The Law of Focus: How to Avoid Direct Competition (part 3 of 3)

The Law of Focus: How to Avoid Direct Competition (part 3 of 3)
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Full transcript to the video:

Sing: "Aint nothin’ like the real thing, baby. Aint nothin’ like the real thing."

Hi, this is Glenn R Harrington of Articulate Consultants. Welcome to the third video of a three-part series in which I describe how to avoid direct competition in business by applying the law of focus. These three videos are intended for people with sales growth, customer loyalty, and referral generation on their minds.

In the first video, I describe how competition could be any alternative a customer considers instead of spending their money on the goods and services your company offers.

In the second video, I discuss the first example of two real companies that emerged from being stuck as small-time generalists to become thriving specialists after applying the law of focus.

Example Two: the figure-skate boot maker.

Imagine yourself the parent of a teenage girl who loves figure skating. Still growing, your daughter has outgrown and outworn her figure skates. She needs a new pair. You and your spouse join her in wanting the best.

It takes little asking around to learn that the best figure skates are not purchased as skates at all, but as special-ordered blades attached to custom-made boots. Your daughter would not be happy with anything less.

The best figure-skate boot maker, you learn, operates a small shop a five-hour drive away. The boots cost plenty; reputedly worth every penny.

The figure-skate boot maker occasionally visits the ice rink where your daughter’s figure skating club provides ice time. So, with an appointment booked, your daughter has her measurements taken. Weeks later, you take the family on a car trip to pick up the boots. This is how you get to meet the proprietor.

The company started with its founder who, in addition to being a talented technician, has always had an entrepreneurial twinkle in her eye. She drew on experience repairing shoes and boots plus purses and leather gloves; even some saddle work and bridlery.

It was only after she had custom-made a few pairs of figure-skate boots, then discovered that every one of those customers was thrilled and referring friends, that she began to recognize the potential in focusing on this market.

In time, a steady flow of new customers came to her for custom-made figure-skate boots. They were willing to pay top price for work that she could perform well. As the volume of figure-skate boot orders remained steady and grew, she could perform even better and her operation became ever more profitable. She found it invigorating as an entrepreneur and decided to make it her business focus.

Within two years, her focus on figure-skate boot making allowed her to leverage her technical expertise as well as her business sensibilities. She hired one new person every three months.

The law of focus requires a company to narrow its scope to widen its appeal. This figure-skate boot maker, like the figure-skate blade sharpener, exemplifies how the law of focus, applied intelligently, can help an independent small business to fulfil its true potential. They continue to succeed as their integrated marketing and brand management position them as must-see specialists.

Like the blade sharpeners, the figure skate boot makers stoke great word-of-mouth with sharp advertising. Their advertising is steady, targeted, and articulates authentic key messages to the right people in the right media. The margin of uncertainty is nicely low. Living up to reputation, each company consistently provides excellent service to a growing share of a geographically-dispersed specialty market.

It remains important to be adaptable while serving the target market. This includes accepting what might be called “also” business that complements the company’s focus. Tightly-focused specialists often earn nice profits from a healthy volume of “also” business that they attract because of their strong, clear reputation.

I believe that every independent business has potential to be fulfilled, sometimes better than key people are aware of. Despite company founders typically investing much time, energy, money, and creativity in their venture, there can be an indispensable role for an outside expert to play – the role of a consultant – in helping to ensure that the founding vision comes to fruition as well as it can.

On that theme, let me state this clearly: Better for a business to focus on what makes it irreplaceable to its target market than to decide what its brand promise ought to be.

I serve clients who want to ensure that their independent small business fulfils its potential in alignment with a clear mission or purpose and core values, serving a well-defined market. Applying the law of focus intelligently complements this, helping to avoid direct competition while potentially thriving in a distinct market niche. Check out my related articles at the links below.

Serving independent small businesses in Canada and the USA, I am Glenn R Harrington of Articulate Consultants.

Sing: "Aint nothin’ like the real thing, baby. Aint nothin’ like the real thing."

Related article – Marketing Tip: Avoid Direct Competition:

http://www.articulate.ca/AvoidDirectCompetition.html

Related article – Three Reasons Why Independent Businesses Need Authentic Key Messages To Succeed:

http://www.articulate.ca/IndependentBusinessNeedKeyMessages.html

Related article – Authenticity Rules: A Reality Check for Creative Advertisers :

http://www.articulate.ca/AuthenticityRules.html