Prestigious Non-Accredited Universities
June 23, 2009
Focus on providing “true” value and you’ll be amazed how easy it is to establish a loyal customer base.
Value is an important concept upon which we base our free enterprise system. A company has a product or service to sell and you have some form of compensation to pay. When you establish the point at which you both feel the value equals the compensation, you have a deal.
It sounds simple enough, yet I am often amazed at the lengths at which companies will go to offer value. I actually received the following email, which contained a very interesting offer:
UNIVERSITY DIPLOMAS
Obtain a prosperous future, money-earning power,
and the admiration of all.
Diplomas from prestigious non-accredited
universities based on your present knowledge
and life experience.
No required tests, classes, books, or interviews.
Bachelors, masters, MBA, and doctorate (PhD)
diplomas available in the field of your choice.
As I read the message, one phrase jumped out at me: ”prestigious non-accredited universities.”
Now, clearly, it is not necessary to attend college to be successful. Many people have built thriving businesses and careers without having done so, and certainly practical experience is at least as important as formal education.
However, if you are going to attend college, whether as a full- or part-time student, would you rather attend a school with a solid reputation or one where you could “mail order” your degree in the same way you might buy a $25 “Rolex” from a street vendor in New York City?
While this seems like an extreme case, I often see organizations make offers that are similarly suspect. Car dealers advertising that they’re “practically giving the cars away!!!” ”Free” vacation packages requiring you to buy $300 worth of vitamins. ”Bonus checks” which switch your long-distance service if you cash them without reading the fine print.
As a general rule, people are smart. They know you can’t buy a Rolex for $25; they know that nothing is actually free; and they know that it’s virtually impossible to get a legitimate, recognized Ph.D. from a mail-order catalog.
When attempting to increase sales for your business, it can be tempting to use offers like the ones above. But people appreciate value – paying a fair price for the actual product or service delivered. Focus on providing “true” value and you’ll be amazed how easy it is to establish a loyal customer base.
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