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I just love the coupons that my competitors put out that have a limited time offer or some other incentive for a customer to act now. Many startup home inspection firms offer their customers special discounts if they’ll give them a try or place an order before the end of the month or year-end or whatever. An example of a call to action in the coupon might look something like:
I can only offer you this discount if you buy before March 30th. After that, it’s back to full price!
But the truth is, if the customer calls on May 5th with a nice, big easy home inspection order and wants the discounted price, nine out of ten companies will give it to them. What you don’t realize is that, by going back on your word regarding the time limit, your also training your customers/realtors to expect that your always going to sell at the lower price, and that those “limited time offers” are available any time they ask.
Oh, and what happens when you don’t give it to them? That’s right, you said the magic referral reversing charm, the charm that won’t let you pass go, the word without equal, NO.
Here’s the danger, discounting your price with gimmicks in relation to other home inspectors fee’s will put you into the perceived category of a low rate home inspector and when you finally figure out that you can’t make the home inspection business profitable at these prices, it may be to late to push the price.
Unlike the larger franchise firms that have a coupon marketing system with a huge budget to combat the perceived value to product pricing, and the budget to bleed money for an extended period of time your in a no win situation using the coupon strategy.
So if your determined to use the coupon strategy to build your business, “Mean what you say, and say what you mean”.
You just might make it.
Copyright © 2005 by Bob Kille. To read other home inspection related articles or to view home inspection software and book publications by Mr. Kille, click on this link. www.inspectorsuccess.com