Competitive Advantage: Are You Competing With Starbucks?

Starbucks is in the people business serving coffee and not
in the coffee business serving people.
--John Moore
==============

Cathy is the owner of Norma Jean's Coffee in my town of
Aptos, California.

We met about two weeks ago when Justin and I ducked inside
for an afternoon pick-me-up. Joe for me, Jones Root Beer for
him.

The quaint little shop, located in the Trout Gulch area of
town, it used to be known as Trout Gulch Coffee.

The new name comes from a renovation that is underway
transforming TGC into a James Dean - Marilyn Monroe-esque
coffeehouse / cafe.

Cathy told me it was "Double-or-Nothin' Monday," pointing
to the dice cup on the counter. If I rolled a double, I'd
receive a free coffee drink on my next visit. Sounded
good.

I asked Justin to roll for me as his hands were hot from
rolling successive doubles during a rather spirited
Monopoly game the previous evening.

He shook the black leather and red felt-lined cup back and
forth. He whispered something into the cup and them shook
out the little black-spotted white cubes.

They clickety-clacked across the counter.

Double threes!

Yeah, baby...free coffee next time (and a Root Beer for
Justin)!

====================
The Dreaded "S" Word
====================
While my individually brewed cup of Italian Roast was
filtering at the coffee bar, Cathy and I chatted
about business.

It seems Starbucks is on its way to town in just a few
months. Just across the street from Norma Jean's in fact.
Coincidence? I think not.

Cathy was a bit jittery about it.
I couldn't blame her really.

We talked for about thirty minutes about the issues that
loom to the forefront when a heavy-hitter like Starbucks
or Wal-Mart comes to town.

=========================

Are You Competing With Starbucks?
==========================
This encounter with Cathy got me thinking.
Aren't we all competing with Starbucks?

Each of you reading this ezine has a "Starbucks-like"
competitor. It's the business that, you one day fear,
may put you out ...of business.

How do you compete with a company like that?
I had a lesson about this...

==============
Just Last Week
==============
A good friend emailed me the other day after he
read a post of mine of a forum. My post was about
an upcoming product for BarryMorris.com.

A word about my friend. His name is Mark.
And he's my competition...in a way.

While his target market isn't primarily composed
of freelance commercial writers, he does have
a few of them in his stable of clients. (Including me!)

Back to the email (paraphrased)

"Hi Barry...Just to let you know that I'm coming
out with a similar product in a few weeks and ..."

Now, the old Barry, pre-enlightenment Barry, would
have shaken in his boots right then and there.

He also would have also probably have pulled the plug
on his plans for a new product. Nothing like a little
competition to make me really nervous and full of doubt.

The new Barry, post-being-Mark's-client Barry, was
encouraged by the news. Why the dramatic turnaround?

Because Mark taught me something that I'll never
forget. He taught me how to discover the true
essence of what I provide my own target market.

Deeper than that, it's what makes me truly unique
as a person, as a spiritual being. He calls this
process 'Unveiling your Jewel.'

(Who knew that under this rough exterior, there was
a gem waiting to be unearthed!)

OK, Back to my reaction to Mark's hostile takeover.
;-)

Because I know who I serve and how I serve them,
Mark's news didn't have the impact that it might
have a few months ago.

Mark, being the gentle soul that he is, probably
felt a little unconfortable telling me this news.
But it was because I am a client, that he felt a need
to care for, guide, and protect me. That's how Mark
thinks about his clients.

(I'll share with you Mark's site in a moment.)

But first, how do we react to our own Starbucksian
behemoth moving toward our market share?

===================
Taking on Starbucks
===================
Here's my take on what we all need to do
when faced with the apparent threat of competition.

First of all, realize there is no competition.

Because of my security in knowing who I serve and
that I desire to serve my target market with value
and sincerity, I know there is room for me in this market.

But on a more practical level, in order to coexist
successfully with a major competitor, we need to
know a few things about them:

*Why are they so successful in the first place?
*What business are they really in?
*How can I differentiate myself to serve the same
population?

