The great ones ... in any field, activity or business, they all bring something unique to the table.
The greatest musicians of all time were The Beatles. They haven't recorded music for almost 50 years, but the quality and integrity of their music is such that no one in that time has ever come close to them. Or will.
Those who have been successful in their wake all borrow from the innovations The Beatles pioneered in one way or another.
In my view, the greatest sportsman was Muhammad Ali, who took the boxing world by storm and was so good some opponents couldn't touch him. There wasn't a heavyweight with his agility or speed, so he dominated.
However, other sportspeople who rate behind Ali, like Tiger Woods, Martina Navratilova and Don Bradman, all developed their games in a unique way and to levels not seen before them.
So how do you and your business go from being okay to outstanding?
You need to actively work to be better than the rest and have something that you do which sets you apart.
Examples can be as simple as knowing your customers' names when they drop by and making the best possible product and delivering ahead of expectations. Yesterday, I walked into Jolt and my coffee was handed to me before I reached the counter.
You could also do big things, like identifying a unique need or new product and dominating your market.
Innovation, anticipating what the market wants, developing a part of your business that sets you apart are the ingredients to true and sustained success. We need to do things differently to get ahead and then stay ahead of the pack.
The Beatles (from left) George Harrison , Paul McCartney, John Lennon and Ringo Star
Businesses excel and gain repeat customers because they are the best at customer service.
On Friday I had a spare half-hour so went to a boutique bookstore to find a publication which I struggled to find in the bigger stores. They are specialists and when you walk in the door you know there are high quality titles on offer.
In my case, they did indeed have the title that I wanted but also remembered me from a previous visit.
That store occupies a niche very successfully and delivers books to the market in a way that no one else does. For that reason I and many of my friends make a pilgrimage there regularly.
But there are some businesses that just don't get it. They don't demonstrate great customer service, they produce substandard products and/or they follow the company line at the expense of their customer relationship.
We've all experienced this type of thing. The fact that it exists presents an opportunity for small to medium businesses that excel in delivering value, to be better and grab market share.
And don't be intimidated if your competition is a big corporate -- the bigger they are, the harder they fall. And the bigger the reward for the competitor who gets it right.
So find your unique value driver and focus on delivering that value every time. The great ones are waiting for you to join them.
Balance Consulting is a Whanganui consultancy specialising in business strategy, process excellence and leadership mentoring -- contact Russell Bell on 021 2442421 or John Taylor on 027 4995872.
