Seth Godin wrote a good post this morning on ways a service business can differentiate itself without resorting to price slashing.
If you find yourself saying, “the boss won’t let me lower the price,”
or “we’re more expensive, but that’s because our cost structure is
higher,” then you’re selling the intangibles too short. The stuff
people can’t buy at any price, from anyone else, but that they really
value…
He lists several intangibles. I agree with the lot of them.
One thing he fails to mention, though, is that it’s really difficult to advertise these intangibles. By marketing them, you try to make them tangible. Ain’t gonna happen, or if it does, you ended up conditioning your consumers to expect these things, and then you’ve got to find a whole new set of intangibles.
Save the delight factor. Entertain your audience. They’ll help you find others. It ain’t lightning in a bottle (it’s more like fireflies), and it’s hard work, but it’s worth it, and it’s sustainable.
(Fireflies are way cooler and last longer anyway …)
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