Discounts are like Jalapeno's, what you do today will burn tomorrow.

‘Life’s like a jar of Jalapeno Peppers, what you do today will burn tomorrow’ - Florida’s finest Country and Western singers The Bellamy Brothers.

Country and Western singers are some of life's most insightful philosophers. Yep you read that right. Remember, inspiration is everywhere, and you need to look where nobody else is looking. Anyway, I digress momentarily.

Jalapeno Peppers are like discounts. They prop up flagging sales numbers just in time for your end-of-quarter results (your Head of Sales will tell you that's today).

Propping up the sales figures, the peppers give that warm fuzzy feeling, they energise the body even as you hide that dread in the pit of your stomach.

Tomorrow’s going to be a proper dragons nostril.

And why’s discounting going to burn? Research from the delicious Les Binet in 2022 showed price promotions don’t lead to incremental sales.

Just like sprinkling Jalapeno’s on your breakfast crumpet. Price promotions are senseless. Ooooof, that’s gonna burn.

In fact, the research shows discounts actually attract people who were going to buy anyway, but all you’ve done is slice away your margin to ensure they land before end-of-quarter. Ooooof, that’s going to burn for a while.

So what can Underdogs do instead?

The biggest brands in every category can give away margin, because they're mahooosive. Outspending you is no problem. So Underdogs only have one option; they must out-think the competition.

What does that mean? Do the things others can’t, won’t or daren’t. And do them every day. Week in, week out.

Yes it's exhausting and yes it sounds painful. But it’s less painful than sitting on the throne crying into yet another jar of peppers.

Underdog brands, need Underdog thinking

P.S. Wishing everyone a fabulously spicy Easter. And sending this on Thursday, as nobody should be reading my rubbish on Good Friday. Peace ??

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