Are you feeling pressures to provide your value and reduce your price?

Average. 

The best of the worst and the worst of the best.   The Bankruptcy Gap is the phenomina the requires you to drive down your costs and compete on price OR move your to offering unique and improved value and move up in the pricing world.  If you stay in the middle, the average . . . you are courting bankrutpcy . . . until time serves it up to you. 

This is comparing Dell to Apple.  Dell competes on price, Apple on the customer experience. 

This is comparing GM to Lexus.  GM is bankrupt and Lexus continues to build its reputation as a solid car that maintains value (we are shopping for one for my wife as I write . . .and boy does it ever.)

This is comparing McDonalds coffee to Starbucks. 

I asked the group of hospital managers, “who likes Starbucks?”

One participant indicated that she went there all the time. 

“So you like the coffee” I asked?

“No, I just like Starbucks.  The furnishings, the ambiance, the background music, the connectivity for my laptop.” 

“So” I said, “ you just go there to . . . go there?”

“Oh yes!”

I then asked this group of hospital management.  “When was the last time people came to the hospital just to hang out?”  That got a big laugh.

Customers are wanting these meaningful connections that go beyond price. 

Just look at Apple.  How many companies have products that make the front page of the newspaper?  Because the customer is looking for real value.  The client is looking for an experience. 

I hired an “intern” for one day this week to help me with an engagement.  He asked about my marketing.  I explained that when I am helping the customer to bring about change, get results, create transition then for every engagement, I tend to get another 1.5 new engagements.  “If you are good, then your work will have puppies” I said. 

If I am average, then I have to market more proactively.  Average will get you average results.  Focus on delivering value and results and your customers will buy, and recommend others.