One of the most interesting books you could read in all of business and marketing literature is by Lorin Deland’s, “Imagination In Business“.
Published in the early part of the last century it is PURE GOLD. He may have been the first one to ask the question “Why should anyone do business with you over your competition?” (page 86).
Deland was a ‘business consultant’ who specialized in sales and marketing at the turn of the century. The book reads like it could have been written just a few years ago… it just goes to show you that things change, but human nature doesn’t.
It’s been said that “… people buy our products and services for their reasons, not ours.”
One case study he relates expresses this idea very well.
A retailer came to him for advice. The retailer was on a busy street, but so were his 4 main competitors.
He wanted to know from Deland how he could increase his business with so much competition.
All of the retail stores were fairly close to each other and all were selling the same merchandise.
Deland stated that the retailer is really only entitled to one-fifth of the business (after all there were 5 stores!) and that for every dollar above that amount that you want to make, there must be a reason. And he had to create that reason, if he was going to get any more of the business!
Deland also said that if he discovers he’s getting more than his share of the business, he should discover what that reason is. He said, “…some customers travel on the line of least resistance, you must make that line of least resistance lead directly to your store!”.
Deland continued, “Again and again you must ask yourself, ‘Why in the world should these people pass four other stores and come into this one?‘”
There has got to be a reason for people to do business with you over your competition. Find out what that reason is and put it in every communication to your prospects.
By the way… a used copy (it’s been out of print for almost 100 years!) – has sold for as much as $395! If you’re lucky you might be able to find a cheaper copy once in a while by regularly searching http://www.bookfinder.com …