My editorial in our latest countertop newsletter received so many responses, it only seemed right to post it here, in our blog, and share it with the broader audience:
In a recent conversation I had with a fabricator in the South, he mentioned that he was having a hard time selling against a competitor that was offering “granite installed for $9.99 a square foot” – yes, you read that right. I wondered how the competitor could even cover his costs!
The fabricator admitted that his first instinct was to lower his price a bit (not down to 10 bucks a square foot), but he figured it would be selling himself short in the long run. I couldn’t agree more. Once you succumb to the price game and lower you prices, it is a long hard climb just getting back to where you were.
My advice to him was to avoid selling on price altogether and sell on value instead. It isn’t about the lowest price, it’s about the best price. The two aren’t always the same, especially for major purchases. The best price is the price that offers the value that a customer wants at a price you can live with. If people only bought on the lowest price, we would all be driving Kia’s and living in mobile homes!
To establish value, I believe there are two things you must do: 1) offer a quality product; and 2) educate your customers. Demonstrate your knowledge of your products. Explain to them how you do a job right. Show them that with you, they are investing in something that is going to make them satisfied, not just the cheapest thrown-together countertop they can buy. In the end, that education you offer customers will make them feel better about their purchase, and land you the sale.
Feel free to drop me a line with your thoughts at [email protected].
Sincerely,
Brian Jones, Editor
