Many new businesses start by offering as many products or services as they can. Freelancers and contractors are particularly guilty of this. It is tempting, it might seem obvious that the more services and products you can provide the more customers you can bring in. But if I have learned anything from marketing it is that ‘common-sense’ can often take you down the wrong path. You might think that giving your customers as many options as possible will bring the most customers in the door. But in reality, it doesn’t.
If you felt like a really great burger, you wouldn’t go to a buffet. You would probably go to a place the specialized in burgers, a place that made ‘the best burger in town’. If you wanted to take your mother-in-law out to a nice meal, you would probably make reservations at a fine dining restaurant, you wouldn’t take her to the place with the largest menu.
Specializing narrows your competition, and allows you to position yourself as the ‘go to’ business for your specialty. If your business was like a restaurant, what would your ‘best in town’ service or product be? What do you want to be known for?
Take a step back and survey your clients, or think about the clientele that is best for your business. The answer is not everyone. And your current clients may not be what is best for your business. It may be difficult to drop a few services, a few clients, and start positioning yourself as a specialty business, but it just might be something you might need to do in order to grow. It is time to close down the buffet and focus in on what you do best. So narrow your focus and start making the “best ____ in town.”