Let's look at each of these questions.

----------------------------------------------
Why are they so successful in the first place?
----------------------------------------------
In the case of Starbucks, two factors are important:
consistency and uncommon-ality. (Not really a word, but
you get the idea.)

*Consistency*

Everything about your experience inside a Starbucks is
consistent. No matter if your in their Capitola Mall
store in my neck of the woods or one of their 4 stores
in Abu Dabi in The United Arab Emirates, your
experience will likely be the same.

Starbucks Coffee tastes the same the world over.
Do your clients find a consistency that they can count on
each time the buy from you?

*Uncommon-ality*

Truly successful businesses make the common uncommon.
Starbucks made the experience of enjoying a common cup of
coffee uncommon. In-N-Out Burger made the experience of
getting a common hamburger uncommon.

Apple Computer made the common computer uncommon.
The Toyota Prius made the common car uncommon.

Have you articulated what makes your business an uncommon
find amidst a sea of common competitors?

-------------------------------------
What business are they really in?
-------------------------------------
As noted by John Moore above (I recommend his Blog:
http://brandautopsy.typepad.com/brandautopsy/),
Starbucks isn't in the coffee business.

"Starbucks is in the people business serving coffee and not
in the coffee business serving people."

So what business are you really in?

Are you in the copywriting business or are you in the
people business serving word-pictures?

Are you in web design business or are in
people business serving web design?

-------------------------------------------------
How can I differentiate myself to serve the same
population?
-------------------------------------------------
I have an appreciation for fine antiques.
I used to own a typewriter made in 1902.

I refurbished it and even wrote a few college papers on it
in the days before PCs and Macs. I guess I love antiques
because they're unique. Most scream one-of-a-kind.

What we're talking about in this article is really our
Unique Competitive Advantage (UCA).

It's one the reasons that clients seek us. It's what makes
us unique, a one-of-a-kind vendor for our clients.

What makes your business unique? Here's a hint.
It's what's on the inside that makes the difference
on the outside.

What's your unique set of qualties?
What one trait always rise to the top when you
practice your business crafts?

Do you like helping others? Are you a teacher
at heart? Perhaps the pillar of strength?

We all bring our own unique ingredients
to the business banquet.

=================
And It's All Good
=================
Competition is good. It's good for business.
It's good for us as business owners.

"If it wasn't for Starbucks, we wouldn't be able to sell $3
or $4 cups of coffee. They pretty much train the customers.
Then, once they like coffee, they come to other people's
cafes. You can ride that wave."

---- Steve Ranjbin, owner of Rooz Cafe, which is about two
blocks from a Starbucks in Oakland, CA.

What can you do when faced with a big competitor?
Here are my suggestions:

*Constantly watch the competition.*
Find out everything you can about them and use it to
differentiate yourself from them.

*Control your expenses.*
You've got to be lean. Become quicker than your
bulky competitor.

*Offer something unique.*
Get that UCA established and out there. Make sure your
market knows why you're the best choice.

*Capitalize on your strengths.*
Are you faster, more accurate than your larger competitor?
Do you offer more personal service?

Nail down these differences, act upon them, and you, too,
can compete with Starbucks.
-----

I promised you Mark's info.
I recommend Mark's site all the time..even if he's
my own personal "Starbucks!" (Kidding, Mark!)

He's taught me a great deal and continues to do so.
Visit Mark's site here: http://www.HeartofBusiness.com

Subscribe to his free ezine and he'll send you three
chapters from his excellent book, Unveiling the Heart
of Your Business, for F*ree! Such a deal!
http://www.HeartofBusiness.com

Thanks for Reading,

Barry

The Customer Focused Web Site: How To Convert a Laid Back Surfer

ARTICLE:
The Customer Focused Web Site:
How To Convert a Laid Back Surfer
Into a Fanatical Devotee
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
by Barry W. Morris (c) 2006
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
(Insert Surfer dude voice over...)

"Dude, it's totally knarly! I've got a site, ya know?
It gets tons of traffic, but like, dude, I'm not making
as many sales as I'd like. What's up with that, huh?"

