"Value for Money" Buyers

Procter and Gamble and Kellogg's, inventors of the "value for money concept" in the 1930's, develop their product and pricing strategies around three behavioral personas:

1. Effectiveness buyers want to do more with the same resources
2. Efficiency buyers want to do the same with fewer resources
3. Economizers want to do less with far fewer resources

Through the early 2000's companies have profited from a variety of self-centered pricing strategies i.e. skimming, penetration, customary, etc. Our new digital and global economy has changed all that, so companies that do not directly address one of the three value-for-money behaviors will fail.

As we continue evolving, all buyers will be fully entrenched into one of these behaviors, but on an opportunity by opportunity basis, and not for all of their purchases.

So, if a company is unable to categorize sales opportunities in this fashion, it will not be ready for the different colored light that is visible at the end of the "funnel".

Marketing Sets The Company Standard for Aspiring Professionals

It's All About The execution

Your marketing environment should set a high standard for employees and partners. Your managers should continuously test employees on their ability to state and explain the meaning of each marketing program and message.  Without a full understanding and commitment by everyone, how can you expect complete alignment between your company's promises and its ability to deliver?

Why the High Drop-out Rate?

Think about how much time is spent creating plans, programs, campaigns and content. How many  employees and partners take the time to commit each one to muscle memory?

Maybe finishing is too hard. Maybe there are too many "urgent, but not important" distractions. Maybe people just don't like to practice.  Think about the college basketball player who practices 2-3 hours each day in order to play two 40 minute games each week.  Why don't marketing and sales people spend more time practicing in order to improve their skills?


I am impressed with Johnson and Johnson's "management for the long term" principal that drives leaders to ensure sustainability by not compromising the long term due to short term thinking.

Navigating a Global Economy

Define Your Own Economy

It's Different from the Macro Economy

Work to retain your existing customers and ensure sufficient marketing and selling activity for continually acquiring new buyers each month.

Invest daily team time trying to imagine ways to lower the customer's risk rather than your price.

Let a goal statement influence each day as a pop up on your calendar.

Monitor month-to-month sales funnel health as your leading indicator. This includes close rate, deal size, length of sales cycle, average discount rate, # products per deal and the # of leads required to find a winnable opportunity.

If you have channel partners, coach them on the best closing tactics.

Add recurring revenue sources to your product line.

By John Bernardi

Unfinished Business

Why the High Drop-out Rate?

Maybe finishing is too hard, or there are too many "urgent, but unimportant" distractions, or people just don't like to practice their craft.

I recently completed a Tai Chi class. Through this "soft" form of martial arts, body and breathing work together as a single unit with no wasted effort. Results include improved health, mental calmness and clarity. By the fifth class half the students had dropped out and only 20% completed the course. I wonder why?

About the same percentage of my clients do not follow through [to my satisfaction] with the solutions they paid me to develop and model for them. I hope it's not the quality of my work. I don't think so. I feel bad when they don't establish a legacy foothold for these plans or programs.

How about sales reps? Why don't they spend more time practicing in order to improve their skills? Think about the college basketball player who practices 2-3 hours each day in order to play two 40 minute games each week.

I am impressed when I meet business leaders who ensure sustainability by not compromising the long term due to short term thinking.

By John Bernardi