What if you could eliminate your competition from your customer’s consideration – would you do it?

These days, so many companies strive to fit into a particular niche and find themselves having to elbow their way past a mass of competitors to make their mark. Why waste your energy in fighting the competition in any chosen niche when you can create a niche of your own?

The way you do this is by differentiating yourself and your business from your competitors simply by shifting focus to your customers. There are many examples of companies that have got to know their customers very well and have reaped the benefits of that knowledge in long-term relationships and continuous sales. People do business with people, and building the right relationships is vital.

In this four-part series we will look at what you need to do to build yourself to a position where the competition is simply unable to knock you off the perch of being not only the preferred supplier, but the predominant supplier to your customers. In digesting the information offered please do not think that, because you happen to be an employee, the concept does not apply to you. Remember that every one of us runs our own business – we all sell our skills and services to others. So, whether you are in business as an employee or managing a major company, these principles are equally relevant.

We will show you how a little self-discovery can take your business to new heights, and how knowledge of self is critical to creating a successful differentiation strategy.

1. Decide to do it!

‘Deciding to do it’ is the first step towards creating your own niche. You must make a real, deep, and meaningful commitment to create this niche for yourself. So many companies talk about it, write mission statements embodying it and hold meetings about it but never actually take the decision to do it by backing it up with measurable action. They seem to back away when it comes to making the commitment.

The successful companies make very deliberate ‘decisions to go’. They push themselves to see just how far they can go and how successful they can become in the process. Then, to sustain that success, they commit to that decision repeatedly.

2. Go with Determination

Most companies never get beyond the talking stages of the ‘decision to go’. Even though they think they’ve committed to doing something different and significant, what they’ve really done is commit to the discussion of doing something different and significant – they can talk about the game but have no clue on how to play the game. The ‘decision to go’ must be followed by immediate and significant action – sending clear signals throughout the company that there’s something big going on – made blatantly clear by real action.

This is where the first real obstacle is encountered – informing employees of impending change. Business leaders assume, mistakenly, that all employees not only want to be the best but are also willing to do what it takes in terms of commitment, change and hard work to make it happen. All assumptions are dangerous! If the company’s leadership is unable to rectify the situation, greatness and even change, is virtually impossible – nothing of any substance will take place without the commitment of the employees.

3. You get what you want the most

Talk is cheap – actions speak louder than words!

If you want to develop your own niche, you must back up your desire with action. It is no use saying ‘We want to have the best people in the world’ but refuse to invest in training or adopt better hiring practices. If you want your people to take responsibility you must give them decision-making responsibility. You can’t micro-manage everything they do! Most companies say they want teamwork, but they do nothing to improve communication between departments. What they really want is the status quo – with slogans. They get what they want most!

4. Answer the Tough Question Honestly

You must confront yourself with these simple yet very tough questions about your stated goals:

• Do we really mean this?
• How far are we willing to go to achieve our goal?
• What tolerance do we have for chaos?
• Are we willing to let go of everything that works to reach our destination?
• Who are we?
• What do we stand for?
• Are we serious about this effort?

There are very serious ramifications if you are serious about achieving your goals. By answering ‘Yes’ you make the commitment to seeing the effort through to the end. Be careful when you do this! It is better to be honestly mediocre and try to stay where you are with a sense of contentment, than to be unrealistically ambitious about what is yet to be and never get there, simply because you never really wanted to go there in the first place.

Making the ‘decision to go’ means you start with an idea and do what must be done to make that vision reality. You can’t just ‘believe’ your way to becoming extraordinary, but you also can’t take action that isn’t driven by a belief shared throughout your company.

How do you get it through to everyone? Communication! Some companies make a big deal of their push to greatness. They make big presentations, following up with communications that reinforce their goals. They also take the personal approach, making sure ongoing changes are discussed with employees face to face, encouraging buy-in at every juncture, and building momentum as more and more people embrace the vision.

Following on from this post will be three other letters focussing on differentiation and how to become an untouchable supplier in the process. The subject matter we will cover is:

• Know Who You Are
• The Commodity Trap
• Your Brand lives in Your Customer

Spend this next week deciding who you really are and where you want to go on the differentiation road!

 

QUOTATION:

Until you have learned to be tolerant with those who do not always agree with you – until you have cultivated the habit of saying some kind word of those whom you do not admire – until you have formed the habit of looking for the good instead of the bad there is in others, you will be neither successful nor happy.

 

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