It was one of the best experiences we’ve ever had. You could hear genuine concern, kindness and a sincere desire to help. True generosity cannot be measured by the amount of money donated. We could tell that some of the donors weren’t wealthy, but they shared their pension or salary because somebody needed their help. They reached out to the less fortunate, and we think we’re all the better for it.

But the truth is that low prices are not always the best indicator of value. Let me tell you a little story:

Ever since I was a little girl, my mom used to say to me, “Buy nice, not twice.” That’s why eight years ago, when I landed my first U.S. job interview, I splurged on a beautiful 100% silk polka-dot dress from Dillard’s. I got the job and the polka-dot dress became my favorite dress. Any time I need to look nice and professional, this dress is my “guaranteed good looks insurance policy.” I think every woman has a piece of clothing like that.

The best part is that, after eight years, this dress still looks and feels like new.

What does this story have to do with value? Well, let’s do a little math exercise:

I paid $140 for the dress eight years ago. And dividing $140 by 8 equals $17.50. That’s how much this dress has cost me per year. I know for a fact that there is no way I can buy or rent anything of similar quality today for $17.50.

Besides, don’t forget about the emotional equity – something that cannot be measured by money. Because emotional equity is the amount of happiness and satisfaction we get from something. In the case of my little polka-dot dress, I can’t put a price on the wonderful feel of its silky smooth fabric against my skin or how it makes me feel when I wear it.

So what’s the point?

While there is absolutely nothing wrong with using low prices as the core of a retailer’s marketing strategy, it does not work equally well for everybody. What looks good on a blonde may not be the best look for a red head; what works well for Marshalls is not necessarily the best solution for Ann Taylor. Why? Because true value is not the lowest price, but what you actually get for your money. Instead of lowering prices, justify them. Make customers feel good about paying full price because it’s worth it. Tell them why it’s worth it. Make them believe it.

True, the economy will get better one day. But the best time to differentiate your brand is now, when the majority of retailers are panicking and copying each other.  Make your footprint unique and memorable so that it will be easier for consumers to follow your path and embrace your value in the future.

bma: How did you start brewing your own beer?

gs: Simply put…boredom. I got into home brewing about 16 years ago, right after I moved from Salt Lake City to Charlotte. I didn’t know many people in Charlotte, so my weekends were pretty open. There was a homebrew store about 5 blocks from my apartment and I decided to go in and see what it was all about.  Next thing I know, I’m in my one-bedroom apartment with a huge pot of boiling beer on the stove wondering if the stench would ever clear out enough for me to get my deposit back. But that first batch didn’t taste much like the Heineken clone I was trying to make – in fact, it didn’t taste much like beer at all. It tasted more like a pureed welcome mat.

bma: So what kept you going?

gs: I met a guy who owned a post house who also brewed.  He had been doing it for a while and he taught me some of the finer points of the hobby.  His facility was about a half mile from Panther Stadium, so on game days we would brew beer in his parking lot and have some awesome tailgates and then walk to the stadium to watch the Panthers lose. The beer got better as the Panthers got better.  Now the beer continues to get better even as the Panthers get worse.

bma: So why brew your own instead of buying it?

gs: There are some great microbrews out there today, and I still buy my favorites, but for me it goes beyond just drinking good beer. It’s about the process.  Brewing beer is a cross between chemistry and art. I get to mix and match ingredients to come up with something totally unique and 100% my own.  It’s really a creative outlet for me. I think it’s important in this business to be able to get your brain focused on something other than advertising for brief periods of time, otherwise you just wander around trying to get the freecreditreport.com jingle out of your head.

bma: How long does it take to make beer, and do you ever jack up the alcohol content so you can get really hammered?

gs: Actually “cooking” the batch takes about 2 to 3 hours.  That’s the fun part.  I sit on the deck with some good tunes playing and a pitcher of my last batch; stirring the 5 gallons that I’ve got boiling and adding the malts and hops at the correct time. The fermentation time depends on the style of beer I’m making.  IPAs take longer to ferment than Hefeweizens. Lagers take longer than some ales. To be a good home brewer, you have to be very patient. Some batches are done and drinkable in 3 to 4 weeks and others 3 to 4 months.

As for the alcohol content, there’s no dial that I can adjust. It again depends on the style of beer. Some have more sugar content, which creates more alcohol. But I do make a really high alcohol-laced IPA that makes your head spin after about 2 pints. My wife doesn’t let me make that one too often because I always end up sitting on the floor next to the bed in nothing but my underwear, eating fried chicken, rambling on and on about absolutely nothing.

bma: Thanks. Why don’t we just leave it at that.