Tortilla Principle Marketing

The Tortilla Principle is a marketing concept about identifying and communicating the unique aspects of your business that you take for granted but would be valuable differentiators to customers.

Core concept of the Tortilla Principle

• Businesses often fail to market their most valuable differentiators because they seem like "table stakes" internally
• The unique efforts, processes, or quality standards that make your product special need to be explicitly communicated
• Named after a restaurant that paid $2 per tortilla (vs 20¢) to truck them fresh from Mexico daily but didn't tell customers
• The principle states: identify where you're "trucking in tortillas from Mexico" and ensure you're telling that story

Why businesses miss marketing opportunities

• Knowledge complex: When you know too much about your product, you assume certain features aren't interesting
• Creators often take their craft for granted and don't realize what aspects customers would find compelling
• Artists/craftspeople often focus on quality but neglect to communicate the story behind their work
• Example: Boot maker who apprenticed in Mexico for three years but didn't mention this compelling story on his website

How to apply the Tortilla Principle

• Identify the "blood, sweat and tears" elements of your business that customers don't see
• Look for quality standards, sourcing decisions, or processes that differentiate you
• Tell the story of why you've "gone the extra mile" in specific areas
• Use descriptive language that highlights quality (e.g., "fresh never frozen Atlantic hand-caught salmon")

Real-world examples

• Restaurant paying premium for tortillas trucked fresh from Mexico daily but not telling customers
• Casio watches using "space-grade aluminum" but not highlighting this in marketing
• Boot maker who apprenticed in Mexico for three years but didn't feature this story prominently
• Sushi restaurant that increased conversions by using more descriptive language about ingredients

Results of implementing the principle

• Can lead to higher conversion rates even with higher prices
• Allows businesses to justify premium pricing through storytelling
• Creates perceived value through transparency about quality processes
• Can transform business results with "2x-3x improvements" through better marketing language