A few years back I was speaking at Fruit of the Loom’s national sales meeting, I had the pleasure of sharing the stage with a gentleman whose name escapes me, however, his message during our offstage conversations still resonates with me today.
I recall complaining about how difficult clients were, how they always were looking for the best price and shopping me all the time. He paused and said, “Cliff, what are you doing to make that change?” “What do you mean?” I responded. He said, “Isn’t it the buyer’s (our client’s) job to level the playing field? If I can buy what you have from 20 people, and each of them can get it to me in the same timeframe, same quality, what else is left other than price? What have you done to raise the bar so they can’t put you on that same field?”
![](https://www.printandpromomarketing.com/thumb/?src=/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2015/10/CliffQuicksell_185x130.jpg&w=51&h=51&c=true)
![](https://www.printandpromomarketing.com/thumb/?src=/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2024/09/Poodles-with-Custom-Paisley-bandannas-scaled.jpg&w=142&h=80)
![](https://www.printandpromomarketing.com/thumb/?src=/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2024/09/protestorslogans-616.jpg&w=142&h=80)
![](https://www.printandpromomarketing.com/thumb/?src=/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2020/03/HSG-Photo-1-20.jpg&w=142&h=80)
![](https://www.printandpromomarketing.com/thumb/?src=/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2024/09/5000-employees-end-buyer.jpg&w=142&h=80)
![](https://www.printandpromomarketing.com/thumb/?src=/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/TaraSethHeadshot-750x340.png&w=142&h=80)
![](https://www.printandpromomarketing.com/thumb/?src=/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2024/09/Screenshot-2024-09-05-111021.png&w=142&h=80)