Profit Feeds Families; Volume Feeds Egos

The following article was written by Kamran Popkin, creative director (and rebel-rousing instigator) at swagclub. Promotional Products Industry Scion Cliff Quicksell said, roughly, "Profit feeds families. Dollar volume feeds egos."

Amen brother.

Look, Jay Z was incorrect about something: Mo money DOESN'T have to mean more problems. Yes, unrestrained greed is bad, immoral, destructive and ultimately unsustainable. BUT...profit is good. It solves a lot of problems. And when I was introduced to our “industry standard profit margin,” I about died. Seems excessive. Felt dirty.

It's not. It's a fair wage.

A modest and fair living, if done well.

If you are actually adding value, actually solving problems worth solving with you wits and your words, then hells to the yes. You deserve to get paid. Fairly.

But what if you're an order taker? Catalog shuffler? Yes man? Glad hander? A #kooziemongercorporateassclowndouchecanoecatalogcarpetbombingtrunkslammerstalkergladhandguy? Not so much.

The amount of value you add to your clients’ lives, the way you help them tell their authentic story, the way you help them connect to their tribe: That's priceless.

If you’re doing it right, you have the cure for cancer, the business cancer that is. That 99 and 44/100% cancer all companies have: Lack of connection. Lack of trust and love.

My doctor lives in a modest but nice house, sends his children to modest but nice schools, drives modest but nice cars and he gives a shit about me. When I pass him in the halls at church or around town, he asks how I'm doing. He asks if whatever we have tried to fix is actually fixed. And I trust him implicitly.

Sometimes he suggests some kinda treatment or behavior that gets me uncomfortable. It usually works, BTW. But sometimes it doesn't. I forgive it, because I trust him.

I sure as hell don't begrudge him a comfortable, if modest, living.

And he never has a "sale." No "free set up, free delivery." He charges what he charges and gives such great value that I don't care WHAT that charge is.

I bet your clients would feel the same way about you, too.

If.

If they trusted you, took your advice and were willing to try things outta their comfort zone.

Comport yourself as your trusted family doctor does. Dig deeper to care more. Charge a good wage for a beyond good service.

Protect your margins. Add so much value they don't question your livelihood.

Be a better doctor and less of a "sale sale sale" kinda #kooziemongercorporateassclowndouchecanoecatalogcarpetbombingtrunkslammerstalkergladhandguy. You know who you are. Knock that crapassery off. Stat.