I remember my grandparents grousing about having to buy new things. For those of us who came of age after WWII, the orientation is more towards wanting to buy things. We have grown accustomed to a ludicrous abundance of cheap goods and inexpensive services. We ask "how much does it cost?" without considering what it will do to make things better for our business or personal lives in the long term. A new book from Atlantic correspondent Ellen Ruppel Shell argues that cheap stuff usually costs more in the long term and there are many hidden costs we don’t take into account (also check out the review in Salon).
If you’re marketing a professional service, chasing “right now” needs and wants or providing a “bargain” can often turn into an endless grind of transactional (or one-shot) sales. You not only forgo the chance to build a relationship with clients, but you also spend more of your time and money to land each sale. Sure, you have to innovate to meet changing needs, but you can’t afford the cost of being disposable – or dispensable. One of my grandfathers always bought Kenmore appliances because he felt they delivered on their promises and offered the best value over time. How do you frame your promises and offer value that builds that kind of loyalty?
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