Buy Based on Value, Not on Price
January 3, 2019 | By Mike Gonet | Filed under: Blog, Metal Roofing
How Much Does It Cost?
One of the first questions I hear from homeowners, contractors, builders and many others when discussing a lifetime metal roof is, “How much does it cost?” And, while I do my very best to answer that question, what I really want to say to them is “You’re asking the wrong question.”
Price
Is price important? Of course it is, don’t get me wrong. There are many things that I would LOVE to have, but I can’t afford them. Price is important, and it’s important that you don’t over-extend yourself financially. But, there is a question vastly more important than ‘how much does it cost’, and that is the question that we should be asking and examining when making a larger purchase like a new roof.
Imagine with me, if you will, that my phone were to ring and my good friend on the other end were to say ‘Hey Aaron, do you want to buy a new car for $40,000?’ My answer, at this point in time, would be ‘No’. For one, I am not in the market for a new car at the moment (though, my old car has seen better days). Second, my wife and I have four children that are 7 and under, while I’d love for my next car purchase to be a brand new car, I’m most likely shopping from the used lot so that I can keep feeding and clothing the little munchkins. So, no, the answer is going to be ‘No.’
’HOWEVER, imagine the same friend calls me up and says ‘Hey Aaron, would you like to buy a new Bugatti Chiron for $40,000?’ My answer, at this point in time, and any point in time hereafter, would be ‘To whom do I write the check, and where can I pick it up?’
Why am I suddenly in the market for a car? Did my need change? No. Did the price change? No. Did the salesperson (my friend) change? No. What changed is the central focus of the question that we SHOULD be asking when making a large purchase.
Value
The value changed, and nothing else.
You see, if I’m asked to spend $40,000 on a car worth $40,000, well I’m not interested because I don’t have the need right now, and I don’t really want to explain to my wife why I bought a new car. But, when I’m asked to spend $40,000 on a car worth $2,900,000, now I’m interested because of the incredible value proposition – and I’ll explain the purchase to my wife either when we are doing 0-60mph in 2.5 seconds behind the power of the 8 liter 1500 horsepower engine, or when we sell the car and make easily over $2,500,000 on the transaction.
The question you should ask when making a large purchase, like for your next roof, is NOT ‘How much is this going to cost?’ but instead, you should be asking yourself ‘What is this worth?’
A reputable company selling a quality product won’t try to haggle with you for every penny, and while they might have some seasonal sales or specials going on, pretty much their price and is their price – and this is because they know the VALUE of what they are selling, and they price it accordingly.
Buy on value, not on price. If the value outweighs the cost, you’re probably making a wise decision.
“The bitterness of poor quality remains long after the sweetness of low price is forgotten.” – Ben Franklin
