There is a "alienation theory" in western management, which helps us out of the predicament. However, the theory of alienation is not focused on the actual combat of the market, but based on the theory, lacking specific operation methods. In addition, the period when the theory was put forward was a long time ago, and the market situation has undergone tremendous changes. Therefore, in today's market, alienation theory is only a commercial concept and has no operational value. Based on many years' practical experience in the market, the author sums up a set of operational methods of customer transfer which are in line with the actual situation in China market, and defines it as transfer marketing. This way can not only help enterprises not to lose profits, but also enable consumers to obtain satisfactory commodity value and achieve a win-win transaction result.
Balance between commodity value and purchase cost
Commodity value refers to the overall benefits that customers can get from a commodity, including material attributes and spiritual feelings. However, although a commodity has the benefits that consumers want, it may not be bought, because there is another important influencing factor, that is, the purchase cost. Before consumers decide to buy and put the goods on the real balance, they must first measure them on the invisible balance in their hearts. The two ends of the balance are procurement cost and commodity value respectively. When the purchase cost increases on the same day, it is difficult to conclude a transaction. When the balance tends to the commodity value, the transaction can be successfully concluded. Therefore, only when the value and purchase cost of goods reach a balance in consumers' minds, or they have a higher recognition of the value of goods, consumers will buy them.
At this time, we can draw a consumer psychological balance chart. One side of the balance lists all kinds of values that consumers can get when they buy goods, and the other side lists all kinds of costs that customers have to pay when they buy goods. At this time, as long as we increase the value of the goods in the balance and reduce the purchase cost of various customers, the goods will be easily sold. But business common sense tells us that increasing the value of goods and reducing the purchase cost of consumers will increase the operating cost of enterprises. Then, how to improve the value of goods and reduce the purchase cost of consumers without increasing the operating cost or increasing the operating cost as little as possible?
Reduce the purchase cost of customers
According to different industries, the composition of consumer purchase cost is also different, which can be roughly divided into four types: time cost, physical cost, risk cost and choice cost. We reduce or eliminate these costs through the following methods, thus promoting consumers' willingness to buy.
1, time cost
In today's fast-paced society, time cost has become a very important value reference factor in the process of consumer consumption. For example, we often complain about the time wasted waiting for the bus, shopping checkout or late delivery, but seldom complain about the price of the goods. Therefore, it is necessary to reduce the time cost of customers.
So, how to reduce the time cost of consumers? We can draw a consumer behavior flow chart describing the consumer's consumption process: arrange each step of the consumer from the generation of the purchase idea to the end of the purchase activity in order, and then calculate the time cost of each step. At this time, we will find that many steps in the whole flow chart are a waste of time, even redundant, and consumers consciously or unconsciously reject them. These redundant or unimportant links consume a lot of time cost for customers. If we can optimize these links, improve the speed, or even cut off unnecessary links, we can create more value for our customers.
When the process cannot be further optimized, consumers' understanding of time in the process of consumption can be subtly changed, and time can be compressed in disguise. For example, providing by-products and services that can kill time or attract attention during the waiting process of consumption can reduce the time cost of consumers in disguise. For example, TV programs played in the waiting room when waiting for the bus, music or magazines provided when ordering food, etc. The author once introduced the concept of "eliminating the waiting time that annoys patients" when making overall planning for a hospital. The main contents include setting a more comfortable waiting environment for waiting patients, editing DM magazines that introduce our hospital and transmit health information and leisure information from time to time, so that patients can read easily in a comfortable environment and unconsciously complete the waiting in the process of obtaining interested information. Because of the particularity of the hospital, it always gives patients a feeling of tension and depression. I suggested that it take the beautiful natural environment as the theme, and launch relaxed music and TV programs, which solved the anxiety and anxiety of patients while waiting and got unexpected praise.
