What’s Your Capo d’ Astro Bar? A little more marketing wisdom

Huh? What’s a Capo d’ Astro Bar? Let me tell you a story.

A company that had been making pianos for many years hired a new marketing manager whose job was to “do his thing” to increase sales. He soon discovered that his company’s pianos were equal or better than the competitor’s in almost every way. Their prices were also comparable to the competition’s. But he also discovered that his company’s sales were well below that of the competition. After further investigation, he found that it cost his company almost twice as much to ship their pianos and that price difference was driving sales down.

He walked out into the shop and asked the long time shop foreman why it cost almost twice to ship their pianos. The old foreman answered, “That’s because our pianos weigh almost twice what everyone else’s weigh.” When he asked why that was, the answer was, “That’s because of our Capo d’ Astro Bar.”

Of course his next question was just the same as yours, “What’s a Capo d’ Astro Bar?” The foreman got one of those creeper dollies that most car repair shops use, put the Marketing Manager on it and wheeled him under one of the pianos. “See that heavy cast iron bar under there? That’s the Capo d’ Astro Bar and it weighs about 300 pounds.”

He went on, “Our Capo d’ Astro Bar keeps the frame from giving under the tension of the strings. It keeps our pianos in tune about five times longer than any other piano and it means that the customer can go about five times longer before he has to pay to have his piano re-tuned.” “No other company has anything like our Capo d’ Astro Bar,” he added.

That was the “ammunition” the new Marketing Manager needed. His new marketing campaign told customers about the Capo d’ Astro Bar and how it would save them money. Over the life of the piano it would save them hundreds of dollars in tune up charges and would more than make up for the initial extra shipping charges. Sales soared.

In the world of Marketing you will hear the term Unique Selling Proposition or USP. I prefer the term Capo d’ Astro Bar. In a strange way, it is easier to remember Capo d’ Astro Bar than Unique Selling Proposition.

So let me ask you again, “What’s your Capo d’ Astro Bar?” Look for whatever is unique and different about your product or service. If you don’t have one, think one up. Then use it to increase your sales.