I was reading the September 5th issue of the Wall Street Journal and came across an article on how Procter & Gamble have been introducing premium versions of their products, some at significant (greater then 50%) price increases over their normal counterparts. That lead me to thinking, do you have a premium product or service? If P&G can sell a premium version of paper towels at higher prices, you can certainly do it in your business!

There are many reasons and strategies for having a premium level of your products and services, but the biggest is that there are always some buyers that want the premium package no matter what. If you don't offer them one,  they will be disappointed. So give them what they really want! Premium products should not cost nearly as much as the increase in price, that is they have a higher profit margin. Do you think that P&Gs Bounty DuraTowel actually costs 20% more to make, equal to the 20% more it is priced? You can count on not.

Another strategy is to use the super-premium level as a way to compel your prospects to take the level you really want them to take, next level down.

“All man’s miseries derive from not being able to sit quietly in a room alone,” according to brilliant mathematician and scientist Blaise Pascal.

As a child prodigy who showed innate genius in 17th-century mathematics, Pascal was allowed by his father to sit as a silent on-looker in the presence of the great mathematicians of the time. This so inspired him that he went on, at the tender age of 16, to develop his famous 'Pascal's theorem', earning recognition from the famed mathematician Descartes.

So, what's the point? The point is you.

We are very, very sloppy with language.

Consider the word “can’t”.  People use it often, casually, and, mostly, inaccurately.

As in: I just can’t seem to lose weight. Actually, barring a genuine medical disorder, the odds against somewhere in the 25,000 to 1 range, anybody can, in fact, lose weight. There’s no mystery to it whatsoever. Reduce calorie, fat, and empty carb intake, add exercise. The accurate word replacing can’t here would be choose. I just seem to choose not to lose weight. I choose to remain fat, ugly, unhealthy.