TWO ENTREPRENEURS EACH OPENED A BAR.
THE FIRST had worked in the city’s biggest bar for 3 years but thought he could do it better. He built a bar that was almost identical, but his beer was a few pence cheaper. He wanted to delight his customers, so when someone said he should serve food, he did. When someone asked for a juke box, he bought one. When someone else suggested a pool table, he had one brought in. In the end no-one knew what it was. A bar, a pool hall or a restaurant. His former employer dropped their prices to match his. He went bust.
THE SECOND opened a sports bar. It was the only one for 50 miles. There was a big screen in each bar, but his beer wasn’t cheap. He wanted to delight his customers, so when someone asked for a jukebox, he said: “No we’re a sports bar”. When someone else suggested a pool table, he said: “No we’re a sports bar”. When someone asked him to turn the volume down so they could talk he said: “No we’re a sports bar”. He annoyed lots of people. They never came back. But the local sports fans made it their home.
You don’t beat the market leader by doing what they do. You beat them by doing what you do. Don’t be better, be different.
