WITH the present economic scenario, consumers understandably want more, more and yes, more value for their hard-earned money.

Three women from three diverse and consumer-centric companies share strategies on how to do just that?no matter the size of your company or the industry you?re in.

Value-for-Money=Top of Mind

Low price does attract customers, but it still helps to have value added in one?s products, Jollibee Foods Corp. PR manager Arline B. Adeva said in an e-mail interview.

Jollibee, for instance, has come up with lower-priced ?39ers? all-rice meals as well as a Tipid card that has six coupons for six ?sulit? meals, with savings ranging from P8 to P19.

Following the public?s warm reception of these value-for-money offerings, Adeva said, the promo has been extended to March 31, while more promotions are now in the works.

?We think that these (low-priced products) are more than just a trend. If you look around, more and more food establishments are offering low-priced options with P39 or P49 as the ideal start-off point. This goes to show that there is indeed a huge demand for affordable but high quality food,? Adeva said.

?Consumers don?t just want friendly prices, they also want more variety and more options that they can choose from,? she added.

Extras, Please

Offering extras or ?add-ons? work for other products as well.

Take the case of cellphones. In this cellphone-crazy country, even the Finnish handset giant recognizes the need to include extras in its phone packages, on top of offering low-priced options.

Nokia has launched models 1201 and 1203, which are sold for as low as P1,400 per unit, and is launching other entry-level phones after noticing high market acceptance for phones that cost P2,000 or below.

But Nokia didn?t stop at pricing. It also offered a midrange music phone, the 5800 ExpressMusic which, at P20,000, comes bundled with free new music from local rock band Kwjan (fronted by Marc Abaya).

?It?s a music phone so (you) might as well give away the music,? said Nokia Philippines corporate communications manager Nikka Abes.

Abes added that Nokia is inclined to sponsor more artists and come up with more ways to make the ubiquitous cellphone and its contents available to more consumers.

Be Accessible

Cebu Pacific vice president for marketing and product Candice Iyog said the budget carrier aims to fight recession ?by expanding the market through more destinations and promos.?

Cebu Pacific recently removed surcharges on international airfares starting February 18, following its removal of surcharges for local flights since January 7, 2009.

This March, the carrier will be opening more routes?just in time for the summer season?to gain mind-share among travellers.

Iyog said the budget carrier will be flying Cebu-Legaspi, Cebu-Dumaguete, and Manila-Siargao Island (the surfing capital of the Philippines) via Cebu.

?We will be the first airline to use the Siargao airport,? Iyog said.

Cebu Pacific is also planning to fly non-stop from Manila to a number of Middle Eastern cities to serve overseas Filipino workers, thus further expanding its market.

?As a market leader, we want more people to fly. Increasing the travel market in general is good for all airlines, although we are confident that we will remain as the top choice for travelers because of our many destinations and very low fares,? Iyog said.

Cebu Pacific flies to 15 international cities and 27?and soon, 31?domestic destinations with the addition of Calbayog, Catarman, Virac (Catanduanes), and Siargao.