You Are Not Selling A Commodity, You Just Lack Imagination

Do you struggle with finding ways to differentiate your product or service from other competitors in the market? Are you tired of feeling like you’re just selling a commodity with nothing unique to offer? It’s time to shift your perspective and tap into your creativity. You are not selling a commodity, you just lack imagination. In this blog, we will explore how to break through the limitations of a crowded market and discover the power of imagination to create a unique value proposition. By embracing creativity and thinking outside the box, you can set yourself apart and attract a loyal customer base. Let’s unlock the potential of your business and leave commodity selling behind!

You Are Not Selling A Commodity

If I told you right now I have a dollar for sale would you pay me more than a dollar for my dollar you shouldn’t but some of you will. I hear this conversation a lot that’s happening it’s like Chris I don’t know how to charge more I can’t charge more Because why because there’s too much competition you guys feel that like well if I don’t charge less than someone else down the street will do it and that’s a problem because when when you feel like and act like you’re a commodity you compete on price and it’s a race to the Bottom anybody feel that way right now especially if you’re in a developing country you feel that a lot more right you’re like oh dude no one here wants to pay for what it’s worth and you’re a very privileged American to say you can charge whatever you want but I believe That so I want to examine that and I want to compare and contrast that to this idea of being a differentiated business one for which there’s no competition for anybody here feel like they have a business of one meaning there’s only one of one one of you so This is a difference being like a designer versus the designer or the only there’s a big difference there if you’re one of one and you’re highly differentiated radically different according to Marty newmeyer then you command a price premium who here would like to charge a premium okay now in Every Marketplace there are brands that are Commodities and brands that command a price premium because they’re highly differentiated

Lack of Imagination

Yesterday we talked about the psychological effects because you feel like you’re part of a community a tribe they Empower you they feel you they see you they understand you and Therefore you’ll pay a little bit more or in some cases a lot more we talked about Maslow’s hierarchy of needs and self-actualization and gaining social status in his book implementing value pricing Ronald J Baker Ron Baker talks about a lack of imagination there’s no such thing as a commodity if you believe Him and he’s a super bright guy I believe him there’s no such thing as a commodity there’s just lack of imagination so if you’re in a position where you’re not able to command the kind of money that you want to get the respect that you desire and the control That you need to be able to do your job it’s probably because your commodity and I’m gonna say you lack imagination he points out in the book at the grocery store you can buy a head of lettuce I looked it up it’s a buck 69 lettuce commodity right I’m not going to Necessarily pay for more for the same head of lettuce I’ll just buy the cheaper ones they’re both fresh and they both look good I’m gonna buy that so he’s like look at a head of lettuce and with some imagination we we can charge a lot more for the head of lettuce so if We were to take the head of lettuce and we were to hand Leaf it and pre-wash it three times and we put it in a bag that let us know is significantly more and how many bags of lettuce could you make from one head of lettuce two maybe three So because then I made about like pre-washed and leaf lettuce or cabbage or how much more is it it’s like three bucks four four or five bucks okay let’s say it’s like four bucks we do not know and so I imagine because there’s not a lot in there from one thing you could Probably get two you could probably get three okay and then how many of you guys are so busy that yeah yeah I could buy that but I want some more convenience because this is what you’re buying now you want to buy one of those like Wolfgang Puck Express Caesar salad deals Okay you’re shaking your head but some of you are nodding because you’ve done it so now we’ll put in a piece of plastic same lettuce we’ll throw in some croutons right and a little package of dressing whoa that cost at least it’s Wolfgang cut guys you Don’t go for nobody let’s say it’s 11.99 I don’t know my wife shops at Gelson so everything’s more than it needs to be same amount of lettuce I think maybe half of the lettuce in a bag so they’ve taken half of it and they put it in There and now they sell it for a lot more you see the difference that’s already happened here what are they applying a little branding a lot of imagination is that something that you can do

Applying Imagination

But I know that you guys are tough customers because you’re creatives And you just don’t like to change even though you talk about everybody should stretch out of the comfort zone when it comes to yourself it’s better to dish out the medicine than to eat it right so in his book implementing value pricing Ron says you can actually even charge More for money how’s that even possible like if I told you right now I have a dollar for sale would you pay me more than a dollar for my dollar you shouldn’t but some of you will because you’re like hey it’s a special dollar if you sign if you do something maybe it’s Worth more right that’s why we buy autographed things can somebody just do me a favor look on your phone whoever’s got a stock app look up the price of Disney right now 98.99 okay and that’s Disney dis right one share of Disney you suck 98.99 apparently 99 right now would you buy This for 100 110 what is this worth no it’s worth 98.99 you pay 99 you paid a 10 more and why would you do that right would you did you know this there’s a company that buys buys Blue Chip or sells blue chip stock and they sell one Issue of stock and then they Frame It And depending on the frame that you buy this one stock costs more and they sell it for 150 bucks you’re like what all they did was put in a frame and they they printed out a representation of the stock and what grandparents do is they Give this to their grandchildren it’s only worth 9.98 but they can sell it save for 150 so are you convinced yet that there’s no such thing as a commodity if we can literally take the commodity of currency and charge more for it inject a little bit of imagination we are now differentiated Kid gets the gift it’s a gift that keeps giving because in 10 20 30 years that would not be worth a hundred dollars hopefully it’ll be worth a lot more than that I just want you to take a moment and just look at your own life and your Career and think about it if you’re stuck is it because you’re really stuck or you lack imagination it’s a hard truth like I only came to Adobe Max with two things truths and candy and I’m all out of candy I’m sorry to say I only Have truths for you at this point so go back and think about what it is that you’re doing and apply some imagination to it now what happened here how did this company come upon this magical solution to take something that’s a commodity and figure out a way to sell It for a lot more than what it’s worth what do they do now if you’re paying attention to Peter Drucker he says a business has one valid purpose which is to create a customer so they took this and like who would ever buy this they found a customer grandparents people who Wanted to give gifts that keep on giving instead of

FAQ about “You Are Not Selling A Commodity, You Just Lack Imagination”

What does it mean to say “You are not selling a commodity”?

When we say “You are not selling a commodity,” we mean that you are not simply selling a generic product or service. Instead, you are selling a unique offering that is distinct from what your competitors are selling.

How does lack of imagination play into this concept?

Lack of imagination refers to the failure to differentiate your product or service from others in the market. When you lack imagination, you are likely to fall into the trap of selling a commodity because you are not presenting your offering in a creative and compelling way.

Why is it important to avoid selling a commodity?

Selling a commodity often leads to price competition and lower profit margins. By differentiating your offering and emphasizing its unique value, you can stand out in the market, attract customers, and command higher prices.

How can I tap into my imagination to differentiate my offering?

You can tap into your imagination by understanding the needs and desires of your target audience, thinking creatively about how to meet those needs in a distinctive way, and communicating the unique benefits of your offering effectively.

I hope you find useful my article You Are Not Selling A Commodity, You Just Lack Imagination, I also recommend you to read my other posts in my blog.

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