“If your customers are not talking about you, you’re doing something wrong.”
I’m seeing a lot of desperate and fearful business owners these days. Everybody seems to be trying to “one-up” each other. Copying their competitors or putting a little twist on something that’s already being done. If you are lucky, this results in you being a little bit better…at most.
These efforts are misplaced.
The real answer goes deeper than that. The real problem is that your customers are not talking about you. It’s hard to grow a business when your customers are not talking about you to others.
IMPORTANT BUSINESS MANTRA:
“If you are the SAME as others, no one will talk about you. If you are BETTER than others, some will talk about you. But if you are DIFFERENT than others, everyone will talk about you.”
Fear and desperation can be extremely powerful and lead you to do things you normally wouldn’t do. I know it’s hard to shake yourself off and approach your business with a clear heart and mind, but you gotta try.
True success will come when you are honest with yourself and others. Be who you are and eventually you’ll come closer to becoming the person you were meant to be. You have GREATNESS in you. You just don’t fully realize it yet.
Be different. Be you.
Trying to copy others won’t work. In the day of social media, people are more aware of copycats. They can smell em a mile away.
Don’t fall into the myth that, “Being different can get you ostracized.” And that “It’s lonely.” It’s not. Not in business.
Being different gets you noticed. And that’s always good for business.
Be wary of taking steps from a state of desperation and fear. Begin taking steps only after you ask yourself, …
- “What is it I love to do?”
- “Who am I wanting to be?”
Then take those steps when they are in alignment with your answers.
Be wary of copying someone because you “think” they are successful. Instead, don’t copy at all. Be your own person (and business). Begin creating an identity that you believe in, that your staff believe in. Then and only then might you change the world for the better, a little bit.
Im not new to the field of retail, having worked every possible job up to co-management for one grocery chain. I was forced into resignation by the age of 25. Im at a new company now thats on the distribution side of things. I have a simple desk job and thoroughly enjoy it more than my last position. I have become the one who does any task no matter how small or seemingly unimportant. Everyone comes to me, but I dont want to be that person that gets ran over. Im still the young one of the group but a few yrs older now. I see a lot of potential and need to address safety standards, the need for more structure, and follow thru.
Its a small family minority owned emerging co and well it makes it hard to implement anything when your not sure if the support or effort will come from others. I can see the need and would be willing to help implement safety protocols and procedures, but how do I get the following. What level of convincing or amount of information should I inquire about? I guess my main quest is should I convince the business it needs change or further educate myself first on the reasoning behind this change?