2. Physical cost
In today's society, with the improvement of living standards, the development of the Internet and the convenience of transportation, we become very lazy. At this time, the cost of physical strength began to appear in the consumption cost. For example, we want to eat a certain kind of food, but we have to go downstairs, take a 30-minute bus to the sales place, and wait in line for more than ten minutes; In another case, when we want to eat a certain kind of food, we only need a phone call, and someone will deliver it in 15 minutes. Which way do you think can stimulate our consumption more? Obviously the latter. When we are willing to buy, the passion for buying will often be consumed by the process required for buying, and eventually we may give up buying because we lose interest in buying, which is particularly prominent in perceptual commodity consumption. Therefore, we can greatly improve the possibility of sales by reducing or removing the physical cost of customers. According to different industries, there are many ways to reduce customers' physical costs, such as door-to-door service, opening virtual stores online, and one-stop shopping.
3. Risk cost
There is a saying in China: "From Nanjing to Beijing, buyers are not as good as sellers", which means that customers must not take advantage of businesses when shopping. Relevant institutions have also conducted surveys, and the risk of customers buying is twice that of merchants selling. Therefore, consumers should be cautious when shopping, so as not to make wrong purchase decisions. In the process of consumers' ideological game and choice, the desire to buy is decreasing, and finally they may give up buying, which is more obvious in relatively expensive rational commodity consumption.
Now some smart merchants have introduced a long product warranty period or various after-sales services, which greatly reduces the risk of consumers, so the possible increased cost is far lower than the sales profit generated by consumers because they are assured to buy. You can also find the spokespersons trusted by consumers for the products, such as the authoritative appraisal of XX institutions, the recommendation of XX experts, the honors won, and the feedback information from other consumers. In short, according to the characteristics of its own industry, eliminating all kinds of concerns and risks when consumers buy will effectively increase sales.
Step 4 choose the cost
When we get married, apart from being happy, each of us will feel a little uneasy. This mentality psychologically explains the anxiety caused by losing the opportunity to choose-if we are going to get married, can our lover devote himself wholeheartedly to ourselves? The temper is not as good as the candidate, and the income is not as good as those who pursue themselves. This is not to say that our feelings are unprofessional, but an instinctive psychological reaction when we lose other choices because we make a decision. The same is true in the process of consumer consumption. When choosing to buy a commodity, we always instinctively compare 2-4 alternative commodities in our minds. At this time, a slight fluctuation in thinking can change consumers' consumption decisions. If we can make their thoughts have a little positive tendency, the deal can be reached.
But the measures taken by many businesses are not to help consumers, but to push them, cut off the back road-denying other substitute goods and setting up various obstacles to switch consumption, in an attempt to let consumers choose their own goods, but the result may be counterproductive, because once consumers lose their right to choose, they will instinctively feel that they have greater consumption risks and even have rebellious psychology. Therefore, it is necessary to change the blockage into sparse. Motorola once launched a high-end mobile phone. Consumers can try it for one month for free, and return it unconditionally and without reason. Therefore, sales are extremely hot. Some people worry that consumers will return the goods after a trial period. Why is there such a result? Because consumers just have an anxiety of losing other options before buying, they are not fickle. Once they buy a certain product, few people are willing to waste time and energy to return it after use if there are no other problems.
Any of the four methods mentioned above to reduce the customer's purchase cost can offset the customer's money purchase cost. If the above four points are achieved, even if the sales price is raised, the goods will have a good market. Of course, if we meet customers who have been through many battles and are indifferent to the transfer of these values, we need to improve another factor-the value of goods.
Improve the value of goods
The value of a commodity is not entirely determined by its physical attributes, but more by the psychological factors of consumers. No matter what the actual value of this commodity is, the key depends on how much consumers know about the value of this commodity.
When the physical attribute value of goods cannot be improved, we can increase the psychological value of customers and tilt the trading balance to the value side of goods, thus improving the transaction rate. There are many ways to improve the psychological value of commodities, and different industries need to explore according to their own characteristics. Here are six basic methods that can be used in the market.