OK. Not that kind of surfer. ;-)

"Yesterday I had 1500 hits on my home page, but
made only a few sales, why? Help!"

Sound familiar?

I was corresponding with Teresa, a copywriter
from Connecticut. Her daughter's have a business
web site called Pre-Wrap.com from which they sell
a product called...Pre-Wrap!

Teresa asked me about taking the site to the
next level. As many of you know already, asking me
a loaded question like that means an article is
soon to follow.

================
Like This One!
================
As I told Teresa....

You can generate traffic to any site, but if you
want to convert those casual surfers into return visitors
or paying customers, you'll need to create a
Customer-Focused Web Site (CFWS).

To use a baseball analogy, too many web sites try to
hit a home-run, i.e. close the sale, on the home
page.

It's not a sound strategy. Just ask Barry Bonds of
my hometown SF Giants.

Although every fan in the stadium expects
him to hit a home run each time he comes to the
plate, the odds are overwhelmingly against that
happening.

Likewise, if you're expecting to convert a
visitor into a paying customer or client on your
site's home page, the odds are overwhelmingly
against that occurring as well.

The only time this happens is when you have a
product so specialized, that normal buying
behaviors are redefined: Hyperdemand for the
product and you're the only distributor.

But if your site is like most others, you'll need
to be customer-focused. What does one look like?

The CFWS is easily recognized if you know what to
look for.

Here are just five common components that easily set
them apart and make them more successful in converting
surfers into return visitors and ultimately into paying
customers.

1. Establishing rapport with the target audience.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

My son Justin is ten years old. If he wants to
get my attention, he simply calls my name.
"Dad?" That usually does it. Why? Because it's
my name!

If you want to gain the attention of
your target audience (TA), your home page, and
especially your opening paragraph, must call the
name of your TA.

Consider asking a probing question that
clearly addresses who you serve, their most
pressing issues, and a possible outcome of
the solutions you offer.

"Female athletes! Are you tired of constantly
stopping your game to get your hair under control?
Pre-Wrap can help!"

2. Clearly defining the problem faced by the TA.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

People have problems. They go online in search of
solutions. But most marketers make the mistake of
presenting their solutions without first addressing
the problem.

Why is this important? Discussing the problem helps
your visitor feel that you really understand where
they're coming from. By discussing the painful
issue that brought them to your site, you're
building your credibility as a solution provider
prior to presenting it.

It also further develops the rapport that you
established with your opening on the Home page.
Robert Middleton (www.actionplan.com) is
probably the best in the world at doing this.
Check out his site for examples.

3. Reinforcing solutions with testimonials.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

If you'd had success with your product or
service, the testimonials of your satisfied
customers can go a long way in furthering your
credibility and paving the way for more sales.

Each time I receive a complimentary email, I
immediately reply with a thank you email
and ask permission to use their quote. I've
never had anyone refuse.

Most people are happy to support your business
with a testimonial. What kind of testimonial
works the best?

Those that speak to with specific, quantifiable
results offered by real customers.

"Before Pre-Wrap, I was constantly stopping to
readjust my Scrunchy. The first time I used
Pre-Wrap was the first game I played without
having to worry about my hair."
Suzie Soccer, Mill Valley, CA

4. Providing clear navigational directions.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Some years ago I was in Washington, D.C. on business.
I had a free day and went on a walking tour on my
own. In seven hours, I toured the Lincoln Memorial,
the National Mall, the Vietnam Memorial , the Capitol
Building, the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum, the
Smithsonian Museum of American History, the National
Portrait Gallery, and the Ford's Theater Museum.

Boy, did my feet hurt that night!

There's no way I could have done all that without a
clear path to follow. Knowing my next destination
was crucial to seeing it all within the time limit
available.

When a visitor comes to your site, do you provide
clear directions? Are you a friendly tour guide making
sure that your visitors see all the right things
or are you leaving them on their own to poke around
and then leave unsure of the reason for their visit?

