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On one side of the scales is what we offer. It’s our product or service.
On the other side is the investment, or cost we’re asking prospects to give us in exchange for our offer.
The scales are balanced. That’s the minimum standard for building a sustainable business. It happens when customers pay us our asking price and we provide them value that is equal to that price. They pay us and feel they got value equal to their investment or cost.
It’s not a remarkable business strategy though. It’s tenuous. Competitors can come in and best our offer causing us to lose customers by the droves. We’re at risk if we don’t tip the scales fully in favor of the customer.
The Internet provides such a low cost of entry that it causes the business pond to be overrun with schools of fish (sharks actually) willing to live by making money NOW. That’s why you’ll find various Internet superstars sending out one offer after another by people selling high dollar product (information marketing) launches. No sooner have you purchased one…and BAM! Your inbox has an offer that is going to be available in two hours! And it’s a limited offer. It’ll sell out quickly (have you ever wondered how a digital offer sells out?) so hurry, hurry, hurry! The only value they provide is hawking the wares of their buddies, and then when it comes time to launch their own product – their buddies reciprocate.
Look back over the course of such activity in a year and you’ll likely find very little value. More likely than not the marketing promises far more than it ever delivers. Creative copy-writing and other acts of persuasion are employed to keep the buzz going because when the wheel stops, the money stops. It simply can’t stop. Customers aren’t likely constructing a solid base for a sustainable business based on an extraordinary exchange in value. The focus must be maintained on the top portion of the funnel. New buyers are constantly being sought because buyers of the past are no longer very valuable.
I don’t think it’s the best way to go. Rather, I subscribe to the notion that our businesses should be diligent to make sure the scales fully favor those people who give us their time, attention and money. We must concentrate on giving our customers remarkable value. That’s how we’ll become remarkable. That’s how we’ll build remarkable enterprises.
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