09.25.17
When Just As Good Is Not Good Enough
On a recent backpacking trip to the High Sierra Mountains, I was blessed to be able to take my eighteen-year-old nephew. In preparation for the trip, I told him to make sure he purchased the “Darn Tough” brand of hiking socks because they will save his feet. Needless to say, two hours into our six-day adventure, he notified me that he was getting blisters on his heel. When I asked, what type of socks do you have, he proudly replied, “I bought some that were just as good as the “Darn Tough” brand but seven dollars cheaper.” It was a painful lesson that often a “just as good” statement about a product often leaves the purchaser disappointed.
When a manufacturer or distributor representative present a product similar to a competitor, a common statement I have heard them say is, “It is just as good as product ABC.” That statement confirms from the start that this new product is not an industry leader and puts the thought of it possibly being inferior in the buyer’s mind. A better statement would be, “My new product offers a variety of improvements and benefits to some of the existing products that are currently on the market. Let me share with you what those are.” Consider the impact of positively positioning your product offering and services in a way that highlight points that others do not offer.
My nephew and I had a great week laughing about all of the items that people buy that are “just as good” as the industry leaders. Don’t tell him, but toward the end of the week, I had an older pair of socks that were not “Darn Tough”… and guess what began to happen to my feet!
Go Be Better Than!
Regards,
Brian
