Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/196134
52 • NOVEMBER 2013 • WORLD FENCE NEWS • 1st on the market • 1st in reliability • 1st in service • Automatic 1 year warranty THE HUMAN LINK by Jim Lucci, Management Motivational Associates Rising above the competition Proven by over 3 years on the market Offers more options with 2 models! 1) REDIgas2in w/2" barrel for smaller posts 2) REDIgas3in w/3" barrel for larger posts • Powered by HONDA with a powerful 1720 bpm • High quality parts throughout. Made of materials specifically designed for optimum performance • Satisfaction guaranteed NO COMPRESSOR NO HOSES NO HASSLE Follow us: Video and information at www.redidriver.com Or call us at (702) 293-3222 Currently seeking qualified distributors Is your business or association positioned for the changing economy? Do you have the strategy in place to put you and your staff/members in the best position to succeed? If the answer to the above questions is anything other than a solid "YES", then contact us to discuss possible ways we can help you to improve your overall operations and to help put you and your business or association in a better position to succeed. MANAGEMENT MOTIVATIONAL ASSOCIATES, INC. When you need an experienced executive level management consultant like Jim Lucci to review overall business strategy and procedures or business specifics such as sales training, staff motivation, time management, inventory control, scheduling, yard/warehouse layout, etc., call Jim Lucci at 516-379-0903 or fill out and return the coupon below by mail or fax to 516-379-2404 or contact us by e-mail at MMAJandJ@aol.com (please identify subject as "consulting"). We will contact you promptly to discuss your needs and schedule business, seminar, meeting or convention appointments and rates. Appointments may be made for personal appearances or telephone consultations. Jim Lucci World Fence News contributing editor Read Jim Lucci's monthly column: The Human Link • Jim's by-line: PROFIT IS NOT A DIRTY WORD!™ Past IFIA Convention speaker and presenter of Eastern International Convention keynote addresses COUPON Fill out (please print) and return to: James V. (Jim) Lucci Management Motivational Associates, Inc. 18 Hansome Place • Freeport, NY 11520 • MMAJandJ@aol.com Please call me. I'm interested in ____________________________________________________ Telephone________________________________ Convenient time________________________ Fax Number _____________________________ E-mail: ________________________________ Name __________________________________________________________________________ Name of Business/Organization_____________________________________________________ Address_________________________________________________________________________ City ________________________________ State ______________ Zip _____________________ This month I have been asked to present some thoughts on how to set yourself apart from the competition. For the last several years, many have told me that the competition has increased dramatically in their market areas, especially regarding the bidding process. You have also shared with me that the type of competition that has come onto this "scene" has not really been, in your collective judgment, either the most qualified, nor necessarily the best example of professionalism. Some of you have referred to them as "fly-by-nighters." In any case, I am going to share some thoughts that hopefully will help you to better determine whether to even bid that job in the first place. Today, it is not only challenging to be in business, but also how do you get more business from the thousands of firms starting up every day. With people losing their jobs or not being able to find new employment, many are electing to start new businesses. For many small business owners, this presents the challenge of increasing competition and giving consumers more choices in an evergrowing marketplace. So that brings us to the question of how do we stand out from the competition, as well as how can we separate our businesses from fellow competitors. Perhaps you hope to develop a service that has not been seen before or maybe design a brand with a new expression and distinct values. Perhaps you may even be aiming to be extremely unique in your marketplace. In reality, there are few ideas or products that are actually unique. More often, new products and services solve the same problems or fulfill the same needs as others, but in a slightly different way or with a slightly different twist. The good news is that an idea does not have to be unique or completely new to the marketplace to be a good one. It is enough for a business to be distinctive, or just to be better than the competition at what it currently does. There are some good ways to accomplish being aware of your competition and what your competitors are doing to address the needs and the value they bring with products and services, as well as price points to the market you serve. The first step to being better than the competition is to find out what they are doing while keeping informed and doing some simple research. What you want to know is what products and to whom competitors are selling, and the price of their products and services. You must also relate to special characteristics, if any. And, finally, your research should include a look at how others in the market communicate and market their businesses. One of the easiest ways I know is as simple as going to Google, which will provide you with as much information as you'll need about your competition, such as how they market, advertise, and if they have a web. The internet has revolutionized many aspects of having a business in the way that you as a small business owner can gather the information about your competition. (Just ask your prospects how many quotes they're getting through the internet!) In the past, it took a greater effort to identify the other players in your field or to simply get a sales brochure from the top competitors. Today that information is available to us the minute we look for it. There are other ways to help you with this process such as Google Alerts, etc. But the key thing to recognize is that the internet is a major source of getting to know what your competition is all about. However, the internet is not the only source of information to keep up with your marketplace and what your competitors are doing to bring new products and services as well as pricing strategies to capture consumer attention. Other sources may include magazines, professional papers, or just local advertisements where other businesses that are similar to you and your services are addressing needs and competing for the customer's dollar. The important thing is to be a constant student of the game. Knowing what to look for about the market and the customer is also critical. You can take some steps toward becoming better than your competitors. This involves making a systematic comparison of your company and the competitors as we look at the various aspects of your product or service as well as the other companies and then begin to make comparisons. continued on page 54