In 1947 he was selling bibles door–to-door, proclaiming himself “World Champion Bible Salesman.” When challenged, he proved it by selling 170 Good Books in just six days.
His name was Kash Amburgy and he reminded everyone that it was “Kash with a capital K.”
After a few years selling Bibles, Kash decided there might be more profit in selling appliances. So, he rented a barn in the tiny town of South Lebanon, Ohio, 35 miles north of Cincinnati. He named the place “Kash’s Big Bargain Barn.”
Who would purposely open an appliance store 35 miles from the nearest population center? The brilliant Kash Amburgy, that’s who.
Kash intuitively understood that succeeding in business required a formula very few know. I call it “The Difference and The Why.”
Kash recognized that all his competitors bought their appliance inventory from large manufacturers like GE. Since appliance retailers all sold the same brands of appliances, competing on price was the only clear way they could differentiate themselves.
Kash understood that the public was immune to claims of “we sell cheaper” because everyone in his industry said it. His Cincinnati competitors ALL advertised lowest prices.
Kash knew that his “lowest price” marketing needed a credibility-enhancing “Why” to validate how he could sell appliances at lower prices than his competitors. That’s why he rented the barn in the tiny town of South Lebanon, Ohio. He turned an inconvenient drive into a gold mine.
Here is what Kash typically said in his Cincinnati radio and television commercials:
“Hello friends, this is Kash Amburgy coming to you from Kash’s Big Bargain Barn, a few miles north in South Lebanon, Ohio. We don’t have a fancy showroom. We don’t even have a paved lot. But since they wanted you fine Cincinnati folk to visit Lebanon, they practically gave us this place. Since we save on cost, you save with lower prices.
Follow the signs. Follow the cars to Kash’s Big Bargain Barn in South Lebanon, O-Hi-O, where you save cash with Kash. Noo body and I mean Noo body can sell for less than Kash.”
Because Kash understood the power of The Difference and The Why, he was able to beat out every appliance retailer in Cincinnati and make millions.
Want to hear one of Kash’s original Cincinnati radio commercials?
I recorded a three minute audio with Kash’s story, ending with one of his original radio commercials. Check it out below:
What did I learn from Kash?
It’s important to be different. It’s better if people know why.
