SBTM May 2015 Anthony Ford | Page 32

»Continued From Page 22 How to Dominate Your Market and Get Rich in the Niche Harley-Davidson doesn’t try to be the least expensive bike around.  They have created such an experience around riding a motorcycle that people are willing to pay a high price to own one.  Recently, we held a leadership retreat in Colorado Springs and a couple that are in our coaching program rode their Harley all the way from Florida.  They built a 17day vacation around the event.  I went outside to see their bike and the husband was beaming as he showed it off.  It had a nice trailer and he explained how it was top-of-theline and how it had all the bells and whistles.  “How much have you got in this bike?” I asked.   “Sixty-five grand,” he responded.  He explained that the trailer had to be custom painted to match the bike and so on.  What makes your company unique? One way small business owners advertise their company is how they do their work.  Other than price, what could possibly be wrong with this?  Let’s look and see. Let’s say that Sue Smith is a CPA.  When Sue introduces herself at a net- working group, it will usually sound something like this, “Hi, I’m Sue Smith with 1-2-3 Accounting Firm and we do taxes.  If you need anything dealing with taxes, just give us a call.  We do everything from soup to nuts from A to Z; you name it, we can do it.  If you need anything, just give me a call.” Isn’t it true that just about every time you hear someone introduce themselves or you see an advertisement for a company nothing stands out that makes them unique and different? The problem is that everyone is saying the same thing.  So if you do the same thing, why should people choose you over another company?  Why should they pay you a higher price?  They shouldn’t.  This big mistake is repeated over and over by small business owners worldwide, every single day.  In today’s competitive marketplace, it is not enough to just tell what you do or to just describe the features and benefits of what you do. Next month, I will continue to explore how you can dominate your market by sharing a personal story that demonstrates how creating a unique experience for your customers, clients, or patients means you can charge more. SBT »Continued From Page 28 Financial Astrology for May 2015 AQUARIUS (January 21 - February 19) Be cautious of being lost in the illusion of love and the delusion of finances. You are being influenced by Mercury, reckless Mars, and the overly optimistic Sun. The Sun in your romance zone and Neptune in your income zone will be square and creating obstacles in your path on the 9th, 25th, and 31st. Remember, no matter how much you love, it will not replace all that you are spending and you may break the bank. PISCES (February 20 - March 20) Pisces is already extremely romantic and a fire will be lit with seductive Venus in your love zone. Venus is in a square and putting up obstacles in your path with Uranus in your income zone on the 25th and creating great problems in your bank balance. It is not too late to make preparations for the hit on your bank account. SBT Christi Ruiz is a business, spiritual, and intuitive life coach. She uses her skills to assist with one’s success in real estate, business, and personal matters. In addition, Christi’s many years of experience working for banks and mortgage companies gives her an extra edge in understanding the world of finance. You can contact Christi by phone at 713-773-0333-O or at 281-904-2658-C. Her website is www.christisportals.com and her email addresses are [email protected] and [email protected]. »Continued From Page 29 Recognizing the Value of Celebration - Part 2 Stay tuned next month for Part 3 of Value of Celebration. I will tie together all the threads of Part 1 and Part 2 by approaching Celebration from a “Howto” perspective. You will see that celebration, when embraced and practiced regularly with commitment and skill, is pivotal to achieving peak performance in life, the key to generating wealth in all of its forms! SBT Based in Houston, Texas, Kim Sawyer is a highly respected executive coach, business facilitator, and engaging professional speaker. To find out more about Kim’s firm, theWeathSource, visit his website at www.theWealthSource.com. You can also contact Kim by email at [email protected].   Howard Partridge, President of Phenomenal Products, Inc. and International Business Coach, is the author of 7 Secrets of a Phenomenal L.I.F.E. and 5 Secrets of a Phenomenal Business.  Get a Free CD that reveals the 5 Secrets of a Phenomenal Business by visiting his website at www.HowardPartridge.com/SBT. 30 SMALL BUSINESS TODAY MAGAZINE [ MAY 2015 ]