1, shaping product and brand culture
Culture is the soul of a commodity and a brand, which can create a miracle that the psychological value of a commodity is several times or even dozens of times more than the physical value. Starbucks, Harley, Chanel and other brands have gained several times higher premium than other brands by using perceptual value factors such as brand and culture.
A bottle of mineral water costs tens of dollars, will you frown? Because even the famous brand mineral water like Wahaha only needs a bottle of 1.5 yuan, and the imported mineral water only needs 3-5 yuan. Evian mineral water is an exception, mainly because of its rich and attractive brand culture: Evian mineral water comes from the hinterland of Alps where snow melts all the year round and Shan Yu gathers. After 15 years of natural filtration and layer-by-layer mineralization and natural purification of glacial sand, Evian water was formed ... 1789, a French nobleman with kidney calculi went to a nearby town. Accidentally drinking the local spring water, he felt sweet and slippery, so he took some local water and insisted on drinking it. After a while, he was surprised to find that his kidney calculi had miraculously disappeared. This anecdote spread quickly, and experts made special analysis and research on it, and proved the efficacy of Evian water. Since then, a large number of tourists have flocked to Evian town to experience the magic of Evian water, and doctors even included it in prescriptions. Charles Louis Napolé on Bonaparte and Empress have a special liking for mineral water in Evian Town. 1864, Evian town was officially named, and Evian mineral water also went to the world. How's it going? After listening to this story, do you think it tastes a little different after drinking Evian mineral water? A more expensive price is acceptable.
Second, improve the quality of goods.
Many goods have other functions besides physical attributes, especially luxury goods or expensive goods, such as famous cars, jewelry, watches, clothing and so on. They are not only simple vehicles, decorations or timing tools, but also have the function of expressing and even publicizing the owner's personality, taste and status. For this kind of goods, it is very important to emphasize the taste. There are many ways to improve the taste, but the key is to refine it according to the characteristics of the industry and goods. The following three aspects can be used for reference: (1) improving the quality of goods-the excellent quality of goods is one of the basic elements to support their taste. I believe that even if it is luxurious and beautiful, it is difficult to associate a pipe with high taste. (2) Strengthening the appearance is also a key factor in shaping the taste of goods. Not only the appearance should be beautiful, but also the workmanship should be exquisite, which is what consumers who pay attention to taste care most. (3) Taste can be linked to personality, because everyone doesn't want to be labeled blindly, so personalized goods can often be favored by consumers who are sensitive to taste and fashion.
3. Inject emotion into commodities
When a commodity has emotional factors, it can break the bondage of price and let emotional factors add points to the commodity, such as giving the commodity an emotional name, with a touching story behind it.
The chemical composition of diamond is carbon, and the earliest name of diamond is "stone carbon", but such a name cannot be associated with its rarity and dignity, and no girl wants to hang a piece of "carbon" to go out. Later, after the commercialization of this ore, it was given a fairly pleasant name-diamond, but the name was only hard, and the wearers were mostly women, which showed femininity and nobility. Therefore, diamonds used as jewelry later are called diamonds, and this emotional and beautiful name is loved and accepted by women. Merchants are also making a fuss about sensibility, such as classic advertising slogans such as "Diamonds last forever, one lasts forever".
A bookmark made of Sophora japonica is only a few cents, but it can be sold for more than ten dollars against a sad and beautiful story. Consumers are willing to buy this bookmark with low physical property value, and the reason behind it is that it has emotion and life.
Fourth, cleverly set up the terminal.
After integrating culture, taste and emotion into commodities, it should be expressed and passed on to consumers, and the first step of transmission is to shape the terminal environment. If a commodity is put in different places, its value is different. For example, the same dress can be sold in a stall in 50 yuan and in a boutique in 500 yuan. Selling the same dress in two different places, why is the price difference as high as ten times? Because the former embodies the relative value of commodities at the expense of profits, while the latter improves the psychological value of commodities through the environment.
