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10 Reasons Competitors Have More Business Than You

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If we hear one thing over and over from small business owners its, “I just need more customers.”  Heard it before 9/11, heard it after, heard it during the housing bubble, now hearing it again.  Here are my 10 Reasons Your Competitors Have More Business Than You:

  1. They hire better people to start with. Its next to impossible to train someone who really doesn’t like people to begin with, to act “nice.”
  2. Their merchandise or service stands apart from the rest.  Whether it is the dry cleaners who automatically fixes zippers, buttons or broken snaps or the lawn service guy who regularly checks outside lights, they do something the other guys don’t.
  3. They understand how they fit into their local marketplace giving appropriate service to their relative product cost.
  4. They know what their products do, how they are better and can tell people in a way that doesn’t trip their “idiot switch.”
  5. They have a website and understand the basics of keywords to drive online traffic to their doors.
  6. They have given up coupons to try to get new people in the door and only reward those on their email or other lists.
  7. They try new things.
  8. They have a retail sales training program that teaches employees how to deliver an experience that stands out from others.
  9. They are profitable.
  10. They don’t keep comparing themselves to others but hold themselves accountable for their actions, choices in products and people they employ.

These are by no means all the reasons but a common thread in many audiences I appear before. What are some of your thoughts?

To learn more about how to grow your business and my book from Wiley & Sons, The Retail Doctor’s Guide To Growing Your Business, visit www.retaildoc.com/guide

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5 Responses to “10 Reasons Competitors Have More Business Than You”

  1. Megy Karydes says:

    I especially like your last point – not comparing your company to others but hold themselves accountable. I absolutely love my work and supporting my South African artisans and my goal is to develop employment opportunities for them by marketing and promoting their gorgeous fair trade jewelry and women’s accessories. How do I do that – by remembering why I started this business in the first place. And, being kind, honest, and reliable are three things I never forget because that is the reason my retailer customers enjoy doing business with me.

    Thanks for the article. It’s a great reminder to concentrate on the things that matter and of which we have control!

    -Megy Karydes, Founder
    World Shoppe
    http://www.World-Shoppe.com

  2. Social comments and analytics for this post…

    This post was mentioned on Twitter by TheRetailDoctor: New post: 10 Reasons Competitors Have More Biz Than You http://bit.ly/d1h1kD

  3. Great list!

    Every retailer should post this and measure where they stand against their competitors. If nothing else, it gives you a working list of where to make improvements.

  4. krishna rao says:

    These are like ten commandments – so good