|
Elite Positioning Brings Higher Profits
by Marcia Yudkin
Imagine
spending the same amount of money on marketing and
performing the same amount
of work to deliver your products
or services, but earning more money and
keeping more after
your expenses. That's what happens when you
institute elite positioning for your business.
With elite positioning,
you are not any old accountant,
cabinetmaker, software maker or fitness
trainer. You deliver superiority or exclusivity and therefore charge (and
get!) more. Here are five ways to add an aura of extraordinariness to your
business.
1. Specialization. If as an accountant, you only work with
family businesses, clients perceive you as more familiar with and more
skillful in dealing with their unique issues and circumstances. Whether or
not you really have that much more expertise is not the crucial factor.
The clients' knowledge that you specialize makes them comfortable paying
more for your services.
2. Selectivity. Suppose that as a cabinetmaker,
you didn't take any job that came along, but only those that offered
interesting aesthetic or technical challenges for you. In that case, clients
feel grateful that you have taken on their project and understand that if you
are turning away projects, you of course charge more than your competitor
who serves one and all.
3. Better results. Do you have any very, very
impressive
testimonials, awards or performance figures that prove you get
superior outcomes from the work that you do? If so, highlight those
credentials and raise your prices. Clients understand that the software that
never, ever crashes computers costs more than the buggy kind.
4.
Fame. When you're the fitness trainer who's just appeared on Oprah - or
actually who ever appeared on Oprah! - you have a license to charge premium
fees. As with most other kinds of elite positioning, your skills
aren't necessarily greater, but your visibility places you at a higher
level than colleagues who aren't trailing clouds of media dust.
5.
Self-confidence. Perhaps you don't specialize, turn away clients, get better
results or have fame. If you have bravado and nerve, you can charge premium
prices anyway. This works only if you can say, "I charge $400 an hour"
(or whatever stratospheric fee you choose) without any wavering or
uncertainty in your voice. Does this idea make you indignant? Then consider
whether you're ready to charge more. If you believe deep down that you're
worth it, then you have what it takes to pull off higher prices.
Stop letting fear hold you back!
Marcia Yudkin <marcia@yudkin.com> is the author of 6
Steps to Free Publicity and 10 other books. She runs an
online mentorship site, MarketingforMore.com, which supports business
owners who are growing their businesses. Download her free report, "Charge
More & Get It," at http://www.marketingformore.com/survey.htm
. Or find out about her upcoming Marketing for More seminars at http://www.marketingformore.com/seminars.htm
.
|
