Gas prices… high?… or hype?

I was out for my first round of golf for the year this Saturday. Why I play this game still puzzles me! Where we were golfing was a 45 minute drive from

Calgary

out in a beautiful area up on the edge of a river valley. 

It was a chilly morning and the wind was howling… not exactly prime conditions for being outside.

 

On the 12^th hole (after yet another triple bogey), I looked just up ahead and noticed the view of the campground just down the cliff, on the edge of the river.
 

What startled me was the fact that the campground was PACKED.
 

Now if this was a long weekend, or even just a nice warm weekend, I would understand.
 

No, this was a cold, miserable, windy weekend and everone and their dog had just hauled their 30 foot trailers out to the campground.
 

It’s no big surprise that oil prices are through the roof, and gas prices are now over $5.50 where I live (and the

province

of

Alberta

holds the Oil Sands which is only second in the amount of oil  it holds than

Saudi Arabia

!).

 

What was a surprise though was the sheer number of big arse trucks and trailer units I saw at the campground. Gas prices were not enough to deter them. The weather was not enough to deter them.
 

So what does this have to do with you?
 

It holds a very important lesson for anyone in sales or marketing, and anyone who runs their own business...
 

No matter what the gas or oil prices are… no matter how bad the economy is… no matter how disastrous the media is painting things out to be…
 

…people will find the money to spend on things they want.
 

If they want it bad enough… nothing, come hell or high water, will stand in their way from getting it.
 

Sure there are tough times out there for some people. But there are ample amounts of people that will spend their money on what they WANT to buy. Not what they need to buy – but what they want to buy… a very important difference.
 

Drill that difference into your marketing mind.
 

All those trailers out there did not have to be there. The owners did not need to spend all that money on gas to go away for a cold, windy weekend – they wanted to.
 

Sell to their inner most wants – and the price becomes much less important.
 

There is always a certain percentage of your target market that will pay a premium for getting a better experience. 

 

PS:  Join us this June for the gathering of the year... 

 

18 of the world's most successful entrepreneurs share their secrets for growing your business faster,

and more profitably http://www.WildWestWealth.com

Comments

[andy vanakin]

I agree totally. The economy has no bearing on our spending habits. If I want a new sport utility or a new truck I dont care what the price of oil is, I am going to buy it, and I don't think I am any different than the rest of America.

[Troy White]

You are right Andy - people start panicking in slow times like this.

Their first reaction? Lower my price!

Wrong.

The right answer is -- find the type of clients that are not impacted as hard by the slow down. There are lots of people out there with large discretionary incomes... they WILL put their money into things they want to buy. Of course they are covering their basic needs - but they are also buying lots of things they don't need - but want.

Those impacted by a slow down (lower income brackets) - cover off their basic needs and clam up on other things - but guaranteed they are still out their spending their money on things they may not need - but they want really, really bad.

So - who are you targeting? Those with money to spare? Or those who are always looking for the cheapest price?

You can't win one of those games (there is always someone willing to discount more than you are - and have bigger, deeper pockets, than you do). The other game is much easier to win - dominate - and enjoy.

Troy

[CPA Marketing by David Rachford]

Troy,
So True, So true!

Just like people buy what they want, they buy for emotional reasons... and justify with logic.

First the emotion:
I'm willing to bet that those trailer purchasers bought because they want the "feeling" of freedom, family bonding, and some exclusivity; or perhaps said another way, they want to "show off."

Then the logic:
Weather be damned, "We've got this great trailer, and we need to use it to get our money's worth!"

Best,
David Rachford