Marshalls block paving prices

I know this is easy to say but price competition was never an issue for me. I never used to worry what the competition was doing or the prices they were charging..ever

I had my costs, and the margin I wanted, and went for it... selling on a slick presentation with a planned dimensional drawing... portfolio of passed work...recommendations and was always told "you are the dearest by a long way."

The client always used to say you are the most expensive by a long way but I always seemed to close the deal and get the work? and I put this down to giving them the points below...

1. What they wanted...listen
2. Slick pitch always with plan drawing
3. Never slagging off the competition (This is what I do.. they are free to do what they do)
4. Never ever reducing my price to match another competitor but giving away a bit of product like "we will put you an extra step in here or bit of planting there but if I reduce my price I will have to cut corners somewhere and I am not prepared to do that for the sake of the companies reputation.

When charging top price always do a top job and go that extra distance to make the client 100% satisfied it is a business model that works.

You can spend a lot of wasted energy checking what everyone else is doing around you and lose focus on what you should be doing to secure those deals. If price is an issue set you business model above the competition to secure better rates.. people will pay more if they perceive your firm to be a quality service who delivers just that..

Replies

Trevor JH Knight February 22, 2014 at 7:17pm

I know this is easy to say but price competition was never an issue for me. I never used to worry what the competition was doing or the prices they were charging..ever

I had my costs, and the margin I wanted, and went for it... selling on a slick presentation with a planned dimensional drawing... portfolio of passed work...recommendations and was always told "you are the dearest by a long way."

The client always used to say you are the most expensive by a long way but I always seemed to close the deal and get the work? and I put this down to giving them the points below...

1. What they wanted...listen
2. Slick pitch always with plan drawing
3. Never slagging off the competition (This is what I do.. they are free to do what they do)
4. Never ever reducing my price to match another competitor but giving away a bit of product like "we will put you an extra step in here or bit of planting there but if I reduce my price I will have to cut corners somewhere and I am not prepared to do that for the sake of the companies reputation.

When charging top price always do a top job and go that extra distance to make the client 100% satisfied it is a business model that works.

You can spend a lot of wasted energy checking what everyone else is doing around you and lose focus on what you should be doing to secure those deals. If price is an issue set you business model above the competition to secure better rates.. people will pay more if they perceive your firm to be a quality service who delivers just that..
B F February 23, 2014 at 11:33am

Thanks for taking the time to reply. I run my business with a very similar idea to yourself and it does work well. I believe the majority of our customers are buying myself (and business) as well as the product we sell.

However, I'm not so concerned about price matching / wars etc but what I am concerned about is if my competitors are buying the same product at a better rate than I am.

So can anyone tell me what they're paying for Marshall's Driveline 50 blocks?
PRO

Mick Gammage February 23, 2014 at 11:38am

how much are you paying for Marshall's Driveline 50 blocks ?
B F February 23, 2014 at 12:12pm

£9.50/sq m +vat
PRO

Mick Gammage February 23, 2014 at 12:26pm

hmm that's very cheap, is this out of a builders merchants yard or stockist in your area buying as little or as much as you require ?

are you not getting mixed up with Marshalls CBP = concrete block paving which is much cheaper than Marshalls Driveline 50 ?

does it have the words Marshalls "Driveline 50" on the shrink wrap ?
B F February 23, 2014 at 12:52pm

Sorry, I pay £9.50/sq m for Marshall's Standard Block Paving.
PRO

Mick Gammage February 23, 2014 at 12:58pm

that sounds better, I will now cancel the phone call I had planned at 7:59am and 59 seconds to my supplier tommorow morning ;)
B F February 23, 2014 at 1:02pm

Haha. Do you pay more/less/same for these blocks?
PRO

Mick Gammage February 23, 2014 at 1:10pm

its about the same maybe a few pence difference, the last order I had for CBP was a direct delivery from Marshalls of 140m2 which was a lot cheaper but thats to be expected due to the volume
Steve London Stone February 23, 2014 at 8:48pm

Lol. You will be able to sleep tonight now Mick

Mick Gammage said:

that sounds better, I will now cancel the phone call I had planned at 7:59am and 59 seconds to my supplier tommorow morning ;)