The same coffee can make different tastes and feelings, but the same material can make all kinds of tastes and feelings, which is completely influenced by environmental factors. If you are interested, you can do a life experiment: in a quiet afternoon, lean back on the sofa, flip through magazines, have a cup of coffee, remember the taste and feeling, and then go to another place and have the same cup of coffee in a lively karaoke bar, and feel whether it is different from the cup of coffee you drank leisurely at home.
Proper terminal layout can effectively improve the value of goods. Therefore, we should design the terminal according to the characteristics of our own goods, but we can't simply design the terminal luxuriously, thinking that this will improve the value of the goods. In fact, this may lead to the disconnection between the environment and commodities, which will reflect the low-grade nature of commodities. Only when goods and the environment are skillfully integrated can the environment play a role in adding points to goods.
Verbs (short for verb) speak of value.
According to the characteristics of products, it is very important to train sales staff in sales skills, because no matter how well advertising and channels are done, they can only be regarded as a wonderful pass in a ball game. The final step depends on the terminal sales staff, who need to convey the value of the goods to consumers. Therefore, attaching importance to the training of sales staff is also an important means to increase the value of goods.
Don't pester customers whether the goods are worth a lot of money. Once entangled in the price, it is difficult to sell a good price or even reach a deal. At this time, it is necessary to guide customers' thoughts and discuss the value of goods together, thus ignoring the price factors, such as emotional goods such as jewelry, which is only the second. Buyers pay more attention to the value of goods. For example, a lady complained to the shop assistant that a necklace was too expensive. If the salesman says, "Madam, 6000 yuan is already very cheap, and such a cheap necklace can't be bought in any jewelry store …", it's over! This shop assistant sells goods on commodities, and sells them at prices. In fact, at this time, consumers' hearts are contradictory. She wants to buy it at a lower price and hopes that the necklace is very valuable. The salesman suddenly denies the value of the necklace and tells you that it is the cheapest jewelry, so the probability of transaction will naturally be very low. If the salesperson changes the way: "Madam, this necklace is so suitable for you that it doesn't look like 65,438+00,000 yuan on you. Moreover, this necklace fits your temperament very well and looks so noble and beautiful, so the chance of transaction will be greatly improved, because the salesperson is talking about the value generated by the matching of this necklace and this lady, and this value is exactly what this lady cares about most, when it recognizes this value.
Six, clever discount
For most goods, it is inevitable that they will be troubled by discounts. If you discount, you will not only lose a lot of profits, but also damage the value and image of goods and brands. If there is no discount, it will be difficult for consumers to have a psychological balance. From the perspective of value marketing, discount violates the principle of value. At this time, in order not to damage the value and profit of the goods, we can take the practice of "losing the car to protect the handsome": to ensure that the main goods will not be reduced in price, but to give some small gifts, such as a brand computer, whose price has remained firm in the industry discount trend, but to give U disk, mouse, data cable, speaker, DVD burner, computer cover, etc. 10. In fact, the total value of these gifts is far lower than the higher sales price of computers, which not only maintains the brand image, but also has enough profits.
Suppose a person comes to buy a Mercedes-Benz car, and the salesperson tells the customer that he can get a 50% discount. It is estimated that customers will turn around and leave, because customers buy Mercedes-Benz not to buy vehicles, but to buy an identity, status and value. You tell him that you can get a 50% discount, which means that the car can't represent status. However, if you tell the customer that buying a Mercedes-Benz can give him a Swiss watch, a brand-name lighter and a car insurance of 6,543.8+0,000 yuan, the customer will gladly accept it, because it not only satisfies the human characteristics of the customer who wants to get a little cheaper in the transaction, but also maintains the value of the goods. Therefore, when you need a discount, you should increase the value chip for the balance of the transaction by giving gifts, increasing services, extending the shelf life of products, door-to-door delivery, combined sales and other means, instead of giving up the price, because when you give up the price, the cognitive value of the goods in the hearts of customers is also decreasing.
The above is only a frame-type operation mode, and the specific operation should be carried out in combination with the industry and its own characteristics. In short, from now on, remember the value and forget the price, then the price will be far away from you.
