The number one complaint about Starbucks has become their ubiquitousness. It seems they are everywhere now. Yet the number one complaint people make to Starbucks is that there is not a Starbucks close by home/work. There are too many Starbucks, and yet I want one that’s convenient to me. An acquaintance of mine (who used to work in marketing for Starbucks) declared this to be a paradox.
It may be a paradox, but it’s also an opportunity, because your competitor’s strength is their biggest weakness. Whenever you are trying to position your business in the marketplace, look at your larger competitor’s biggest strength, and attack them right there. Position yourself in direct opposition to what your competitor touts.
For many small businesses, the size of the larger competitor is the big bulls-eye to hit. For example, you own a small hardware store in a town where there is both a Home Depot and a Lowe’s promoting hundreds of thousands of SKU’s at low, low prices. How do you position yourself? As the place where you can find what you need and get in and out fast.
The paradox works in reverse for your own business. Look for your biggest weakness, and make it your strength. For example, your biggest weakness is that you don’t have enough help and have to do too much yourself. Therefore, your strength is that when people call or come by, they get to deal with the owner of the place.
Once you understand this small business marketing paradox, it can be easy to position yourself in the marketplace.
For more about positioning your business, you might also be interested in:
Case Study: Branding a Furniture Store