John Jantsch did an important thing this week. He got me thinking about how businesses can become special. Jantsch accomplished this by writing the following words:
The idea of differentiation and standing out in whatever industry you are in is such an important concept that I take the opportunity to write about it frequently. The key is to find something that makes it very easy for people to see you’re doing something different from everyone else in your industry. It can take some guts to reach out and be different, but that’s the point.
Over the weekend I visited a salon called Chop Tops. The name gave me some hint that this place was little different, but the moment you walk in the place their differentiation strategy hits you full force. Chop Tops is infused with a rockabilly, hot rod, chopper, retro feel from the concert posters on the wall to the Buck Owens on the stereo.
This is a men’s salon, but not in a cheesy macho way. They feature hair services, massage and a hot towel razor shaves.
The Chop Tops feel won’t be for everyone. If a stylist with pink hair and abundance of tatoos frightens then this isn’t your place, but that’s one of the core elements of a strong marketing strategy – don’t try to be all things to all folks – pick a strong statement and make it.
There is obviously no shortage of ways to differentiate your company. It could be combining two diverse ideas, like rockabilly and hair salons. It could be exceptional customer service. And, as Chris Brogan points out, it could be doing one thing very well. Let’s focus on just one simple example of a business defining itself by its best product:
During my most recent visit to New Orleans, Tom Martin took me to the Cafe Du Monde, a famous coffee place in the French Quarter. That little pastry and powdered sugar delicacy up there is called a beignet, and the Cafe Du Monde is famous for them. When you look at their little menu, though there are a few other things tucked on there, it’s pretty much all about beignets and coffee. In fact, I’m going to venture that ordering anything other than a beignet is a signal for surly bouncers to come out, brandishing butcher knives, and chase you out of the cafe.
Imagine you’re the owners. You’re making a reasonable revenue, but say you want to bump it up. Do you add things to the menu? Do you make a raspberry-filled beignet? Do you offer NEW! Beignet-minis! (exclamation points extra), or do you franchise out, and put your beignets at every gas station?
For whatever reason, it seems obvious when we use this example that one has to treat the brand carefully, that there are so many ways to hurt things on the way to expansion.
What’s your plan for becoming special? How is your company differentiating itself?
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