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Good, Fast or Cheap

Guest post by: Jessica Swanson

Article Overview: Learn the importance of being crystal clear on exactly what your customers can expect from you.

Good, Fast or Cheap

I was walking into a local print shop and immediately noticed the sign hanging on their door, “Good, Fast or Cheap – You Can Have Two, But Not All Three.”

This sign isn’t just some great motto that the owner made up on the fly. It’s actually a well-researched theory that many smart small business owners have been practicing for years.

The bottom line is that if you try to meet every need of every customer, you’re going to burn out. It’s pretty much as simple as that.

I know that when I first started Shoestring Marketing, I was convinced that even if other small business owners couldn’t deliver all three, I certainly could.

And, there are countless other small business owners who have fallen into this trap as well.

Of course you want to offer the best customer service around. You want to deliver top-quality, low-priced products quick as lightening. But, it really is an impossible situation.

In the early days of launching my small business, I ran around like a chicken with my head cut off. I was barely covering costs, meeting unreasonable requests while still doling out top-quality products and services.

It didn’t take me long to discover that I couldn’t do it all. If I was going to stay in business, then things would have to change. And the top change would be eliminating the customers who try to get as much as they can for as little as possible.

I now only work with customers and clients who are respectful, courteous and don’t expect everything for nothing.

Therefore, as you put together your marketing materials, be crystal clear on exactly what your customers can expect from you. You don’t want to be vague in this department.

Through your website, blog, sales brochures and other marketing materials, your customers should know that they can pick two of the three: good, fast or cheap.

Let your customers know, that here’s what they can expect:

Good + Fast = Expensive

If you want top-quality delivered quickly, it can be done. But, don’t expect it to be cheap.

Good + Cheap = Slow

If you want top-quality, but don’t want to pay a premium price, then you’ll need to wait.

Fast + Cheap = Inferior

If you want it delivered fast and you want a discounted price, then be prepared for inferior quality.

Once your prospects know what to expect from you, both their life and your life will be much easier.

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Article Tags: Jessica Swanson, relationship marketing, shoestring marketing, small business marketing



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