Why is it best to do one thing really, really well? The more you do something, the better you get at it. You’ll be able to solve the problem better than it’s been solved in the past and please more people with your solutions. You’ll discover tricks you’d never imagine that help you create and deliver a better “thing”. Focus on the customer and all else will follow.

Inject your passion into your business. You can’t make it to the World Series if you don’t love baseball, and your company can’t become a force in your industry if you don’t love it. Once the novelty of entrepreneurship fades, you’ll need to infuse your business with your passions in order to keep you striving to win.

Build your entire offer around your product or service. This will give you a focused niche reputation, fewer management issues, less customer confusion, fewer capital costs, and the opportunity to be the best at the one thing that matters in building a viable and sustainable business.

So ask yourself: What do I enjoy? What do I do purely because I love it? Whether your “gold medal” is a specific growth rate or an award-winning company culture, any business will benefit from a leader who trains to win with focus and passion.

For more information:
SOS
Business Development
760.345.5069

Case Study: How an independent coffeehouse competes with Starbucks

Background: Australian cafe owner’s story
Starbucks tried to penetrate the Australian cafe market by opening 84 stores, only to close 61 of them because they could not compete with the small independent stores. 95 percent of the cafes and coffee shops in Australia are independently owned, with big chains like Starbucks making up the remaining 5 percent.

Interestingly, Starbucks’ first store in Australia opened just one block away from my own cafe in Sydney, so I got first hand feedback from my customers on Starbucks’ potential threat. The concern I had before they opened dissipated within a week. I concluded very quickly that Starbucks was good for tourists and those folk looking for brand association, but their appeal to the quality-espresso-seeking locals was limited to just one curious trial.

Here is how the small independent Australian cafes and coffee shops countered the invasion of the global giant Starbucks and won.

1. Be the best at one thing
Offer the espresso-coffee-brew method only. Build your entire offer around espresso and forget about all other coffee-brew methods that Starbucks offers. This gives you a focused niche reputation, fewer management issues, less serving-space clutter, less customer confusion, fewer capital costs, and the opportunity to be the best at the one thing that matters in building a viable and sustainable coffee business … fine espresso coffee. Continue reading →

When a salesperson cold calls they usually get this response: I don’t know you, I don’t know your company, I don’t know your product, I don’t know what your company stands for, I don’t know your customers or your record and I don’t know your reputation.

Internet marketing enables you to engage customer prospects on their terms and when you do you increase your businesses visibility, awareness and trust within your industry.

Introduce yourself proactively by sending informative emails about your industry.

Engage in conversations on social media sites with followers that are related (or unrelated) to your brand. Your enthusiasm will keep the conversation going and followers coming back to your site.

People want to do business with those they like and trust. While selling your products, you are also selling yourself. When customers sincerely feel you care about what they want and need, they will feel secure about making the right decision in buying from you.

Companies and their leaders need to humanize their brands by building relationships within their communities in order to make the brand more relatable.

For more information:
SOS
Business Development
760.345.5069