(hint: The answer is revealed in this article)
It used to be that starting (and succeeding) in a small business was fairly easy.
You hang a shingle over the door and people come buy what you sell. It was that easy. But, no more!
What's different?
Competition. BIG competition!
And it's coming at you from every direction.
Many years ago, if a new competitor opened up in your town you knew them. You knew their strengths, you knew their weaknesses and most likely you knew them.
Today all that has changed.
I don't have to tell you that when every new competitor puts out their shingle for business your sales and profits are in danger of going into a tailspin.
So, if you want to keep your business making money--the one thing you absolutely must know about your business is the answer to the following question..."Why should someone buy from you and your business instead of your competition or not buying at all?"
If you know the answer to this question--I mean really know it then your job in marketing your small business will be a whole lot easier.
The problem is, for nearly 20 years I sold advertising of one kind or another to small and medium sized businesses in markets of all sizes and one of the biggest marketing problems most small business owners I've called on is that they didn't know why someone should buy from them instead of buying from their competition or not buying at all.
Oh, the small business owner would give a half -hearted attempt at the answer to this question, but would invariably fail. They would say something like "we give good service" or "location" or "our product is the best."
These are vague nondescript answers they don't have a lot of substance to them.
If you want to be ultra successful at marketing your small business, the one question you absolutely, positively must know the answer to is ...
"Why should someone buy from you or your business instead of buying from your competition or not buy at all?"
I suggest that you spend some time with that question. If you haven't considered this question in a while you might want to now. The market changes constantly and so does your business. We've all heard the old adage, "the only thing constant is change." This is truer now than ever. Not only is the market and your competition changing and reacting constantly, but so is your business.
The reality is, your business isn't the same as it was a year ago, one week ago or even five minutes ago.
People are more mobile than they used to be and now with the internet the world appears to be shrinking right before our eyes.
If you want to continue to grow your business I suggest that you consider the answer to this question seriously and often.
I believe the success of your business depends on it.
Copyright 2001 Susie and Otto Collins