Goldilocks Goes Live!
The Web page for The Goldilocks Strategy for Getting Clients that Fit Just-Right is a teleclass for people who want more clients without being pushy and loud. Visit the Goldilocks Page for more info. There are two reasons for doing it now if you’re interested:
1. There are only 15 spaces and 5 of them are spoken for. 2. There’s a discount if you sign up before June 11.
PS: I’m open to adding a second section if there’s enough interest. But I need to know ASAP in order to get it into my calendar.
Coming Up
Byron Katie and Oprah on Radio
Byron Katie will appear on Oprah’s Soul Series Monday, July 28th, August 4th, and August 11th at 4am, 10am, 4pm and 10pm (all times Eastern). Tune into XM Satellite Radio’s “Oprah and Friends” channel (XM 156).
To subscribe to XM Radio and/or to sign up for a free 30-day trial, visit xmradio.com/oprah and oprah.com/xm.
Yours Truly in Person in Seattle
I’m a big fan of Biznik and I’m thrilled to announce that I’m presenting at Bizjam in Seattle this July.
I’m giving a workshop, How to Get Clients Without Shouting, from 10-11:30, Thursday, July 10. I’d love to see you there.
Here’s a quick overview of the whole event.
July 9, 9AM to 5PM Social Media Essentials for Small Business
July 10, 9AM to 5PM Business-Building Workshops + Networking
July 10, 7PM to midnight Party! Explore Biznik
Biznik
Bizjam
|
Do You Know What Your Prices Are Saying?
Whenever postage rates go up, Dan Gordon of Independent Financial Advisors, sends his clients a strip of one-cent stamps. The cover letter reminds them of the impending increase and expresses the hope that having a few one-cent stamps on hand might save them an unplanned trip to the post office.
When I went back to college at 26, TCP presented me with a handsome briefcase. I’ll never forget it.
What makes these gifts “just-right”? It’s not cost. It’s not surprise. It’s not uniqueness.
The stamps and the briefcase are “just-right” because of the message they convey.
What Gifts Can Teach Us About Setting Prices
Gifts that really work send the right message at the right time to a specific person.
The stamps say, “I’ll do whatever I can to make your life a little easier.” The meaning isn’t compromised by the fact that all of Dan’s clients get the same note, because it speaks to each individual recipient.
The briefcase said, “I know going back to school is messing with your self-image. You have nothing to worry about.”
Like gifts, every price conveys a message.
It’s All About the Message
When Margie raised her rates for graphic design, most of her clients took it in stride. A few clients went elsewhere, and some new clients showed up.
When Anna raised her rates, she lost business.
Why did the new price work for Margie’s customers and not Anna’s?
Prices Don’t Lie
Margie was confident about her work and most of her clients were a pleasure to work with. There were a few folks, though, who were not so easy to serve. They were chronically slow to pay, and they tended to need a lot of prodding before they gave Margie the information she needed to complete their projects.
Margie realized that if she raised her prices, she could afford to focus her attention on the clients who were the best fit. She’d be able to serve them even better because she’d be spending less time trying to make things work with the people who weren’t as good a fit. Everybody would win.
Anna, on the other hand, was always scrambling. She worked late most nights, and still missed deadlines. She told herself that, since clients were frequently tardy in getting her necessary information, she deserved the slack. But she secretly worried that she just wasn’t a good enough designer.
Anna worried about raising her prices because she was afraid of losing business. When she did raise her prices, she was anxious and defensive.
Same profession. Same prices. Two completely different messages.
Getting the Message Right
Obviously, there’s more to pricing than figuring out income and expenses. Here are three essentials of getting the message behind your prices right.
- Congruence
- Clarity
- Letting go
Congruence
Congruence is about prices that match your insides as well as your outsides. Anna lost business because she was trying to manage her income without addressing her frustrations around doing the work. Raising prices wasn’t shifting how she experienced her work, so higher prices not only failed to communicate higher value, they actually underscored her lack of conviction.
Clarity
Clarity is about having a place to land. Second-guessing your pricing decisions sends a message to clients and prospective clients that you don’t entirely trust yourself. Why should they trust you?
Letting Go
Clear, congruent prices are only possible when you focus on serving your just-right client and let go of the rest. If you set prices to please everyone, they won’t ring true to the specific someone you want to reach.
Giving Shouldn’t Hurt
If you’re reading this, you probably do what you do for reasons other than making heaps of money. You probably want to do really good work.
When your prices support doing really good work and make sense to you inside and out, you can give generously to your just-right clients.
And what you give is going to fit them just-right.
Imagine that.
Until next week,
Talk back: I love to hear from you, and I read every letter personally. Send your thoughts to letters@authenticpromotion.com. And be sure to let me know if you prefer not to be quoted.
Privacy Statement & Subscriber Info
This mailing is part of a regular series of more or less weekly newsletters and informational mailings about our products and services. It is sent only to confirmed, double opt-in subscribers who have signed up at mollygordon.com, shaboominc.com, authenticpromotion.com, learntolovemarketing.com, or by emailing a subscription request or signing up at a partner Web site.
To update your subscription address, please click here.
If you no longer wish to receive mail from us, click the *** link below or email mailto:unsub@authenticpromotion.com.
***
Publication and Reprint Info
U.S. Library of Congress ISSN: 1530-311X
Unless otherwise attributed, all material is written and edited by Molly Gordon, MCC. Copyright (c) Shaboom Inc.(r) 2008. All rights reserved. Visit our extensive archives at www.mollygordon.com .
You may reprint material from Authentic Promotion in other electronic or print publications provided the above copyright notice and a link to http://www.authenticpromotion.com is included in the credits. Please send a copy of the publication along with a note referencing the reprint.
"Shaboom, Inc." and "Authentic Promotion" are registered trade or service marks of Shaboom, Inc. All other trademarks are property of their respective owners.
Shaboom, Inc
Life could be a dream!
PO Box 195
18718 Third Avenue NE
Suquamish, WA 98392-0195
P 360-697-7022
F 801-996-7022
Back to newsletter list
