How To Compete

A friend of mine, Wood Foss, owner of Alley Katz lanes in Westerly RI who is also a client, passed along some interesting information about how we compete with other companies. It was in a blog by Chris Brogan, a very savvy internet marketer who speaks about the key differentiators that make one company unique from its competitors.

He makes the key point that being "helpful" is a great way to compete. He sights several companies that have built their business on being helpful. Zappos, the remarkable online shoe retailer built a billion dollar business based on making their customers buying experience unbelievably easy, seamless and enjoyable.

Craigslist built a 100 million dollar company around the idea that excellent service, combined with being a member of the community were his key differentiators

Here's a Brogan key differentiators can you solve a problem I don't know I have? Think Sony Walkman (who needed earphones strapped to their head?); and VirginUSA who solves the problem of "flying is kind of boring" Think Apple I-Phone and the bzillion applications you didn't know you need, but now you want it!

What problems do you think your entertainment customers don't know they have that you can solve?ts worth a comment back to us if you come up with something cool. And we'll publish it too.

Brogan goes through over 10 ways to compete, but saves the best for last. "Its a dodgy game to compete on price. Its always a race to the bottom", he says. I tend to agree. Just ask Caldor or Montgomery Wards or Woolworth or other big box guys that are GONE. They won the race to the bottom.

Oh, there are other ways to compete. But I suggest you go to www.chrisbrogan.com and see for yourself. Share it with your employees. They may just come up with a few differentiators of their own.