WHEN A CLIENT SAYS: “SHOW RESULTS FIRST — THEN WE’LL PAY”

We recently sat down with a potential client in Madison Avenue - Midtown Manhattan. Large dental office. Established reputation. The meeting included both the younger owner and his father — a dentist with 30+ years of experience.

It started the way these conversations often do:

“We don’t care about the money. We care about results.”

Fair enough. We agree — results matter. That’s exactly what we build: systems that perform, not hype that fades.

But then came the pivot:

The father leaned in and said something he’s probably been saying since the 80s:

“I only take money after I deliver the work. If the patient isn’t happy, I don’t charge.”

Sounds noble. But if this logic applied universally — surgeons, attorneys, architects would all be working for free until Yelp reviews come in.

🧠 Here’s what we had already offered:

• A full-cycle content and media system

• Strategy, filming, editing, social media management

• A clear roadmap with defined KPIs

• A $600 discount on our standard pricing — just to enter the NYC market with trust

• A team — not a freelancer — ready to build

And the response?

“Do it all first. If we like it, we’ll pay.”

We’ve seen this pattern before. They’re not buying marketing — they’re buying control.

What we said to "Show the results first - Then we'll pay":

We explained, calmly:

“We respect your principles. But this isn’t a one-man show. This is a team of creatives and strategists building long-term brand assets. You’re not just paying for posts. You’re investing in a marketing asset”

And we meant every word.

🚪 How it ended:

They said: “We’ll think about it. ”We said: “Absolutely — take your time.”

And we walked out with our posture intact.

💡 The lesson?

Not every client is a fit.

Some want to build with you. Others want to test your worth — without risk, without skin in the game.

We’re not here for audition-style deals. We’re here to build brands with people who know the value of what’s being built.

Manhattan has no shortage of dentists. We only need three. And we’ve already got two.

—

We don’t chase. We build.

Show the results first - Then we'll pay