When I meet with clients just setting up in business, they often ask me if they should reduce prices or if they should work on commission only. Well, it will only be for a short period of time – until better work comes in – is the worn out justification.

I am a business coach and mentor. Many of my customers are located in the greater Jerusalem area, where bargaining is a religion. Yes – pun intended. And it is a well-worn international commercial trick to drop prices in order to break into a market which is already dominated by others.

That said and often to the discomfort of those that listen to me, I tend to question the wisdom of such moves. For example….

Case Study One: My client is trying to promote a new service, which is of outstanding value. A price has been set, which is deliberately above the average market price. The initial response is good, but without being fantastic. He wanted to offer discounts.

Yes, this may bring in some waverers. One the other hand, it is an insult to those that have bought in already. So, they are not likely to become repeat customers. Further, on any future offering, potential customers will have learnt to hang out until prices drop, similarly to seasonal sales in fashion shops. In other words, the tradeoff in the long run may be negative.

While you have to judge each situation on its merits, I urge my clients to feel and explain and stick to their core values. This tends to be enough for their own clients to come in at the agreed price. And, if necessary, to clinch the sale, you can always offer a small financial incentive as a gracious (not begging) final gesture.

Case Study Two: I know so many people who work solely on the basis of commission. A classic example are those who try to bring investments into start-ups. This can involve months of intermittent labour, where no there is no guarantee of success.

Personally, I have been there and done that in a distant past. I taught clients how to create presentations, talk in public, create business models, and more. However, in the end, for a multiple of reasons, the result of the efforts was nothing.

The fact of the matter is that if you create a product or if you deliver a service, and especially if you are giving your ‘level best’, you are due financial remuneration. Never allow others to force you to forget this!

And into this discussion walked Taylor Swift, arguably the world’s leading female music performer of the moment. Swift would not bow to Apple’s demand to allow her music to be downloaded for free for three months. Not that she needed the money.

Her point was simple. Why should  artists – over 90% of whom are simply struggling – be forced to donate their talents to boost the revenues and share price of Apple? Within 24 hours, Apple had backed down.

And that is the lesson for all people in business. If you are selling something of top value, all things being equal, you should be able to secure a reasonable price for yourself. And if things are not equal, find a way to change the playing-board in your favour.