The value of doing what other people won't do
I recently watched a movie called Stingray Sam, and the song of the movie explains that: “Stingray Sam is not a hero, but he does the things that other folks don’t do that need to be done.” It’s a rather catchy song, but my mind turned toward how I could apply that to my business.
The truth is that a business succeeds in part due to how it stands out in the minds of other people, and in part on the quality of its products and services. A business that combines the quality of what it does with how it stands out has a definite edge over the competition. So studying your competition can tell you what they are doing and also what they aren’t doing.
Sometimes you will co-opt and improve on what they are doing because you recognize they are onto something, and you also know you can do it better than they can. And sometimes you will look at what they aren’t doing and recognize that there is a gap and you can take advantage of that gap. If a business isn’t doing something, look carefully at what it’s not doing and see how you can use that to your advantage. If that means passing out flyers on the streets, give it a try, and see what happens.
It’s easy to do what other people are doing, but think of what they aren’t doing and ask yourself if you could do it. If you can, then try it. It might cost you a bit of money and time and effort, but it could also pay off, and will payoff at least in terms of the experience you get in doing something other people won’t do.
Categories: business, Business reputation, communication
Tags: doing what others won't do, standing out in business, Stingray Sam, Taylor Ellwood