Value marketing, also called value-based marketing.
What is value marketing?
Value marketing is the way out for enterprises to resist the price war and the key to their real success. Value marketing is put forward relative to price marketing and different from price marketing. It creates new competitive advantages by providing customers with the most valuable products and services.
In fact, value marketing develops and extends from the definition of "marketing". It is not a subversion and reconstruction of marketing definition, but is formed from the perspective of value management. At present, there is no general definition of "value marketing". Judging from the existing literature, the definition given by Doyle, a famous British marketing professor, in the book Value-based Marketing [1] in 2000 may be the earliest. In fact, the accurate concept is "value-based marketing", which is translated as "value marketing". Doyle gives the definition of marketing from the perspective of maximizing shareholder value: marketing is a management process that creates competitive advantages and seeks to maximize shareholder returns by developing relationships with valuable customers. The definition of marketing given by American Marketing Institute (AMA) in 2004: Marketing is an organized activity, including a series of processes of creating value, delivering value communication to customers, and maintaining the relationship between management companies and customers, thus benefiting companies and their stakeholders. This definition is widely accepted. The definition of "marketing management" given by marketing guru and kotler in "Marketing Management" (version 12) further defines marketing from the perspective of society and management, which is essentially from the perspective of enterprises (or organizations). "Marketing management" is a combination of art and science. It needs to select the target market and obtain, maintain and develop by creating, transmitting and disseminating high-quality customer value. Lu Taihong, a famous marketing professor, believes that marketing and marketing management are different concepts. However, management usually equates these two concepts. Kotler believes that exchange and value are the core concepts of marketing. Therefore, we believe that value marketing is essentially "marketing" and marketing is essentially "marketing" of value. Value exchange is the logical starting point and end point of marketing and marketing management. From different perspectives such as enterprise, customer and competition, in different historical stages and management scenarios, at different levels of enterprise management (marketing department level and company-wide level), multiple definitions of marketing can be given, but this does not affect the two propositions of what marketing is and how to do it, and it is also inseparable from the essence (or essence) of marketing.
Doyle's "value marketing" paradigm takes the maximization of shareholder value as the purpose of marketing strategy and the evaluation standard of marketing performance. However, the "value marketing" proposed and constructed by domestic theoretical and industrial circles is based on maximizing the value of customers (customers). Professor Shen was the first scholar who put forward the term "value marketing" in China (value marketing-discussion on the business strategy of enterprise groups, value engineering [J], 1992: 6). His thesis is based on the proceedings of American Society of Value Engineers 1990. The original author is Dirceu Marald, general manager of a manufacturing company in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Shen added his own views and analysis. Starting from the skills of value engineering and value analysis, he puts forward that a group company needs to provide maximum value to users and obtain maximum value from producers accordingly if it wants to win in the market competition. But he did not give a clear definition of "value marketing".
The actual operation of value marketing [2]
Value marketing is to give the abstract brand the value perceived by customers, so that the brand has a clear and true value base, and express the value to achieve realistic sales. Effective marketing strongly advocates that marketing must be effective. The characteristics of value marketing are that on the one hand, consumers can truly perceive brand value, on the other hand, enterprises can actually reap marketing effects. Take care of each other and get a win-win result with sincerity.
There are four main steps in the actual operation of value marketing: value discovery, value revaluation, value matching and value finishing. These four steps have their own emphasis and complement each other.
1. Value discovery
The first step of value marketing is to comprehensively sort out the brand value and clearly understand the value base of the brand. First of all, this requires a thorough understanding of the company's capabilities and brand background. And we should not only stay at the superficial value level, but also dig deeper and discover the core value.
As the saying goes, a clever woman can't cook without rice, and a brand without the support of value base can't develop and grow only by clever marketing means. Therefore, it is the first step of value marketing to establish a brand value system and clarify the core value of the brand. Only by consolidating the value foundation of the brand can the creation of the brand be justified and unstoppable.
