The Smaller Amusement Park
There is a common misconception in business that you have to better than everyone else. For example: if you open a restaurant, you're told that you have to be better than every other restaurant in the area. Let me help you out: this is a false misconception!
I have a small business that I've been doing for the last ten years, I had worked for a small group of customers (20-40). Throughout this whole time I was always concerned about someone coming in and moving in on my territory. When I started this business, most people didn't think I could do it full-time. After several years of not only making it work but even making excellent money, people started to take notice and even talk about doing this business also. A few times people would even put out letters and try to solicit my customers because they wanted to do what I was doing. Every time this would happen I would get frustrated, mad, and even scared but a close friend of mine was right beside me giving me some advice that I remember to this day. He told me not to worry or even think about the competition, you do your thing (doing a good job for your customers) and let them do theirs. When you focus on your work and your customers, they'll see it and stick with you, you don't have to worry about any competition.
This all brings me to the heart of the message. A couple of weeks ago we went to a small amusement park in Green Bay Wisconsin, it was awesome. It wasn't as big as Six Flags Great America but what they lacked in rides they made up for in service and atmosphere. Every employee there was friendly and you could genuinely tell they enjoyed what they did. From the ticket office to the concession stand, it was well manged and well run. The biggest draw was the pricing, it was super cheap! They weren't trying to be Six Flags, they didn't have to, they focused on what they had and how to make the most of it for their customers.
This is the lesson I want to give to you, business owners: Don't try to be or copy someone else's business, emphasize what's unique and special about your's! We have enough copy cat's out there, we need you to be original and special and give us what they can't! Your goal is not to compete but thrive in what you do by having better customer service and a better experience.
So, what makes your business special? How will you focus on what makes your business unique? Let us know in the comments below:
