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By Michael Angier Competition is a fact of life in business. It's
good for the economy. It's good for customers and it's good for us
as business owners and managers. It keeps us constantly improving
our products and services. It hones our skills and stretches our
imagination… all very positive. But just how can we compete effectively? The best way to compete is to differentiate
ourselves--to stand out from our competition because of the unique
gifts and special style we bring to the marketplace. Sometimes this can be done by being first. Xerox did it in copiers. Kleenex did it in
tissues. They're not generic names, but these trademarked products
have become almost generic and they stand out because they were well
positioned. For most of us, this differentiating factor is not
within our reach. If we can't be first on the market, we're forced
to do something else. So how do we do this? First, we must know what our unique assets are. This takes some soul-searching. It takes some
thinking. What do we do best? What do we love doing? Where have we received the most tribute? Are we faster, less expensive, more responsive,
cleaner, lighter, hipper? Are we friendlier or easier to do business
with? If we're not any of these things, we can reinvent
ourselves. We can DECIDE what we want to be known for. But don't try to be something you're not. This
reinvention should really be a discovery of latent values and
qualities--things that were always there but rarely exploited. Once we're clear on whom we are and what we stand
for, we must take every opportunity to show people what we're all
about. We must tell our story, tell it well and tell it often. The
ideal is to get other people telling our story. Most of this is just common sense. It's just not
very common. Southwest Airlines and Jet Blue are about the only
airlines making any money these days. What's their secret? Well, Southwest is known for low fares, friendly
people and fun flights. Jet Blue is known for new planes (all the
same type), video screens in every leather seat, low fares and
friendly service. They're known for this because they deliver on
this reputation day in and day out. And they're good at telling
their stories well. There's good buzz about what they do, how they
do it and how well it's working. People rave about their experiences
flying on these airlines. This isn't rocket science,
right?
No wonder they're turning profits when
others are declaring or trying to emerge from bankruptcy. Besides having a clear vision, mission and
purpose, there's probably nothing more important for you to do to
compete effectively than differentiating yourself. Of course it must be done with substance and based
upon your core values. And it also must be backed up with
commitment. With everyone paying attention to what's important, it
will permeate the entire organization. You'll be known for what you want to be known for.
You'll have more fun doing what you do best. You'll serve your customers better. You'll stand
out and step up your profits and your fulfillment --for you and your
employees
About the author: Michael Angier, founder of
SuccessNet.org, recently released the New SuccessNet Resource Book …
the Top Must-Have Tools, Products, Services and Resources for
Running Your Business Effectively
Michael's work has been featured in numerous publications such as
USA Today,
Selling Power,
Home Business Magazine,
Opportunity World,
Personal Excellence
and Sales & Marketing
Excellence as well as dozens of electronic publications. He's
been interviewed on both TV and radio many times.
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Differentiate Yourself