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Advice to entrepreneurs: Why discounts may not be a good idea

While it’s tempting to believe there’s a blanket statement like “Service providers should never give a discount,” the reality is more nuanced. While offering discounts can have downsides, it also has strategic uses which we also offer in this article. Here’s a breakdown of the potential cons to consider:

Downsides of discounts

1. The peril of perceived value: How discounts can undermine brand reputation

The notion that discounts can devalue a brand in the eyes of its customers is a complex one, rooted in psychology and market behaviour. Let’s unpack this point further:

Price-quality heuristic: Humans often rely on mental shortcuts, called heuristics, to make quick decisions. One such heuristic is the price-quality heuristic, which assumes a higher price indicates higher quality. When brands offer significant discounts, it can trigger this heuristic in customers’ minds, leading them to infer a decrease in quality, even if it’s not factually true.

Loss aversion: We tend to feel losses more acutely than gains. So, seeing a discounted price compared to the original price can feel like a “loss” for the brand, prompting consumers to question the true value of the service. This can erode trust and confidence in the brand’s overall quality and pricing strategy.

Signalling theory: In marketing, discounts can send unintended signals to the market. Frequent or deep discounts might portray the brand as desperate, struggling to compete, or lacking confidence in its offerings. This can damage the brand’s image and weaken its perceived value proposition.

Conditioning and expectation: When customers consistently get discounts, they might become conditioned to expect them. This can make it harder for the brand to sell services at full price in the future, as customers develop an anchor point based on the discounted price. This erodes pricing power and profit margins.

Competition and dilution: In a competitive market, frequent discounting can trigger a price war, with brands constantly undercutting each other. This can devalue the entire market segment and make it difficult for any brand to command premium pricing based on quality or differentiation.

Examples:

Imagine a high-end spa offering deep discounts. Customers might question the quality of its treatments or experience, even if the discount is due to seasonal promotions.
A software company constantly slashing prices might be perceived as struggling or less innovative compared to competitors with premium pricing.

Discounts can be a tactical tool, but relying solely on them can be a dangerous game. Building a strong brand identity based on quality, value, and exceptional service is a more sustainable path to long-term success and customer loyalty.

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2. The bite of the discount

Direct revenue reduction: Every discount translates to a smaller slice of the pie for you. Imagine selling a service for $100 with a 20% discount. You only pocket $80, a 20% reduction in revenue compared to selling at full price. This seemingly small percentage can significantly impact your bottom line, especially for high-volume businesses.
Increased sales volume required: To maintain the same income level with discounts, you need to sell more units. To compensate for the 20% discount in our example, you’d need to sell 25% more services to reach the same $1,000 revenue target. This can be challenging, requiring additional marketing efforts, potentially stretching resources, and not always guaranteed.
Variable cost considerations: Even though discounts primarily impact the selling price, consider potential cost increases. Higher sales volume due to discounts might necessitate additional resources, like manpower, materials, or software, further squeezing your profit margins.

Tailoring the discount bite:

Targeted discounts: Offer discounts to specific customer segments or for limited periods to reduce the overall impact on revenue. For example, consider student discounts or flash sales.
Discount depth and duration: Be strategic about the discount percentage and timeframe. A smaller discount for a shorter period might be less impactful than a deeper discount lasting longer.
Upselling and bundling: Combine discounts with upselling or bundling strategies. Offer a lower price on a service bundle, encouraging customers to spend more overall.
Value-based pricing: Ensure your original pricing reflects the true value of your service. This provides a cushion for discounts without significantly eroding margins.
Track and analyse: Monitor the impact of discounts on sales volume, revenue, and profit margins. Regularly evaluate their effectiveness and adjust your strategy as needed.

Discounts are a double-edged sword. While they can attract customers and boost sales, they can also eat into your profits. By understanding the impact and implementing strategic approaches, you can leverage discounts effectively without sacrificing your financial health.

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3. The downward spiral: How price wars can devalue your service

Price wars, triggered by frequent discounts, can be a perilous dance for service providers. Let’s explore the potential consequences of this downward spiral:

Erosion of value: When one company slashes prices, competitors feel pressure to follow suit. This cycle of price cuts can quickly devalue the entire service category in the eyes of customers. The focus shifts from quality and differentiation to mere cost competition, leading to a race to the bottom where everyone loses.

Profitability squeeze: As prices plummet, profit margins shrink for all involved. Companies struggle to maintain financial stability, leading to potential cuts in quality, service levels, or employee benefits. This can further erode customer experience and brand trust.

Customer focus shift: In a price war, customers become hyper-sensitive to price fluctuations. They may prioritise the cheapest option, regardless of quality or service differences. This can make it difficult to build customer loyalty and long-term relationships based on value and trust.

