The safe way to increase prices
Raising prices based on inflation, higher costs or whatever you choose. It all goes drip by drip. Not too much so that your customers don’t run for the hills. To not disrupt the system. Slow: 1,3,5,10… Small changes to increase. Safe: Keeping what you have. Short term: Not big changes now. Sales to keep. Revenue to keep. Profit not to lose. Don’t stir the pot. It’s a safe way. It focuses on the present. And it is irrelevant. Why would your customers have to pay for it? It’s not their fault…
Raising prices
It’s not a money problem. When your customer (or you) think that raising your prices is a matter of price-sensitivity, think again. It’s not necessarily that. Is $5 expensive? Is $25 000 reasonable? Maybe. Maybe not. It depends on the context AND the value your customers assign. When you get to set the context first, it’s simpler to get your customers to understand what’s going on. On how they can translate value into something tangible for them. When they don’t understand that, the only…
You’re more expensive than your competition.
Yes, I am. [Silence]. What you’re looking for with this answer and this extremely uncomfortable silence: the reaction that will unfold what’s really behind the price objection. In this game, the one who speaks first, loses. ○ Why is this so expensive?♠ Based on situations like these and businesses like yours, that’s the price.○ So, if we were bigger/smaller the price would be different?♠ Yes. If you were bigger, the price would be higher. ○ What are your costs?♠ I’m curious, how would this…
About your brand
Today’s message comes from friend-of-the-list and fellow emailer Russell Wadlin, from TailWhip. Your brand. Don’t talk about it.Be about it.✌️ —Russell.
5 guys, kids and hot dogs
These are 3 types of tricks our brains play in communication. 5 guys Using the same words, yet talking of (or at least thinking of) different things. If you don’t ask to clarify… things can (will) go sideways. Spend less time with your kids Hearing something weird and just assuming it is what you think you heard. That can also bring weird moments if you don’t dive deeper into what’s that you just heard. It could be “Spend less time with your kids”… or “Spend less time with dickheads”. The…
Maths is contextual
And here’s Rory Sutherland having a better explanation on why even maths is contextual. “We often, when we look at data, we look at averages. Averages are misleading because what matters is variance.” And averages are the common ground. The thing that “fits into the market”. The safe space of the known. Of “what is”. But not of the potential. Variance. Of what matters.
Life isn’t math
You’ve heard (I’m almost sure) that you can do whatever you want to achieve. All of that with formulas on: Exponential growth Compound interest Constant growth Time value 10% of the TAM (Total Addressable Market) Dividing how much money you want in a year and divide it by hours Reach You being in front of “more opportunities” Sending more proposals/quotations Etc. There are more nuances to that. The important thing here is: unlike math, a formula won’t apply to all of the scenarios to bring…
Codifying your magic
To you, it’s as easy and natural as breathing. It just happens. Feels like magic. To others, that very same thing is unthinkable of —or at least VERY, very hard to do. When you codify this magic though, this superpower can be shared with others. When you codify it, you can leverage on it, as nobody else/very few will have it. When you codify it, you stand out. What’s that ONE thing that nobody else can do as you do?
What books
What books are you reading this year? I’m curious to know which ones you find interesting. On my side, here’s my list (so far): Learn Your Lines by Jonathan Stark. What to say when you’re put on the spot by prospects, so that you can build trust and confidence. The Creative Act by Rick Rubin. An insight on how Rubin sees creativity. Sales Pitch by April Dunford. How to approach sales from a point of helping your prospects to buy. Regeneration: The Future of Community in a Permacrisis World by…
More is… more
You’ve been told or heard “less is more”. As in the belief that simplicity and clarity will always mean more, by taking off what’s not necessary. However, what if it’s not less, but actually more? More focused More thoughtful More defined More effective More intentional It’s about finding more clarity, more focus so that you can bring simplicity. You get rid of the irrelevant extras. You cut to the chase. And you’re clear.