The Letterville BullBoard: Let your customers choose between you, you, and you!

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Posted by Jim Walz (Member # 2600) on :

When you are giving a customer an estimate, it is a very big mistake to only have one offer.

Don't do it! When you do you are making it an easy choice for your customer to make. It will be between you or your competition.

So how do you make them choose you? Easy...Let them choose between you, you, and you.

Here's what I do. On an estimate (or sign audit - that's a different story) I offer my customers 3 different packages or levels of design. I call them the budget package, value package, and premium package. (or gold, silver, platnum. Whatever....)

These three packages each offer a different level of design. So the price is accordingly. Usually what my customers tell me is that they just want somthing plain.

I give them plain, really nice, and extravagant. The majority of the time they will choose the middle package. The one that I want them to choose anyhow. But I have sold a many premium packages as well from those who indicated they only wanted plain.

If we just stop with one choice, we could be missing out on a lot of additional profits.

Hope this helps! Let me know....

Posted by AdrienneMorgan (Member # 1046) on :

You are correct! I have started doing this and it really works!

I keep the basic really dull, the middle one kinda nice, but dull....and the top, more expensive one really attractive.

They choose the top one 4 outta 5 times!

I also learned that if you take a sketch pad with you and do three ideas there right on the spot it's impressive and they love to watch an artist create something before thier eyes!
Even if my sketch isn't so great, they think it is.

I confess I don't do this often, and I really should.
Thanks again for the reminder!
A

Posted by Kissymatina (Member # 2028) on :

I did this last week, with a twist.

Had a quote for a firetruck to do. Guy wanted seperate prices for each part (I figured he was gonna try to use whoever was cheaper on each part). I gave them a piece price (inflated slightly), then group packages discounted (to what the price should've been, but he thought he was getting a deal). Anyway, gave them several options and they went with the most expensive one.

My 'design' smoked them too. I had seen the 'design' page someone else gave them. Yellow letters with black contour on white paper. I took picts of their truck, pulled it up in Draw, did the letters, did a quick fake drop shadow on the letters and made the letters look like the signgold. (Took about 15 minutes, total). Then I went to their meeting with my laptop and showed em what it would look like. When they asked "what if we moved..." I moved it and they were tickled.

Posted by Joe Rees (Member # 211) on :

This is the "three tier" pricing method originally written about by Mike Jackson for one of the trade mags and often discussed here over the years. Every once in a while I forget this and it is dangerous. Sometimes that third 'over-the-top' version ends up being a waste of time. But it works often enough to make the practice valid in my experience. Now, the accompanying key to all this designing is to get some kind of commitment from them before you do it. Speculating at this stage is NOT cost effective in the long run. But that's a whole 'nother topic that's been worn out repeatedly. I hope people are geting the message.

Posted by kevinlandry (Member # 1352) on :

I have used this in many quotes also. It works. The customer is always happy in the end because they are part of the process.

A sign is so important to their business that they want to make all of the decisions. It sure makes it easier and well worth the 15 minutes of calls to the suppliers.

To prepare the quote I simply write the materials down that I will need and go to two suppliers and ask for pricing on the high end middle and low end product.
10 minutes on the line.
Figure in my labour and markup and well you know the rest.

Type out the quote using the last quote that I did. I do get quite a few of the jobs that I price. Probably about 45 minutes. (I also count my labour for the sign)

During the process I am also looking for anything else I can provide. Cards, magnets, postcards, stickers, labels, vehicles, repairs to signs, tshirts and anything else. Believe it or not, customers appreciate the fact that someone is taking care of their interest. To sell it is easy. Consistancy. People like that. Same colours and fonts in everything makes people smile.

Kevin

Middle of the road is Ultramark

Posted by RonniesTintSigns (Member # 1669) on :

Basically I offer services like that now, one of my selling options are, on simple signs meaning non lighted I offer the customer the option of installing it their self which I prefer anyway. For me to install is a great deal higher because I don't use ladders, too dangerous carrying signs & tools up a ladder, & if I get hurt we are in deep s---I only use a platform truck or sissor platform. I keep it simple & non hazardous. A lot of people especially those starting out are willing to install it to save money & still get a professionally designed sign. I found over the years this is a great selling option.For small business's & those just getting their start.Oh I usually give them the hanging hardware & tips on the installation so they don't screw it up.
Also over the years I can reconize when a customer doesn't have a large budget when this occurs I ask them if there is an ammount they have in mind to apply to signage. Let's say they have $500 in mind this gives me a starting point I design the best sign I can for the $500 & one sightly better but still not too far over the top of what they had in mind, most of the time they'll chose the latter. This also takes the shock of the pricing deal, you must have an idea where to start so you don't scare the customer out the door. Remember what you call reasonable is what another calls DAMMMMMM

[ January 13, 2002: Message edited by: RonniesTintSigns ]

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