If you want to sell a product, put it on sale. If you want to build a brand, focus on your story that will establish a relationship with your customer.

Focusing solely on price is the fastest way a company and its products can become a commodity, losing the ability to create meaningful relationships with customers and, as a result, charge appropriate premiums.

Commoditization means customers won’t care about you or your product; they’ll just care about protecting their wallet so consequently, every decision will be price driven.

Create Value Instead

Your products and services are worth their full price; it’s your job to prove that to your customer. Create customer knowledge by telling your compelling story and showing what benefits you have delivered in the past and how you can best solve problems compared to your competition.

Give your brand value by showcasing positive experiences other customers have had or showing your value over time. When you pair these with marketing experiences that show your personality, customers will develop an emotional connection. That connection is the best way to differentiate yourself from your competition, so you must create them in marketing methods your competition isn’t trying.

Look for New Value

Two of the most common ways brands try to differentiate is to offer high-quality goods and excellent customer service. Unfortunately, these don’t always keep you from becoming a commodity.

We live in a day where customers expect great customer service and great quality, so customers won’t take notice until they have a very positive or very negative experience. You want to hook them before the experience, so you’ll need to look at additional values.

(Just don’t forget the customer service element. Nothing kills a customer relationship faster than a bad experience, no matter how cool your products are.)

Some of the strongest ways to connect with your customers and build value include:

Take a stand: Champion a social or community cause and tie it to your sales. Whether you’re donating proceeds, bringing employees to a volunteer event, or providing hosting space, customers will see you as philanthropic and community-focused.

Share your knowledge: Only you have had your experiences. Service companies can share these and turn them into actionable insight by hosting webinars, writing blog posts, or providing eBooks.

Create segments: Your audience can likely be split into a few different groups. If you aim your messaging at each group, you can identify and avoid the most price-sensitive groups to focus on connected customers.

Help people experience your brand and your values so you can turn blasé customers into great advocates for your brand.