Douglas Emerson Profitable Horseman
Profitable Horseman Newsletter 
 
January 19, 2009
Do You Make This Mistake About Pricing in Your Business?
  
A while ago, procrastination had prevailed and I'd almost run out of checks, yet again. In a panic, I called 1-800-CHECKLADY for the reorder, not feeling compelled to search the internet for half an hour to find $1.98 in savings.

Checklady (I suppose there are Checkguys, too) was named Judy and had a pleasant telephone voice. Judy did her best to up sell me to get designer checks with pretty scenes on them with "my special message", but I resisted and insisted on boring old blue, the same color I have been using since Jimmy Carter was in office.

She laughed at my description of boring old blue and gave up trying to get me in the first class section of check design.  I gave her credit for offering me the option of fancy checks; she made no assumptions and asked the right questions.

I've been thinking about the long period of time when checks only came in plain, boring, pastel colors. No panoramic views, themed messages or puppies and kittens on them were offered.

Functional and boring was the only choice until a very brave person at the check printing company said to the boss, "I think if we offer a wide variety of printed designs on checks, our customers will pay a premium to have them."

The boss, also a user of blue checks, questioned, "You think our customers will pay more money for a check that is only seen by them twice and once by the clerk at the utility company?

I wouldn't
do that. . . but, let's see if they want to. . ." The check printing company has lived happily ever after because the boss chose to not do his customers' thinking for them.

Clients and friends are often describing to me situations in which they use language that sounds like this:
    • I know she will never go for that price because she paid $_____ for starting a colt last time and why would she pay me more when she doesn't know me that well?
    • I just know that if I say _________ to him he will say ______ and that will mean ______ and he'll say NO.
    • The horse trailer must be very important to him, he keeps it in perfect condition and a new one would cost well over $____ and why would he ever consider my offer for the trailer?


You're detoured on the road of progress whenever you get snared in your self-made thinking traps. As a result of doing the other person's thinking, entire conversations can happen between two people in the busy mind of the role-playing thinker.

Quit doing other people's thinking for them!

State your case and test what you think you know. You'll never know until you allow the other party to participate in your imaginary conversations.
 
Ask, and wait for the answer.  That's how conversation leads to sales and profits.


Others Have Said 

"The way in which we think of ourselves has everything to do with how our world sees us."--Arlene Raven


"Quality in a product or service is not what the supplier puts in. It is what the customer gets out and is willing to pay for. A product is not quality because it is hard to make and costs a lot of money, as manufacturers typically believe. This is incompetence. Customers pay only for what is of use to them and gives them value. Nothing else constitutes quality."  --   Peter Drucker

"All problems exist in the absence of a good conversation"-- Nigel Hargreaves
 

Back At The Barn

 
 
I had a nice visit a week ago on a blustery and biting cold day with Betsy Kubiak at her Sugar Hill Arabians Farm in Victor, NY.  The farm is well planned and beautiful; the only thing wrong with it is that it's not mine! 

Horsemen in most sections of North America have already had just about enough of snow and unusually cold temperatures.  Unfortunately, Spring is not around the corner, but is still out of town on vacation.

I was grumbling about chipping ice out of buckets, endless snow shoveling and wet and cold feet over the weekend.

But, I decided that my day was nothing on the hardship scale compared to the day of the crew and passengers on the US Airways flight that emergency landed on the Hudson River last week. Training, quick decisions and leadership in action!

Survive or Thrive With Your Boarding Business?
Upcoming
Teleseminar!

It's no secret the economy is in trouble and horse people are feeling the big chill, too. This seminar series will help you get clear on how to track your expenses, recognize and market the unique values you offer and move your boarding business toward better profitability.

 If you are in the horse boarding business or thinking about starting, you won't want to miss the four part teleseminar on the horse boarding business Maureen Gallatin and I are offering on February 17, February 24, March 3 and March 10, 2009 at 7:00 P.M. Eastern time.

Attend in the comfort of your home or office on your own phone.  No travel required!


Only $79.00 for four live teleseminar sessions, download
able workbooks and access to recordings of each session to review later.

Send an e-mail here if you'd like to know more and sign up for the teleseminar.
I help professional horsemen and horsewomen struggling with the business half of the horse business.
 

Until next time,
 
Doug

Doug Emerson
Profitable Horseman Deewochagall
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