50 marketing mistakes / Mistake #32
Mistake #32 of 50Don’t assume everyone wants a deal.
Some customers care more about speed, quality, reliability or not having to worry about it.
What it costs you
Price isn’t the only reason people buy.
Ask most owners why customers pick them, and they’ll say price.
So every ad leads with it. Lowest price. Best deal. We’ll beat any quote.
But think about the last time you hired someone you really trusted.
Was it because they were the cheapest?
Plenty of people will pay more so they don’t have to worry about it.
When all you talk about is price, you attract the people who will leave you for five dollars. And you say nothing to the ones who would stay for years.
A real example
The agent who picked up on a Sunday
A woman gets a car insurance quote online. It’s a little cheaper than what she pays her local agent.
She almost switches.
Then she remembers last winter. Somebody backed into her car in a parking lot on a Sunday afternoon. She called her agent’s cell. He picked up.
He told her exactly what to do, called the body shop for her, and checked on her that Tuesday to make sure the claim was moving.
She doesn’t switch. She doesn’t even mention the quote.
She wasn’t paying for a policy. She was paying to not have to worry.
It’s hard to break up with somebody who picks up on a Sunday.
Why it happens
Why you keep leading with price
Cheap gets you a customer. Trust keeps one.
Do this instead
Sell what they’re really buying.
Ask your best customers why they stay. Then say that, out loud, everywhere. Here’s what a lot of people are really paying for.
| They care about | So tell them |
|---|---|
| Speed | “Order by Tuesday, and it’s in your hands Friday.” |
| Quality | “We fix it once. You won’t see us again for the same problem.” |
| Reliability | “We show up when we said we would. Every time.” |
| Not having to worry | “Call my cell. I’ll handle it.” |
| Being known | Their name, their kids’ names and the trip they told you about |
| Help when it goes wrong | Who picks up, and how fast |
Then keep earning it. Call when nothing’s wrong. Learn their names and use them. You can’t fake it, so don’t try. Take care of them now. They’ll take care of you later.
Do this today
- 1
Call three of your best customers and ask, “Why do you keep coming back to us?”
- 2
Write down the exact words they use.
- 3
Count how many of them said price.
- 4
Put their real reason, in their words, at the top of your website and your next email, with your phone number right under it.
Some people want the deal. Your best customers want you. Tell them they made the right call, and ask for the next one.
From the book
Chapter 16: Pick Up the Phone
Starts on page 144. The whole chapter, plus 250+ ways to market your business, in the free book.
Download the free bookIdeas that fix it
For the customers who stay.
Idea 3 · book page 263Pick Up the PhoneFreeAlmost nobody calls anymore, so a real call stands out.$0Idea 32 · book page 277Send a Birthday or Anniversary MessageFreeA personal touch almost nobody else bothers with.
Idea 135 · book page 329Ceramic Coffee Mugs$3–$10 eachA good mug lives on a desk for years.
Idea 199 · book page 361Quarter-Zip Pullovers$25–$60 eachPolished and worn often.
Idea 163 · book page 343Journals$6–$15 eachUsed daily at the desk.
Idea 196 · book page 359Wireless Chargers$20–$60 eachSits on the desk every day.Want a plan built around why customers stay?
Our team hand-curates a marketing plan for your business, your location and your market. Free, and ready in 2 to 3 business days.