Simple Defense Against Price Cutters

My friend, Robbie Schlosser (Magnolia Jazz Band) reminded me of an old strategy used by barbershops against their price slashing competition.

Robbie recalle barbershop sign “Haircut $5″, and next door another shop advertised “We fix $5 haircuts”.

Every high quality wedding business should have that message (in some iteration) on their website or as signage in their office. It would be a not-so-subtle wedding marketing message that working with a price-cutter is risky business.

With haircuts, one gets a second chance. With weddings, there is no ‘do-over.’ And with some categories of wedding services, the risk of failure is simply not worth the money ’saved.’

My standard response to clients seeking a lower ‘price match’ was simple: Trying to shave down a few hundred dollars out of a wedding budget of $30,000 can be a critical mistake, if you try to save it in the wrong place. At the end of the night, there won’t be a sign around my neck showing how much you paid. Either we will be successful, and you will be happy, or will have saved some money on another service, and you won’t be happy.

Nothing closes a sale like self-confidence. In Robbie’s words “Stay positive — there is always a way.”

One other thing is important. Be SIGNIFICANTLY BETTER THAN YOUR COMPETITION. Don’t just believe your own hype!

Andy Ebon

The Wedding Marketing Authority