Innovation stagnation: The focus on short-term price cuts can divert resources from long-term innovation and development. Companies may neglect to invest in new technologies, service improvements, or marketing initiatives, leading to stagnation and a lack of competitive advantage.

Market destabilisation: Price wars can destabilise the entire market, creating uncertainty and anxiety for both businesses and customers. This can lead to unpredictable fluctuations in demand, making it difficult to plan for the future and manage resources effectively.

Breaking the cycle:

Focus on value proposition: Emphasise the unique benefits and differentiators of your service. Move beyond price competition and highlight the quality, expertise, and customer experience you offer.
Build customer relationships: Foster long-term loyalty through personalised interactions, exceptional service, and ongoing value creation. Loyal customers are less likely to be swayed by temporary price fluctuations.
Collaboration and communication: Consider collaborating with competitors to establish minimum price standards or ethical pricing practices. Open communication can help prevent unnecessary price wars and maintain a healthy market environment.
Invest in innovation: Prioritise research and development, new service offerings, and technology advancements. This will help you stay ahead of the competition and differentiate yourself based on value, not just price.
Transparency and communication: Be transparent with your customers about pricing decisions and the reasons behind any discounts offered. This can build trust and understanding, preventing misinterpretations and price sensitivity.

Price wars can be a dangerous trap. By focussing on value, building strong customer relationships, and investing in long-term differentiation, service providers can navigate the competitive landscape without resorting to unsustainable price cuts.

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4. The anchor of expectation: How repeated discounts can reshape customer perceptions

The human brain is a master of forming expectations, and repeated discounts can unwittingly anchor customers’ perception of your service’s value at a lower price point. Let’s delve deeper into this phenomenon and explore its potential consequences:

The anchoring effect: This cognitive bias describes how our initial exposure to a piece of information, like a price, influences our subsequent judgements. When customers consistently encounter discounted prices, it becomes the reference point against which they evaluate future offerings. This can lead to:

Price sensitivity: Customers become acutely aware of price changes, especially increases. Even a slight bump above the discounted price can feel like a significant jump, making them hesitant to purchase at full price.
Reduced perceived value: The discounted price becomes the “normal” price in their minds, leading to a decreased perception of the service’s value at full price. They may question the justification for the higher price, even if it reflects the true cost of providing the service.
Erosion of pricing power: Your ability to command premium prices weakens as customers expect and anticipate discounts. This can limit your profit margins and make it challenging to invest in service improvements or expansion.
Loss of customer loyalty: The focus on price-driven transactions can overshadow the value proposition and customer experience. Customers may become more likely to switch to competitors offering the “best” deal, eroding long-term loyalty.

Breaking the anchor:

Strategic and targeted discounts: Limit discounts to specific promotions, new customer segments, or seasonal offers. Avoid frequent or blanket discounts that might set a permanent expectation.
Communicate value effectively: Clearly articulate the unique benefits and features that justify the full price. Showcase the quality, expertise, and superior experience your service offers compared to discounted alternatives.
Focus on customer relationships: Build trust and loyalty through personalised interactions, exceptional service, and ongoing value creation. This can help customers appreciate the true worth of your service beyond just the price tag.
Offer value-added packages: Consider offering premium packages or tiered pricing that bundle additional services or benefits at a higher price point. This can cater to customers seeking a more comprehensive experience and reinforce the value proposition.
Gradually increase prices: If necessary, implement price increases strategically and transparently. Explain the rationale behind the change and communicate the continued value proposition.

Anchoring customer expectations through repeated discounts can be a slippery slope. By strategically utilising discounts, focussing on value communication, and fostering strong customer relationships, you can avoid becoming anchored to a lower price point and maintain your pricing power in the long run.

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5. The double-edged sword of bargain hunters: Attracting price-sensitive customers and managing churn

Discounts can be a powerful tool to attract new customers, but they can also inadvertently attract bargain hunters: individuals who are primarily motivated by the lowest price and less concerned with the quality, value, or service experience.

While this influx of new customers might seem beneficial initially, it can come with hidden costs in the form of increased churn and potential damage to your brand reputation.

The draw of the deal:

Price sensitivity: Bargain hunters are highly sensitive to price changes and are more likely to switch to competitors offering better deals. This can lead to volatile customer relationships and difficulty building long-term loyalty.
Lower perceived value: Their focus on the lowest price can lead them to undervalue the quality and benefits of your service. This can create challenges in justifying premium pricing and maintaining profit margins.
Transactional focus: Bargain hunters prioritise the immediate transaction over building a long-term relationship with your brand. This can make them less receptive to upselling, cross-selling, or loyalty programmes.
Higher customer acquisition costs: Attracting bargain hunters often requires deeper discounts and more aggressive marketing, which can increase customer acquisition costs and erode profitability.

