You’re not just another
cleaner
any business owners
proudly define themselves as being one
of a million. What they need to be
doing is letting the world know why they’re one in a million.
You can spend many dollars and invest many hours in marketing
yourself, but if you don’t distinguish what you do from
the scores of other people who perform the same or similar
services, you probably won’t get the results you’re
hoping for. You may even end up paving the way for another
cleaner to get the work you were looking to do.
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As our fingerprints and DNA prove, each of
us is as unique and different as snowflakes.
No one of us is an exact replica of any
other. Each of us has our own talents, abilities, and skills to
contribute. Even identical twins develop their own unique
identities.
But when it comes to telling the world
what we do, too often we lump ourselves together with the many
other drycleaners in the world.
By thinking of ourselves (our businesses)
in this way, we’re saying, “I’m one of many.
You know what I do. I do what all cleaners do.”
And that’s exactly how we get filed
away in the minds of those we wish to be doing business with.
If we’re remembered at all, we’re remembered as
“just another drycleaner.”
If you want to have plenty of work coming
to you, however, you have to become known for what makes you
stand out from the crowd. In reality, no two drycleaners are
the same. Each has its own strengths and its own weaknesses
that make it more or less the best choice for someone’s
particular needs.
Here’s an example of the difference
having a niche can make. Mikhail was a translator. A Russian
immigrant, he spoke several languages fluently. He also lined
up several other translators who worked in languages he
didn’t speak. When Mikhail opened Translation Services
Unlimited, he was confident he could provide virtually any type
of translation anyone needed. But, a year later, he admitted
things weren’t going well. Despite spending every free
evening on marketing and every spare dollar on advertising, he
had only intermittent work through his service.
What baffled him most, however, was the
success of his competition. Mario was Hispanic and, although
there were few Hispanics in the area, he specialized in Spanish
translations and had plenty of business. In fact, many of the
translators Mikhail had lined up to do translations in other
languages were getting work through Mario.
“Although it was a difficult
decision,” Mikhail reported, “I decided to scale
back the plans for my business. Instead of trying to offer an
array of translation services, I decided I would simply focus
on my personal strength, Russian. Many Americans want to do
business in Russia, so I thought this might be more
realistic.”
The results were amazing. From the moment
he began specializing, Mikhail found that “often the
first thing people say after I tell them that I do Russian
translations is ‘Oh, do you do other languages,
too?’”
Before long, he had more business than he
could handle. His job was now full time and he was
subcontracting work out to other translators just as he had
originally hoped.
In fact, he and Mario were even referring
business to each other. Ironically, instead of trying to
provide all kinds of translation services for all kinds of
needs, by specializing Mikhail found a niche that opened doors
to the very opportunities he’d been seeking. That’s
the paradoxical power of having a niche.
So, before undertaking any further
marketing, it’s vital that you take the time and energy
to identify what you want to become known for. What makes you
distinctive? What about your business stands out from the
crowd? Why do people choose you? Who are you best suited to
serve and why?
These are the fingerprints of your
business, and they help define your niche.
Once you identify and begin emphasizing
the things that can make you notable, you’ll instantly
become more memorable. You’ll begin attracting the
customers who are most likely to be satisfied with your work,
the ones who will become your most loyal customers and your
best referral sources.
The Golomb Group works with its members to
find their niche.
Dennis McCrory is president of The Golomb
Group Inc., a firm that designs marketing programs for
drycleaners. Contact him at The Golomb Group Inc., 7664 Plaza
Ct., Willowbrook, IL 60527 Tele: (800) 679-5856
E-mail: dennismccrory@golombgroup.com
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