Sadly, most sites don't provide adequate navigation.
They display a row of buttons or links and call it
navigation, but at best, it's a laundry list of options
that provide the visitor with little value.

Your visitor needs to be directed and guided.
As the site host, you know what you'd like your
visitor to ultimately do. Why not tell them?

I call this your most desired outcome (MDO).

For some it may be purchasing a product. For others,
it's calling you on the phone, or clicking on a link
to subscribe to a publication.

The MDO can only be achieved if the visitor
is guided through the pages that establish rapport, reduce
risk, represent your solution, and finally provide an
effective call to action.

5. Providing a strong call to action.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Without an offer and a call to action, there is
little hope that your visitor will be converted
into a return visitor or a paying customer.

An effective call to action reminds the visitor
of their problem, why what they've tried hasn't
worked, and why your solution will. It then provides
an incentive to act sooner rather than later.

"If you try our Pre-Wrap by (insert date), we'll
pay the shipping to anywhere in the continental
US and 50% off International shipping!"

==============
Final Thoughts
==============
There are certainly many more elements in a customer
focused web site that will aid you in converting
laid back surfer dudes into customers than have been
presented here.

This week, take a good look at your site.
Is it customer-focused? Are you customer-focused
or self-focused?

Here's a quick way to find out.
Read your home page and asnwer this question:

"Who do you mention first; your TA or you?"

That simple litmus test will tell you whether or
not your site needs some attention.

Thanks for reading,

Barry

Get Slightly Famous - Part III: Your Brand - The Soul of Your Company

========================================
**The Spotlight**
Weekly Lessons in Attracting More
Attention To Your Business
August 2, 2006 Edition
========================================

Dr. Barry W. Morris, Editor
Visit My Site:
http://BarryMorris.com

========================================
1) This Week's Article:

Getting Slightly Famous: Part III
Your Brand: The Soul of Your Company


2) NEW Resources for Your Business
========================================

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============================================
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============================================
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You will if you enroll in the Strategies for
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--------------------------------------------
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===========================================

And now for this week's article...

==================================
Getting Slightly Famous! Part III
Your Brand: The Soul of Your Company
==================================
Question: What do The Rolling Stones, Oprah,
Dr. Phil, and Paris Hilton all have in common?

Answer: They all need serious therapy. Kidding.
In fact, all are great example of the power of a
personal brand.

Each is synonymous with an intangible quality
that drives their brand. You might call them
perpetual branding machines!

Ever see an episode of Dr. Phil or Oprah and not see
raving fans in the audience? Doesn't happen.

Have you seen the Stones live in concert? There isn't a passive
fan in the stadium. Fifty-thousand screaming heads...minimum.

And what about Paris Hilton. It's a good thing most
cameras are digital these days, because the paparazzi would
have tapped the global silver reserves if traditional
film were being used.

Like 'em or not, each member of the Branding Hall of Fame
above have a fanatical following.

==================================
Create a Brand, Create a Following
==================================
Branding your business can produce tangible effects
like greater loyalty, raving fans, increased site
traffic, more money flowing into your pockets, etc.

That's one of the powerful effects of personal brand.
It creates a stir. It makes you memorable.

It's safe to say that it's the soul of your business.
"Your brand holds your entire slightly famous
marketing strategy together," writes Steven Van
Yoder is his book, Get Slightly Famous.

It sends a deliberate message that encompasses all
aspects of your business: your products, your mission,
your customer service, everything.

Sounds pretty darned important, this branding thing, huh?
You betcha.

And whether or not you choose to "brand" (rare verb form),
you've got one. Whatever perception exists around your
business....that's your brand. Like it or not.

It's the soul of your business. It's there.
Even if you've not lifted a finger in order to
establish it, your brand is working.

But, is it working for or against you?
If you've positioned your business as suggested
in the two previous articles in this series, chances are
pretty good that your brand is working for you.


If you're in the camp of readers who are saying,
"Brand? What brand,", then it's safe to say yours
isn't working out so great.

Bottom line: If you've got a brand, why not make it
work a little harder?

