DOES IT ADD VALUE? THE DECIDING FACTOR AT DOG&BOY

Why substance beats a sales pitch (and why value has nothing to do with price)

Have you ever been on the receiving end of an unsolicited sales pitch? Whether it’s on social media, in a store, or over the phone, sales pitches can be awkward – and sometimes totally off-putting. I received one the other day, from a new connection on social media. Within minutes of connecting with this person (who seemed like a like-minded business owner) I was hit with a sales pitch and the promise of “new paying clients”. To me, it was tacky and ineffective. Why would I do business with someone I don’t know? Especially when they pitch with no shame, no warm-up and no offer of value.

Anyway, it got me thinking about the importance of adding value, making every interaction meaningful, including how we do it at dog&boy, and why it matters.

Small details add big value

Every business wants to add value – to customers, stockists, fans and followers. But value doesn’t have to be price-based. Anyone can compete on price if that’s what their customers want. However, at dog&boy, we aim to add value by providing an experience that’s more unique.

On the surface, we sell scarves – but that’s not what we REALLY do. What we do at dog&boy is make women feel special every day. That’s part of our mission and purpose, and it filters through every touchpoint of the dog&boy customer experience. The question – ‘Does it add value?’ – drives every decision we make. If it doesn’t add value or make women feel special, we simply don’t do it.

Here are some of the ways we like to add value:

• Our stunning scarves lift spirits and make our customers smile.
• Our how to wear videos show different styling options and inspire women to try new looks.
• Our gorgeous gift boxes save time and make the giving experience more special.
• Our commitment to giving back makes people feel good about their scarf purchase.
• Our tactile materials and premium packaging help our wonderful stockists sell more scarves.

See how sometimes the smallest details can add the most value? Rather than making more noise in a high-volume market, we prefer to be quiet achievers. While fewer people may hear our message, the ones that do are really tuned in. They love what we do at dog&boy – and we love them right back.

Selling without a sales pitch

Without sales, we wouldn’t have a business. And, without a business, we couldn’t continue to make women feel special. Sales pitches still have a place. But to make a real impact, they need to have substance. The best sales pitches are subtle, organic and backed by something that adds value.

Take my example of the unsolicited pitch I received on social media. I’m sure it would have been better received if the person had struck up a conversation. Perhaps if they’d shared a free resource or some no-strings-attached information to introduce me to their business. Instead, what happened was the virtual equivalent of me selling a dog&boy scarf to a random person who smiled at me in the supermarket. That just wouldn’t work!

As consumers, we’re getting more discerning about the brands we buy from. We want connection and meaning. In short, we want a reason to buy beyond just the product or service. That’s what I hope we deliver at dog&boy. Many customers come for the scarves, but they stay for the stories and special touches that set us apart from other brands.

Interaction, not transaction

Connection can be hard to measure. It’s not the most traditional metric. However, when I shared a social media post about being named in the Top 50 Small Business Leaders for 2019, I got some insights into the connectedness of the dog&boy community.

This post got incredible engagement – likes and comments galore. When I looked closely, I saw that around half the people who engaged were dog&boy customers or stockists. I can’t tell you how happy this made me. It proved that these amazing people feel like part of the dog&boy journey. That’s because they are.

Whether it’s through shared stories, a mutual of love scarves, or by making people feel special, dog&boy has added value. We haven’t just transacted, we’ve interacted. So, when we share big news or release a new collection, our people pay attention. They celebrate our wins, support us through challenges and wear our gorgeous scarves with pride. To me, that’s more effective than any sales pitch. It’s working so far!

How can we add even more value?

If you’re a regular reader, you know I’m obsessed with continuous improvement. If you have an idea for how dog&boy could add even more value, please don’t be a stranger. Leave your comments below or send us a message.

Sonya xx

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