Tension creates buzz - Vol. 2

I promised I'd continue talking about the NUDE model (novelty, utility, dependability and economy) developed by Scott Degraffenreid and described in his book, The New Art and Science of Referral Marketing (available at www.DocMurdock.com ).

I'll discuss the second pair, dependability and economy, today. Scott believes, based on the vast statistical evidence he and his team have amassed and analyzed, that people see a big distinction between dependability and economy, and believe they cannot co-exist. Cheap can't be dependable, and conversely, a really dependable product must cost more.

Now dependable does not necessarily mean high quality and life-long durability. It just means a product will perform as expected. Nor does economical always mean the least expensive. If a longer-lasting product can demand a premium price and still be known as the "value leader". So a product can provide both in equal measure.

But if this is the way you differentiate your product or service, there will be tension. And though tension will create buzz, it must be tempered. Rather than attempting to claim both dependability and economy as dual differentiators, it is wiser to position the brand with emphasis on one of them, or on the product's novelty.

It is likely you will lose some credibility by claiming both attributes for the same product.

Martin Jelsema
Signature Strategies
Helping smaller companies profit from the power of branding.

www.signaturestrategies.biz