Managing the churn:

Strategic discounts: Target discounts to attract new customers who align with your brand values and long-term vision, not just those solely focussed on price.
Focus on value proposition: Clearly articulate the unique benefits and value proposition of your service. Showcase the quality, expertise, and superior experience you offer compared to discounted alternatives.
Invest in customer experience: Build loyalty and satisfaction through exceptional service, personalised interactions, and proactive problem-solving. This can incentivise customers to stay beyond the initial discount period.
Implement loyalty programmes: Reward repeat customers with exclusive benefits and discounts. This can encourage them to engage more deeply with your brand and become less price-sensitive.
Track and analyse customer behaviour: Monitor customer acquisition channels, churn rates, and customer lifetime value to understand the impact of discounts on your customer base. This data can help you refine your strategy and target the right audience.

Attracting bargain hunters through discounts can be a temporary boost, but it’s crucial to consider the long-term consequences. By focussing on value, building strong customer relationships, and implementing strategic pricing, you can attract customers who appreciate your service beyond the price tag and build a sustainable business model for the future.

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6. Discount-driven customers: A fickle flock

Imagine customers solely attracted by the lure of a discount being like birds drawn to shiny objects. They may flit from one provider to another, chasing the next best deal, regardless of the actual quality or value of the service. This “discount addiction” makes them highly susceptible to competitor offerings, leading to:

Low customer lifetime value: The cost of acquiring these customers through discounts can outweigh the revenue they generate, especially if they churn quickly.
Brand erosion: Frequent customer turnover can damage your brand reputation and make it harder to build trust with potential long-term clients.
Marketing resource drain: Constantly offering discounts to attract new customers requires significant marketing efforts, diverting resources from other crucial areas like service improvement or innovation.

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7. Discount-induced payment woes

Beyond their fickle nature, customers primarily attracted by discounts can also pose challenges when it comes to payment:

Higher delinquency rates: Studies show a correlation between discounted purchases and increased payment delays or defaults. This can lead to significant financial losses and administrative headaches for service providers.
Collection challenges: Recovering debts from discount-driven customers can be time-consuming and resource-intensive. They may be less responsive to collection efforts or more likely to dispute charges.
Negative customer interactions: Dealing with payment issues can strain customer relationships, even if the initial discount attracted them. This can further damage your brand image and fuel negative word-of-mouth.

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8. The allure of the outright sale: A sustainable strategy

While discounts can have their place in strategic promotions or targeted campaigns, focussing on outright sales can offer a more sustainable path to customer loyalty and financial stability:

Attracting value-conscious customers: Outright sales appeal to customers who appreciate your service’s inherent value and are willing to pay a fair price. These customers are more likely to be loyal and engaged, contributing to higher customer lifetime value.
Building brand trust: Focussing on quality and value over price sends a strong message about your commitment to customer satisfaction. This can build trust and differentiation in the market.
Reduced resource drain: Eliminating the constant need for discount-driven marketing frees up resources for other growth initiatives, like improving service quality or developing new offerings.

Remember, the key to sustainable success lies in building genuine relationships with customers who value your service for what it is. While occasional discounts can be a tactical tool, relying on them as the primary customer acquisition strategy can lead to a precarious, discount-dependent cycle. By focussing on value, quality, and building trust, you can attract loyal customers who contribute to your long-term growth and success.

Advice to entrepreneurs: Why discounts may not be a good idea 21

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Strategic uses of discounts

Targeted promotions: Offer discounts to specific demographics or service tiers to attract new customers or incentivise higher spending.
Limited-time offers: Create a sense of urgency and exclusivity to boost sales during slow periods.
Early adopter incentives: Encourage risk-taking with discounts for new service packages or features.
Referral programmes: Reward existing customers for driving new business with discount offers.
Loss leaders: Introduce a discounted service to attract new customers and upsell them to higher-priced offerings.

Alternatives to discounts:

Focus on unique value proposition: Highlight the exceptional service, expertise, or specific benefits that differentiate your brand from competitors.
Offer premium experiences: Create exclusive packages or add-ons for a higher price point, appealing to customers seeking a differentiated experience.
Invest in customer service: Build trust and loyalty through exceptional service, personalised interactions, and proactive problem-solving.
Implement loyalty programmes: Reward repeat customers with exclusive perks and discounts, fostering long-term relationships.

The decision to offer discounts should be based on a strategic assessment of your target audience, market conditions, and business goals. While there are potential downsides, strategic and targeted discounts can be used effectively to achieve specific objectives.

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