===================================
It's Your Brand, Make it Work
===================================
Not long ago I saw a commercial on television for
a financial institution. A guy walks into this
living room to sees a bunch and dollar bills working out
to an exercise video on the TV.

The tag line goes something like: "It's your money;
Why not make it work a little?"

OK, so you've got a brand.
What can you do to make it work for you?

A few things come to mind....

1. Make it Relevant
A brand has got to stand for something. It's got to convey
a certain amount of meaning to your target market to be relevant.
Make it reflect the total experience of doing business with you.

2. Make it Consistent
A brand works for you when your clients know what you're
going to deliver in terms of product, services, or identity.
Whenever I walk into Starbucks (you know I do this a lot),
I can be assured of the taste of the product, its packaging,
and the customer service with which it's delivered.
That's consistency in branding.

3. Become the Brand
You have a tremendous responsibility to your customers
to become as knowledgeable as possible about your area
of expertise. You owe it to them. Become the knowledge
source for your target market and your brand will work
overtime in attracting the right clients to your business.

But you can also make it personal.

=================
The Brand Is You
=================
Personality branding is perhaps the most powerful
kind of branding for a small business.

Steven Van Yoder says:
"It's a strategy that showcases your personality and
equates it with your business to produce an emotional
bond with your prospects."

And he's right.
When you put a human face on your business, it creates
an emotional link with your prospects and your existing
clients. It softens your appeal.

Instead of being "Copywriting Strategy Associates," which
sounds pretty scary to me, I chose my own name for my
business and for my web site. After all, last time I checked,
mine was still the only name on the mailbox.

Personality branding allows your prospects and clients to
glimpse the you behind the company. On my web site, I post
a personal glimpse into my life on the About Me page. It's
posted for a reason.

I want my personality, the Barry-behind-the-BarryMorris.com
to be real and personable. I do this in support of my own
personal brand.

Some web sites that do a good job of personality branding are
run by colleagues of mine:
1. www.adamkayce.com
Adam's personality shines through on every page.
2. www.letsdothework.com
Mona's personality also is evident on each page.
3. www.heartofbusiness.com
Mark's highly personal communication style mirrors
his personality.
4. www.psychotactics.com
Sean D'Souza...zany, witty, did I mention zany?

=============
Final Thoughts
==============
In it's simplest terms, your brand is the perception
that your target market holds of you and your business.

Your brand is something that exists whether you want
it to or not. That it exists, is a given.
What you make of it, remains your choice.

In this article we've seen examples of how a brand
makes a promise. It promises that you will deliver
in terms of quality and service.

Branding your business with your own personality
forges an emotional link between you and your target
market. This link creates trust.

Trust is the very foundation of every successful business.

=-=-=-=-

Next week we'll talk about strategies for
attracting media attention!

Until then, thanks for reading!

Barry


P.S. As always, you can shoot me a response, a criticism,
even a compliment ;-) here: Barry@BarryMorris.com

============================
RESOURCES FOR YOUR BUSINESS:
============================
The Web Leads Generation Teleclass
BarryMorris.com
----------------------------------
Is your web site generating enough leads?
This 90-minute mp3 file teaches you everything
you need to know about putting together a web
site that helps generate leads and qualify prospects.
For more information, check this out:
http://barrymorris.com/web_strategies.html


Info Guru Marketing Manual
Action Plan Marketing
-----------------------------------------------
Barry's Note: Marketing your small business can be
like walking through a maze. What I like about this
resource is that Robert takes you by the hand and
leads you, step-by-step, from knowing zilch about
marketing to knowing how best to market your solo
venture. It comes with down-loadable audio files that
you can refer to again and again. I purchased this
complete How-To manual over two years ago and I still
use it...every day. Details here:
http://tinyurl.com/av5ur

======================================
About This Ezine and Your Subscription
======================================

©2005-2006 Barry W. Morris. All Rights Reserved.

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Dr. Barry W. Morris, author of A Copywriter's Dream Business:
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Check out Barry's site: http://BarryMorris.com.

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