your time is valuable; always moving forward, never backward. Your resources are valuable. Everything that belongs to you is valuable. The same goes for the products or services you provide. Place value on it. People who complain, "You're too expensive. Can I get a discount?", those are the people who don't see the value of what you have to offer. Ask them, "When's the last time you asked the same of Gucci or Prada?" Now of course, they may have sales every now and then. But the point is this: those that DO see the value of what you have to offer will either make a way to pay for it; OR they'll want to pay more than the asking price! That's how expensive paintings - though some have a white canvas and a tiny red dot in the middle - get bought by millionaires and billionaires on a consistent basis. There is value in those paintings. And there is value in what you are offering.

The question is: do you see your business - or even yourself - as valuable or cheap?

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