If you are a dealer who promises “to meet or beat any competitor’s price,” you’re not promising anything at all. Here’s why:

1. You give no assurance that you offer the lowest price. You merely assure me that if I don’t comparison shop, you will charge as much as you please.

2. “Meet the price” fails to impress. If I scout out a better price elsewhere, why on earth would I return to you for the same deal? I’ll save myself time and gas if I buy where I am.


3. “Beat the price” is no better. I’m going to drive back to your place so you can, what, undercut the competitor by a buck? A penny?

4. “Double the difference” is hardly an improvement. You’re still not assuring me your pricing is better. (See Number 1 above.)

5. Claiming “If we can’t meet or beat the price, it’s free” insults my intelligence. Do you really expect me to believe you might give me the product free rather than lower the price a bit?

If you insist on trying to be the low-price leader—which is seldom much of a strategy—you can do better. You might check key competitors’ pricing on, say, a weekly basis, and lower your own prices accordingly. Then, in your ads, tell me that that’s what you do. Want to go one better? Should you find a competitor has been underselling you, don’t wait for your customers who recently bought to call you. Call them and offer to refund the difference. Then they’ll do your advertising for you.

With a little creativity on your part, you will come up with other, convincing ways toshow that you are, and not just claim that you are, the low price leader. (Please click COMMENT and share your ideas.)

Or, you could keep spinning hot air. Caution: You’re not fooling anyone. People are tuning you out with the rest of the brand flatulence out there.

Steve Cuno
 


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