consumers like to pick and choose when its time to sit on the budget or splurge side of the fence. in marketing, the reality is twofold. first — you can’t “afford” to do less or nothing. the market is moving all the time and others are investing. the money you commit to serious marketers will grow your business and generate revenue. it’s not purely an expense to stress (if it is, then you’re working with the wrong people). second — “affordable” implies less quality, which is not where you want your marketing to be. we all want value, no doubt, but valuable marketing always costs more. that’s because it makes more happen. you always end up on top when you go the quality marketing route. so, why does “affordable” deserve to jump from the grid? it’s basically an invitation to continue the status quo or diminish what’s possible for your business. you’re probably trying to advance things forward. time to rethink this. forget about “smoking deals” and focus more on cool, lucid decisioning.
i would also like to challenge my fellow service providers who are bending backwards to offer unreasonably affordable options when it comes to marketing. you’re doing a disservice to consumers. you’re taking advantage of consumers’ lack of knowledge per what quality marketing can do, and you’re holding your practice back from doing the best you can. you’re implying that the customer is completely right as opposed to just a little right. nerves accompany spending for many people. that doesn’t mean you need to address or make it more than it is. it certainly doesn’t mean that it’s best to offer less of what you can do and price that accordingly. overcome consumer thriftiness with a quality product, successful track record and questions that focus on why any consumer would accept less, hold back what’s possible, etc. show them what can be had with just a bit more investment — and how the gap between investment versus gains grows at a rate that exceeds what the service provider receives.
of course, all of this assumes that the consumer understands that when you spend less you get less. if a consumer believes that spending less gets you the same as higher investment items (or, god forbid, thinks it can net him or her more), then it’s lucidity check time on a much higher level. that goes for both sides of this equation!
