Cindy W. Morrison

What YOU Can Learn About Branding From A $500 Blender

I was at the Tulsa Home Show this weekend w/ my family and was blown away by a traveling salesman there. He was selling something called a Vitamix. Ever heard of one? I hadn’t. But I figured it must be something special because his booth was 3 people thick and they weren’t leaving!

So imagine my surprise when I finally got a look at the product and the price. It’s basically a mixer on steroids w/ a steep price tag: $500!! (Seriously??… I got a blender under my counter that was probably $25 from Target!) So– of course– I decided to ask him what makes HIS mixer so special and expensive. Over the next 10 minutes… I got an incredible marketing lesson.

Lesson One: Never Blink At Price
The salesman never batted an eye at my question & made it quite clear that his product was worth every penny. He explained that the Vitamix is powerful and comes with a 7-year warranty. Plus, if you bought it during the Home Show, he would throw in 4 FREE extras including a cookbook that contains the yummy concoction that he was currently whipping up. As if on cue… he passed out the samples of ice cream.

Lesson Two: Don’t Be Afraid To Show What Makes Your Brand Different
As he began to mix up his next goodie, he talked about the motor power of the Vitamix. I have NO CLUE what he said because I was too busy being mezmerized by what he was throwing in the mixer — fruits and veggies w/ the peeling and seeds. Most of it was stuff that would stop my powerful disposal in it’s tracks. And yet his blender never studdered. He wasn’t just telling me why his product was different… he was SHOWING me. And yet, on cue again, he passed out some delish mixture that didn’t taste at all like the stuff he was throwing in there.

Lesson Three: Continually Give Your Fans What They Want
As he started his next treat… he poured in hot water. But then proceeded to say that you didn’t have to use hot water at home because the motor spins so fast it’ll heat up the soup itself. However, he said he had to use hot water because if he didn’t feed fans every 3 minutes, then they’d walk away. BRILLIANT! That’s why everyone was standing around… FREE FOOD! And yet… the longer people stood there and learned more about his product, they tended to walked over and gladly plop down $500.

Since I’m all about marketing and branding… I’m a hard sell. And yet, guess what my husband and I bought before leaving the expo center? You guessed it… a Vitamix!!

I’m not much of a cook… so a new expensive mixer was NOT on my radar. But by not apologizing about price, proudly showing why his product is different and giving me what I wanted (yes please!), he not only gained a new customer but he convinced me that I had to USE the product. So, I took the above veggies last night to make the most incredible tortilla soup.

When was the last time you could say that about your marketing? So many times we back down when it comes to talking about our fees. We hem and hah, make excuses or immediately discount what we charge as if our time and talent isn’t worth the price. (Sound familiar?) Instead, make sure you believe in your pricing and can back it up. Also, instead of discounting your price (and the worth of your services)… offer some time sensitive bonuses. A sense of urgency (NOT pressure) can often be a powerful motivator. Rethink the way you talk price w/ your customers.

What makes YOUR product or services different than anyone else? I just had a talk w/ a client about this the other day. She has a business book and wondered how she should market it through social media strategy because there are SO many similar business books. We talked about what makes HER book different that can set her apart from the crowd. How can you SHOW that to your clients and make them so passionate about your brand that they can’t wait to put it into practice for themselves.

Finally, do you give your clients what they WANT so they don’t shop elsewhere? No, that doesn’t mean you have feed them food every 3 minutes. But how often do you have to feed their minds on social media, blogs and other touchstones to keep them? Give away a sample of what you offer often because let’s face it: It’s much easier to continue working with you than to decided to start to work w/ you. Right? FEED your clients what they want and you’ll create a loyal following.

No… you don’t have to spend $500 on a blender. But the lesson is priceless!!