Comments on: Blinded by the light?

By: Marketing Specialist - Jim Connolly

Marketing Specialist - Jim Connolly — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 06:12:53 +0000

Jeremy,

You make some excellent points about how people view money differently, depending on what they are ‘investing’ or spending it on.

Also, on a personal note, as someone who has achieved stunning results with my chiropractor, (for a trapped / pinched nerve) I am very aware of the value of a chiropractor’s services.

By: Jeremy McMinn

Jeremy McMinn — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 23:43:11 +0000

I can relate this in personal terms to the work I do every day in terms of chiropractic. A lot of people I see balk at the cost of seeing a chiropractor, however know that it will do their health wonders but decide against utilising such a wonderful therapy because they do not see it as an investment in their health and that it will improve their quality of life. They are more happy to blow their money on a night drinking or the latest technological toy. To me, like the business owners decision, that is absolute insanity.

By: Brent Haeseker

Brent Haeseker — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 14:04:19 +0000

The question for the business owner is not how much it costs to put blinds up, but how much it costs not to put blinds up. Penny wise and pound foolish!

By: Mike Hernalsteen

Mike Hernalsteen — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 03:42:01 +0000

Great observation, and I’m glad you brought that up with the owner. It is frustrating as a customer to go into a shop and feel like a “cat” trying to get some sun through the window.

User experience is everything, that’s not just a web 2.0 term!

By: DTs Flash Drive Blog

DTs Flash Drive Blog — Sun, 15 Mar 2009 19:27:04 +0000

I wonder how many customers actually have complained to the owner about this problem. Judging from his response to you, you definitely weren’t the first to point it out. But there’s a difference between pointing out and complaining. Maybe if he got more of the latter he will be more compelled do do something.

Btw: Why is it that so many people these days don’t seem to appreciate the sun? We actually need many hours of sun everyday to produce sufficient Vitamin D! If it blinds you just put on your sunglasses…

By: Kian Ann

Kian Ann — Sat, 14 Mar 2009 17:30:23 +0000

Thanks again Jim! It’s quite amazing how the restaurant owner doens’t look at things from your perspective!

I’ve been in that situation at times too – spending way too much time on a project doing it myself just to save a few bucks, refusing to outsource.

But once I’ve done outsourcing once, I realise how much more enjoyable (and profitable) business can be!

By: Stuart Ramsay

Stuart Ramsay — Sat, 14 Mar 2009 14:27:10 +0000

Jim, excellent post. Like a couple of the other comments on this post, I see this mentality all the time. Small business owners just get so focused on cost, they miss the bigger picture…the return!!

I was talking to a guy the other day about bookkeeping. He moaned how much time it took him and how he never felt he got it right. The solution (to get a professional bookkeeper in) would have cost him about a third of his hourly charge out rate and would have freed him from the worry, leaving him to earn what he was worth. However, he was too focused on the bookkeepers price to think about the value he would have got from employing her.

By: Jared Young

Jared Young — Sat, 14 Mar 2009 02:55:04 +0000

Jim, this is typical small time thinking. The owner will never realize how much money he could be making by putting in those blinds because he’ll always be thinking about how much it will cost him to put them up.

Before real growth is possible, we need to stop thinking about how much things cost and start thinking about how much growth potential they bring in.

Case in point: I was part owner of a health care business. Early on in the business I proposed to my partner that we bring in a manager. Yes, it would be costly, but that manager would allow the two of us to travel outside the area and open another branch. If we were constantly working in the business–instead of ON the business–we would never really grow.

I have since moved on from the business to focus on my marketing business. My partner still has just one location and still works 80 hours a week trying to do it all himself.

By: Ari Herzog

Ari Herzog — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 21:27:56 +0000

The craziness is there may be a business in town that sells drapes, is looking to get more business, and may be willing to DONATE the drapes in the name of karma!

By: Linda

Linda — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 15:42:53 +0000

A superb analagy, which all of us can benefit from. Its about the best way to make money and get more market share not saving a small amount that’ll never make a difference.

Thanks Jim, for the informative and entertaining read.