John Ruskin (8 February 1819 to 20 January 1900) last set foot on this planet over 100 years ago and is best known as an art critic and social critic but is also remembered as an author, poet, and artist. His essays on art and architecture were extremely influential in the Victorian and Edwardian eras.

I best remember John Ruskin for one simple series of 100 words. Despite the fact that he lived so long ago, his statement about value is the best value statement I have ever seen. I will quote his statement in full. It is often a great statement to print out larger and put up in your business somewhere to remind yourself and your clients about the difference between value and price. It is an elegant way of saying that you get what you pay for.

“It’s unwise to pay too much but it’s unwise to pay too little.

When you pay too much you lose a little money, that is all.

When you pay too little, you sometimes lose everything,

because the thing you bought was incapable

of doing the thing you bought it to do.

The common law of business balance prohibits

paying a little and getting a lot.

It can’t be done.

If you deal with the lowest bidder,

it’s well to add something for the risk you run.

And if you do that,

you will have enough to pay for something better!”

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