You’re going to have to trust me when I say there is a point to the story I’m about to tell. Trust me, at the end it will all make sense…
My window cleaning company (5 Star Window Care) had a really awesome opportunity back at the end of February.
We had the opportunity to clean the solar telescope at the top of Kitt Peak called the Pierce-McMath telescope.
What made it cool as experience was actually not so much the work but the people that we were around. The scientists were about as geeky as a scientist can be. But the good news is that I found myself right at home, trying to geek out as hard as they would.
But you don’t really care about that job I’m sure. What I’d like to focus on today is a discussion that I had with the scientists one day.
What we were discussing was the enormity of our sun. The fact is, our sun is pretty huge. These scientists stare at the sun and understand what it means when they see “activity” on it’s surface. What was interesting to me is that even though the sun is so entirely huge, these scientists would discuss light years the same way you and I would discuss miles when it comes to distance.
If you think about our earth, and what it might mean to walk all the way around it, you would probably think it’s a huge task, and you’d be right! Because our earth is huge. Look at it compared to Titan and the Moon:
But it’s not so large when compared to the sun. Check it out:
Of course our sun is huge, right? Sure. But not when compared to Arcturus, another star:
Of course Arcturus is the poster child for enormity, right? Wrong. Just look at it compared to Antares!
Our sun is about 1 Pixel in this picture!!!
So what is all this have to do with window cleaning? Well, when it comes to your prices, it’s just the same as anything else. Big looks big when it’s next to small. But big looks small when it’s next to enormous! Remember that when you are pricing your next window cleaning job.
I used to try to upsell my customers individual services and I did so with modest success. But it was complicated, and you know what? I was fighting against the grain of how my customers were used to buying things.
Think about it:
- You buy your fast food in value meals and compare the different meals against each other.
- You buy computers, TV’s, and any electronic devices based on the “packages” of features they come with.
- Your oil change provider offers a Bronze, Silver, and Gold package– each containing a myriad of services
- You even “bundle” your TV and Internet services…
So what do these different industries know about selling that I didn’t? They know that simplicity in the purchase is way more important than even price. People will gladly give you their money in exchange for a simple and clearly defined plan of action. Also, we know based on the example above that when you put something HUGE next to something large, it puts things into perspective. So, smart marketers have realized that even though people want to get 3 bids to make sure they don’t pay too much (and maybe even get a bit of variety), they will settle for 3 service levels and choose the level that provides them the best value… all in the name of simplicity!
How do you like that? Bidding against yourself is the best spot to be. If the prospect gets 3 bids and they’re all from you– who’s going to get the job? You!
If you are that “Super High-End” company that offers a $600 solution to their problem, but they just can’t afford it, maybe they would love to be able to say they used that company, but settle for a lesser package, knowing that the company is of the caliber to offer something they can’t necessarily afford. What a great positioning tool! How much more powerwashing would you sell if it was bundled into your high end package and people were able justify paying much more for your service because you were willing to offer something no one else was willing to offer.
Keep in mind the example I gave with the planets & stars above and check out the master of pricing strategy here. If you aren’t a follower of Dan Kennedy & Bill Glazer, you need to be looking at them anyway.
The point here, is that you can use your pricing strategy to cover lots of ground:
- Position as the industry gold-standard
- Allow the customer to upsell (or downsell) themselves
- Offer services in a profitable way that you normally might not put in front of each customer
- Simplify the buying process
- Simplify the employees (technicians) life at each job
- Sell in a way your market is used to buying
If you aren’t currently offering package pricing, feel free to take advantage of our FREE “ResponsiBid In-Person Template” (RIPT) and begin taking advantage of the incredible opportunity comparison shopping has to offer you and your business.
Click here to get the FREE template.
Of course, we hope you will become addicted to this simple way of bidding and begin using one of our paid packages– but if nothing else, we just want you to enjoy doing business like the big boys… even if you’re small!
Be sure to comment and let me know your thoughts!