How One Word Cost Me $6,783.97

I’m going to share a personal story minus the names to illustrate a point about results verse trying.  In school we’re taught to “try” and we get accolades for trying.  In the real world, the business world, the world of selling there is no reward for “trying”.

“Trying” sucks!  All that matters is “results”.  Now, having said that I can tell you I’ve failed a lot.  I’ve failed at selling and marketing and bunches of other areas in my life.

It is better to have failed than “tried”.  When you fail, you learn from your mistakes when you try it means absolutely nothing!

I had an argument a few years back over one word in an advertising piece I had in the newspaper.  I was arguing with the owner.  He wanted me to change the word “FREE” to “COMPLIMENTARY”.

I lost the argument because he owns the place.  I also lost a lot of money and so did he.

Anytime you advertise one word can make a big difference.  I had a piece in the newspaper designed to get the prospect to call me.  I was using the word “free” for a free report I had put together.

The ad had been generating a 13 to 1 return.  See my previous posts to understand ROI in advertising.

That one word completely changed my response.  The word “complimentary” took my responses all the way down to ZERO!

To make matters worse the owner would not relent and let me put “FREE” back in the ad.  Based on how well I had been doing I figure I personally lost in commissions $6,783.97.

There are two morals to this story.  The first moral is to not change what’s working.  The second moral is to not let your ego get in the way.

And finally, you can be right and still lose.  I was right to not change it and the owner was wrong to let his ego get in the way.  We both lost on that one word.