Q&A: Low-cost vs. low-price marketing

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Q: How should my office staff answer the phone to maximize our contact info and selling appeal?

Here’s how the initial conversation should go: “Good morning, XYZ Pest Control, this is Anne speaking. How may I be of service?” (The customer responds.) “May I please have your name and phone number, so that in case our call is interrupted, I can call you right back?” (The customer responds.) “May I ask how you heard about our company?” (The customer responds.) “Finally, before we get started, I’d like to take another few seconds to tell you about our company’s unique credentials.” (You now differentiate your company from your competitor’s in just a few short sentences.) The process should take less than 90 seconds.

Q: Can you explain the difference between low-cost and low-price marketing?

You can actually market your company as the lowest-cost pest management firm without being the lowest-priced. Your company markets value; your competitor focuses on selling price. The difference is in the way you sell and differentiate your service from other companies:

• You educate customers about integrated pest management (IPM).
• You inform customers of your unique credentials, or selling point (USP).
• You demonstrate how, over time, customers will get so much more value than a competitor can provide for their investment.

Therefore, while another company’s price may be lower, with your company, the customer’s cost is lowest because of the increased service, experience, knowledge, convenience and value you are providing.

A final word

This is the last in a long series of monthly Marketing Matters columns I have had the privilege of writing for Pest Management Professional (PMP) for many years. I want to thank my dear friends Marty Whitford, Heather Gooch and Diane Sofranec for their incredible support over the years. You guys are the best! I will continue to write for PMP, contributing features from time to time.

Many thanks also go to my readers, for your continued interest and participation in making Marketing Matters a success.

Contributor Harvey F. Goldglantz is president of Pest Control Marketing Co., Elkins Park, Pa.