2. Value revaluation
The value of an enterprise is never static, the times are changing, the environment is changing, and the process of brand value discovery is bound to be accompanied by a process of value revaluation. In different times and in different-global brand network-environments, the importance attached to corporate brand value is different, and sometimes there is even a world of difference. This requires enterprises to identify the current core value of enterprises and truthfully measure the value stock of brands in combination with the real environment.
The process of value revaluation is also a process of reassessing the concept and value system of the enterprise itself. Putting aside the old ideas of the enterprise, we should take the future development of the enterprise as the starting point, and only a forward-looking vision can truly realize the value revaluation.
3. Value matching
The value of an enterprise is relative to its customers. The value of a product or brand is that it can meet the needs of the target consumers. Therefore, after the enterprise has a comprehensive understanding and mastery of its own value, the next step is to understand and clarify its target consumers and match the brand value with the real needs of the target consumers in a targeted manner.
First of all, value matching should establish the concept of taking the target customers as the center, start from satisfying the target customers, find the "excellent value" that customers need most, and match the brand value with the customer demand, so as to smoothly connect the brand value chain.
4. The crowning touch of value
After the backstage is done, we need to make the finishing touch.
After matching the brand value with the real needs of customers, we must express the value and become the value that customers can perceive. Value can't speak for itself. The function of value finishing touch is to point out the brand value in the shortest sentence and make consumers feel right!
Value marketing is a systematic project, and the final finishing touch is related to whether the whole project can achieve a thrilling leap and maximize the marketing effect. The crowning touch of value is not a simple stroke of genius, but more based on the familiarity with the brand's own value and insight into the needs of target consumers.
Value marketing has always insisted that all customers are smart. Value marketing is to advocate putting aside all packaging hype as much as possible and winning consumers with real value.
Value is the eternal charm of a brand and the ultimate driving force for brand development.
Value marketing, casting iron brand.
Marketing mix of enterprise value marketing [3]
The "value marketing" of enterprises should focus on tangible competition and intangible competition. Tangible competition is the content competition of physical objects (products); Invisible competition is the competition of environment, brand and service. Enterprises should innovate and upgrade in product quality, product function, development ability and brand image. , optimize the group combination of value competition, realize value creation management, widen the difference with competitors, and constantly create new competitive vitality. Focusing on the maximization of customer value, "value marketing" puts forward the following marketing combinations: product value, brand value, service value and terminal value, and value of the image.
product value
Through product innovation, we can reorganize the value of products and get rid of the price competition brought by product homogenization. One of the reasons for the price war is that the homogenization of products is too serious, so restructuring the value of products to customers and carrying out differentiated innovation is one of the effective tools to deal with the price war. The main methods are: adopting new technology to improve the quality, performance, packaging and appearance of products.
Service value
Increase the added value of products through services and gain an advantage in the competition of similar products. Make strict demands on corporate behavior, where products go, where services go.
brand value
Change from product-centered marketing to brand-centered marketing, effectively avoiding product-centered price wars. Brand is not only the brand of enterprises, but also the brand of consumers. Consumers often feel the added value of products from the brand experience, thus emotionally diluting the price of products.
final value
Terminal value emphasizes differentiated terminal construction, and strengthens customer terminal value by paying too much attention to purchasing experience, thus diluting the influence of price on customer purchase.
Value of image
In the consumer society, compared with the use value of commodities, its symbolic value, namely value of the image, is more and more prominent. The value of the image of a commodity is often not proportional to its actual use value. From the perspective of use value and exchange value, the value of a commodity may contain little labor value, but when it is consumed as a symbol or an image, the value finally reflected in the price may far exceed its use value and labor exchange value, that is to say, the symbolic value and value of the image of a commodity are often not bound by use value and labor value. The clothing market often sees a kind of clothes with similar texture and style, some tens of yuan, some hundreds of yuan, and some thousands of yuan. Therefore, in the consumer society, the production, creation, recognition, acceptance and even the popularization of value of commodity images are very important for consumers' production and consumption activities.