Here’s the problem with average: Average doesn’t spread very well.
Here’s why:
- If you have an average meal at a restaurant, you still pay the bill, but you don’t bother recommending the food. That’s because we don’t recommend average food.
If your accountant provides you with an average service, you still pay their fee, but you don’t bother recommending them. That’s because we don’t recommend average service.- If your bank provides you with average customer service, you still pay your banking charges, but you don’t recommend them. That’s because we don’t recommend average customer service.
Why ‘average’ is so extremely common
A lot of small business owners make the mistake of assuming that because they get few complaints, their business offers an above average experience for their clients or customers. This is often incorrect. As you know, the average business is exactly that: Average!
They think they are better than average and wonder why they get so few word of mouth referrals. All the time, they are totally unaware that the problem is with their average approach to business. People are not spreading the word about them, because there’s nothing worth saying.
From average to exceptional
Here’s the thing: With just a little extra creative thinking, attention and effort, most businesses can quickly go from average to exceptional. When you become exceptional, people talk about you for all the right reasons. They share how exceptional your product, service or customer service is with everyone who will listen!
Making that switch from average to exceptional, is the most profitable thing any small business owner can do. It’s the second smartest marketing move you will ever make, (after hiring me, of course!)
Let’s work together and grow your business. To find out more click here!
I won’t argue with you on that one;)
Knowing how to make the switch is one thing, actually doing it’s another. I recall someone once saying “even if you’re on the right track, you’ll get run over if you just sit there!”
Hi Linda. Yes, without the action to make things happen, even the best ideas are of little value to us.
Thanks for the comment and welcome to the blog.
Thank you for the eye-opener!
Some things are basic knowledge and very easy to miss if you are the one in the driving seat! I will definitely keep this one in mind!
Thanks Jim
Hi Jim,
Thanks for this blog entry. Are you referring to Seth Godin’s “Purple Cow”? Do you see a difference between being remarkable and being exceptional?
Robin
Hi Robin. No, not referring to any specific book. It’s an age old marketing basic. Remarkable / exceptional? For me the word is less important than the process. Exceptional or remarkable will work fine in my experience.
I enjoy Seth’s books and have had the pleasure of connecting with him here on this blog. A wonderful, gifted writer.
Your points are valid, but I believe it takes so much more than “just a little extra creative thinking, attention and effort” for a business to succeed. Businesses fail because business owners start their business for the wrong reasons to begin with – to get rich, be more independent, and have more personal time. In addition, poor management, poor location, lack of planning, insufficient funding and, in this era, no website contributes to failure. Without these things, a business will most certainly be average.
Hi C. Thanks for the feedback and welcome to the blog. In my experience, a business doesn’t fail or succeed, simply because of the reason for it’s establishment. It’s destiny is determined over time and as the result of many decisions and actions. In the most basic terms, it succeeds when it does the right things, correctly. It fails, when it doesn’t.
This is a simple knowledge, but it’s not easy to implement. How do we know we are average? How do we know we turn into exceptional?
Hi Joe. I never suggested it was easy – Though if I had wanted to sell a product off the back of that post, I could have. In marketing, we know that the typical business owner is looking for the easy route. They want the dummies guide. They want the $30 ebook, with its promises of SEO dynamite in 7 days.
It’s not easy.
It is required, though.