I received a piece of stupid-tising (short for stupid advertising) in the mail today.
It was promoting a commercial real estate company and the face of the card was covered with little thumbnails showing the wide variety of property the company had available for lease.
Phooey.
How are all those little thumbnails supposed to capture people’s attention? They won’t!
This is just one manifestation of the idea that “to get more business, offer a larger variety of things. Spread out. Diversify.”
Nope.
To get more business, focus.
There is far more joy in being a big fish in a small pond than a small fish in a big pond.
Niche companies prosper.
The other day, the band broke on my nice old Seiko watch. I went to my local jeweler. That jeweler sells watches, diamonds, sterling, crystal. Do you know how many 17mm watch bands they had in stock (let alone one that matched my watch)?
None.
Where did I go to find a replacement?
Watchbands.com. They had an exact match, proven by model number and four photographs.
Byrd’s Law #14: To increase your business, FOCUS.