Customers don’t demonstrate loyalty to commodities, but they can fall in love with a brand. Prodct – Meaning = Commodity. Product + Meaning = Brand. ~ Bernadette Jiwa
I believe that misunderstanding – or just not being aware – of this concept is where a lot of the controversy on pricing comes from in the handmade community.
If you’re competing on price – trying to be the lowest – then you’re really treating yourself like a commodity.
What you really need to do is to establish yourself as a brand.
People care about brands. They don’t care about commodities.
As a micro-business, you are perfectly placed to tell your story – and build a brand around that story. To link what you make to something meaningful.
This concept has lead me to totally re-write the messages I send my customers upon purchase, checkout, and when they give me feedback (more on that tomorrow) because I realised I was not telling my story in a compelling way in these basic communications.
Today’s MotiBright quote is from Bernadette’s book The Fortune Cookie Principle, which I’m reading at the moment. It’s well worth the read if you’re struggling to tell the story of your business and brand.
