Don’t Do It, Starbucks!

Say it ain’t so! Starbucks has announced it’ll be testing a “$1 Coffee” in some markets this year. This is their idea of a prudent response to the forthcoming economic downturn all the experts are so certain is on its way. They...

How Am I Gonna Compete On Price?

You’re not! Don’t fall into that trap! Don’t cut the price, build the brand! Competing on price is always a bad idea! I used to say that very few organizations can do it long-term. Then I said that only ONE organization has effectively done it for...

Is discounting an investment?

No, I’m not changing my tune. I still say, “Don’t cut the price, build the brand!” I still advocate competing on value rather than price simply because there is always some short-sighted competitor out there who is willing to give away the...

How is Black Friday like the Super Bowl?

Retailers light up when they talk about “Black Friday.” This is the Friday right after Thanksgiving where they offer all kinds of crazy deals and hope to start to show black ink instead of red for the first time during the typical year. I’ve already...

A Discount Or A Smart Investment?

As you probably recall from previous posts, discounting isn’t one of my favorite marketing strategies. In fact, one of the Burtisms I emphasize in my ECHO Marketing program is, “Don’t cut the price, build the brand!” I will urge you in the vast...

Our Daily Bread?

Jim Cramer recently had an insightful interview with the CEO of Panera Bread. Click here for the video. Great lessons here that we’ve talked about in previous blogs. You can click these links and revisit: Don’t cut the price, build the brand! Give yourself...