"Not adding value is the same as taking it away." Seth Godin
“How do I communicate my value so that price is a non-issue?” This is one of the biggest frustrations I see in working with small businesses.
It’s a valid question, but it's not the question that can take away price frustration. A better question to ask is, “What makes a good brand story?”
Because that’s what it comes down to. Whether you’re storytelling luxury brands or refrigerators, you have to remember this.
People are not buying a product or service. They are buying how that product or service makes them feel.
Case in point.
Here’s a company called Buckle. (I know nothing about this company. I just found them on the internet.) They sell jeans. LOTS of jeans. But check out their tagline.
“Nothing feels like your favorite pair of jeans.” Oh, that’s good. That’s really good!
Buckle just ramped up the perceived value of their jeans by associating them with a feeling.
Immediately, your mind goes to what it feels like to wear your favorite jeans. You think about how they look on you, and how comfortable they are.
Buckle slipped in and hijacked your memory banks, willing you to feel that favorite pair of jeans you love so much.
But they don’t stop there. They take it a step further with this piece of copy.
Oh, yeah! You’re thinking, “These people get me! They know what I want in a pair of jeans.” And they do.
Buckle isn’t selling jeans; they are selling a feeling. Do you really care how much they cost? If they are going to be your next favorite pair of jeans, I doubt it.
So what just happened here? Without offering a discount or a free gift, Buckle did something even better.
Buckle used words to increase the value of their product. So can you.
And that’s the tremendous benefit of effective brand storytelling.
What’s Your Brand Story?
The old saying that people buy based on emotion, then back up their decision with logic is true. That’s why communicating value is all about how you make people feel.
Does your product or service:
· Reduce anxiety?
· Make people nostalgic?
· Take a burden off their shoulders?
Remember, the best brand stories solve a problem and make people feel good. When that happens, price becomes a non-issue.
It doesn’t cost you anything to get the right message, but it will cost you a heap if you don’t.
Need some help with your brand story? Want to get found in local search? Let’s schedule a time to talk! Our 30-minute time together is on the house.