Been watching a fair bit of the Winter Olympics.
Every competitor has a strategy for winning. They scout out the lie of the course. Complete practice runs to acclimatise to the local conditions.
They work at honing their skills. Practice, practice, practice. They all have coaches guiding them. Competitions play a big part. Many have suffered multiple injuries and picked themselves up again.
They think on their feet. If part of a jump or trick goes wrong, what else can they do to make up points? While they have an overall plan, flexibility is key.
And finally, they’re willing to take calculated risks. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.
So what’s this got to do with business?
Business is a competition. Winning is creating a profitable business. And the only way to accomplish this is by attracting, converting and keeping profitable clients.
In our experience, many business owners hide their light under a bushel. They’re afraid to stick their heads over the parapet in case it gets shot. And their marketing or lack thereof, reflects this.
To be successful you have to take a stand. Be known for something. Be your authentic self. That’s the only way you’ll stand out from your competitors.
The Olympics have stacks of different sports disciplines and sub groupings for each. Competitors choose to be the best at one or at most two. Nobody tries to be great at everything.
It’s no different in your market. Choose one or max two areas you want to excel in. Put a stake in the ground and go for it. Become known as the best at what you deliver in this narrow space. Have clients want to choose you.
A classic example is our accountant who only deals with property investors. He could do general business compliance work, but then would be competing with every other accountant out there. By niching down he’s become number one in his category.
Realise market conditions change and you may have to adapt at short notice. Competitors pull new stuff out of their bags. New technologies aid disruption. Uber is a prime example. Have an overall strategy and plan, but be nimble. Reinvent yourself when necessary.
Watch your competitors but don’t be defined by them.
Athletes watched what others were doing, but still stuck with their own game plans. However winners were flexible when it counted, knowing what their market (the judges) would score them on.
Take calculated risks. And above all have fun. Life’s too short to be miserable and like some athletes who gave it everything said, “I didn’t want to go home wondering if I could have done better!”
We have a proven process that will make you stand out from the crowd. However it does take time and attention to access our knowledge and personal attention.
It begins with a phone call where we diagnose and then prescribe a solution. Call Rashid on 0414 913 334 to get the ball rolling.
P.S. If you haven’t watched Slope Style skiiing, do so. It’s pretty amazing. These are highlights from the final.