What I Won’t Do for More Money: Selling Something I Don’t Believe Is Worth It

I won’t deliberately collect money while believing the other person is getting a bad deal. For a service business owner, that means explaining what someone is buying, checking whether it fits, and being willing to turn down a sale. A clever sales pitch can’t make up for a service you don’t believe is worth the customer’s money.

By Eric Yim. Published by Protocol Text, a marketing services business based in Lincoln, Nebraska.

My answer was “Scam people”

In an interview, I was asked, “What would you never do if it made you more money?”

My answer was: “Scam people.”

I explained: “I would never deliberately think that, or collect money and think that the other person is getting a bad deal.”

That’s the line for me. I wouldn’t be able to sleep at night knowing I’d taken someone’s money while believing they weren’t getting something worthwhile.

I also said: “I want, if I’m collecting money from you, that you’re getting more than you paid for. And you really perceive it to be that way. And I perceive it to be that way too.”

That’s a standard I want to hold myself to, not a guarantee of a particular return. It asks something of both sides: I need an honest reason to believe the service is valuable, and the customer needs enough information to judge it for themselves.

Value has to make sense to the person paying

An owner can put a lot of effort into a service and still leave the customer wondering what they bought. The hours matter to the business. The customer also needs to understand how the work helps with the problem they wanted solved.

That’s why “you really perceive it to be that way” matters. It doesn’t mean talking someone into feeling good about a weak offer. It means helping them see what the service includes, what it requires from them, and what remains uncertain.

For marketing, separate the work being purchased from the business result someone hopes for. A customer might want more calls. A proposal should explain the actual work intended to support that goal without treating those calls as guaranteed.

If you’re evaluating me or another marketing provider, ask what you’ll receive and how you’ll review whether it’s helping. You shouldn’t have to rely on enthusiasm alone.

Check fit before trying to close the sale

For an independent service business owner, a useful fit check starts with the customer’s situation. Before recommending a service, work through these questions:

• What problem do they want solved? Ask what prompted them to look for help and what would make the expense worthwhile.
• Does the proposed work address that problem? Explain the connection in ordinary words. If it’s weak, reconsider the recommendation.
• What will they need to contribute? Identify any time, information, decisions, or approvals the work depends on.
• What expectations could make this a bad fit? Discuss timing, limits, and the outcomes you can’t promise before taking payment.

Hypothetical example: A service business owner needs booked work immediately and is considering marketing help. If the proposed work can’t reasonably meet that urgent need, explain the timing gap. Don’t accept the sale on the strength of an expectation you don’t share.

That doesn’t mean the service has no value. It means its value may not match this customer’s immediate problem.

Set expectations someone can actually use

Clear expectations give the customer something specific to evaluate. Describe the scope, meaning the work included in the agreement, along with important exclusions. Explain who is responsible for each part and when progress will be reviewed.

A review should distinguish completed work from evidence of business impact. Finishing the agreed tasks matters. It doesn’t automatically prove that the customer’s larger goal has been reached.

Hypothetical example: A provider completes the agreed marketing work, but the owner still can’t tell whether it’s helping. The next conversation should examine what changed, what evidence is available, and what remains unknown. Simply listing completed tasks again won’t answer the owner’s concern.

Say a service isn’t right when you believe it isn’t

You don’t need a dramatic speech to decline a sale. Explain the mismatch directly: the requested outcome falls outside the service, the timing doesn’t fit, or the customer can’t provide something the work requires.

Offer a narrower option only if you believe it would genuinely help. If you don’t know a suitable alternative, say so rather than inventing a recommendation to soften the conversation.

The same standard applies when someone is ready to pay. Their willingness to buy doesn’t remove your responsibility to explain a limitation you already recognize. Honest revenue should leave both people with a reasonable understanding of the deal.

Questions about honest revenue and customer value

Can I charge a profitable price and still give the customer good value?

Yes. A profitable price and customer value can coexist. Consider whether the service addresses a worthwhile need at a cost the customer understands. You don’t have to charge the least, but you should be able to explain the price and scope without inflating the expected benefit.

What if I discover a poor fit after the customer has paid?

Raise it promptly. Explain what you’ve learned, how it affects the work, and which options are available under your agreement. That might involve changing the scope, pausing, or ending the work. Don’t keep collecting payments while avoiding a problem you now recognize.

Does customer satisfaction prove a service was worth the money?

It’s useful feedback, but it isn’t proof of every claimed result. A customer can appreciate communication while the business impact remains uncertain. Ask what they found useful, then compare that feedback with the agreed work and available evidence. Be clear about what you can and can’t conclude.