Starting a production inkjet customer relationship with discounts trains customers to expect it. You’re signaling that your expertise, speed, and superior print capabilities come cheap, and reversing that expectation can take months or even years.

• Offer rock-bottom pricing on a first print run? Now they expect that rate forever.

• Make an exception “just this once”? It becomes the new normal.

• Think they’ll appreciate your quality and happily pay more next time? Not likely. They’re more likely to shop around for the next lowest bidder.

Have you engaged in so-called “foot in the door” pricing—offering discounted pricing to entice a prospect to leave their current print service partner and give you a shot? You tell yourself you’ll raise prices later, once they’re hooked on your quality, turnaround, and service. But let’s be honest: it’s like adopting a puppy and saying, “Sure, it’s fine if you pee on the carpet now. I’ll teach you to go outside later, once we’ve bonded.” Spoiler alert: later is a long, hard slog of un-training bad habits you allowed in the first place.This isn’t just about lost revenue and profits; it’s about the long-term erosion of your pricing power. The moment you cave to a discounted “first deal,” you’ve set a dangerous precedent. You’ve handed them the keys to the discount kingdom, and now you have to figure out how to lock the gates.

How to Win Business Without Discounting

The best way to avoid a bad habit is to prevent it from forming. If you’re excellent at what you do, your pricing should reflect that from the beginning. By focusing on outcomes and the unique value you provide, you create a foundation for mutual respect and value. Otherwise, you’ll spend years cleaning up messes you could’ve avoided.

Is it easier to get a prospect to switch providers with a discount? Sure, sometimes. But is it better? Not unless you have no other viable options. Too often, production inkjet print service providers reach for the discount lever because it’s the easiest one to pull, mistaking it for the only option. That giant, obvious lever blocks the view of more creative, less costly ways to win the business.

If you think discounts are your only shot, lock yourself in a room with a whiteboard with no distractions. Don’t come out until you’ve identified at least five ways to get a prospect to give you a chance without discounting. Discounts are easy, but they’re incredibly costly. Do the harder, more strategic work of crafting other ways to convince the customer to try you out.

Pricing = Training Expectations

Pricing isn’t just about numbers; it’s about teaching customers how to work with you. If you train them to expect discounts, don’t be surprised when they try to keep you there forever. Confident, fair pricing from the beginning sets the tone for a partnership rooted in a fair exchange of value. 

Your production inkjet print services deliver speed, quality, flexibility, and efficiency, and should be priced accordingly. That’s a precedent worth setting.