In the 20 years that I have been covering the stone industry — in good times, bad (really bad) times, and everything in between — I have learned one irrefutable fact. No matter what sector of the industry you are in, there will always be some low-ball hack competing with you on the basis of price. This was, once again, a topic of discussion at the Massachusetts Stone Summit that I attended last month as part of the Marble Institute of America/Stone Worldindustry education series. During the session, a long-time friend and colleague of mine, Tom Kilfoyle of United Marble Fabricators, summed it up nicely. “The challenge is when people are seeing ads offering granite for $35 per square foot, and they’re asking you why you charge $85,” he said. “Then you have to sell yourself.” (See page 84 for a complete recap of the event.)
So how, exactly, do you convince people to pay a fair price for your work? In talking to fabricators across the country, the key is to remember that you’re not “selling stone.” You’re selling craftsmanship — a customized, quality installation that will stand for years to come. I know it sounds idealistic, but when you’re not chasing price and giving in when people are squeezing you for a few dollars off, the right customers will be willing to pay for that craftsmanship — especially now that the economy is rebounding.