May 14 2009
Strategic marketing - value is in the eye of the buyer, not the seller!
More than ever, companies are coming under pressure to negotiate on price, to give the best deal possible, a “credit crunch special.” There are numerous tried and tested strategies for dealing with the all-too common obstacle of price, with the general consensus being to steer your potential customer away from price towards a discussion about value. But here’s the rub: it’s a lot more difficult than it sounds.
As strategic marketing consultants, we find that a many companies struggle to correctly identify a value proposition which will be sufficiently appealing to their buyer. What your customers value and what they are actually prepared to pay for it are often different. The question is: how to bridge this gap. We help our own customers to correctly identify just what their customers consider to be value for money by carrying out detailed research amongst their key targets. Only with an understanding of what it important to the end customer can you really start to create a valid value proposition which will be credible and resonate amongst your target market. Time spent on developing a credible proposition will save time further down the line and hopefully avoid any protracted discussions around price. What’s more, it’s same to assume that most customers already believe they are purchasing something of value and are willing to pay for something as a “fair equivalent” for their money. But what they are really looking for is “value-added”, in other words “good value”.
Whatever the price point you set, your customers need to believe that that what they are buying is actually worth more to them than what they are paying. In other words, when you come to define - or indeed, redefine - your value proposition, try to find things you can offer to add exclusive yet highly relevant value - all included in your very reasonable price! Once you have done this, you need to make sure you communicate these elements to your customers to further reinforce your value proposition.
By taking the time to think about just what your customers value and how you can build that into your proposition, you can protect your pricing, stave of competitors and keep your customers coming back for more!
