One of my favorite TV shows of all time is Seinfeld. One of my favorite episodes is “The Soup Nazi”. Remember him? The Soup Nazi had a tiny take out spot that only had three or four soups to choose from. He was best known for his strict regimen that he constantly demanded of his patrons. Have exact change, move through line swiftly, and NO questions.
The Soup Nazi….
- Had a niche
- Knew what made him different
- Had an outstanding product
- Didn’t get caught up in all of the other things he could do: Sandwich Nazi, Coffee Nazi, Bread Pudding Nazi
Conversely, I am often inundated by all types of consultants, i.e. business coaches, accountants, insurance agents, bankers, candlestick makers, attorneys, payroll companies, benefits specialists, financial advisors, etc., that “Would like to meet with me to see if we have the opportunity to partner together and leverage our resources.”
- When I ask them who their target is, it is anyone who owns a business.
- When I ask them what makes them different it is their price, quality, experience, and blah, blah, blah.
- When I ask them about their core product or service, they are so excited to let me know they have 28 specialty products and services.
- When I ask them who wouldn’t be a good customer they say, “uh, well, hmm, mumble, mumble, good fit, mumble, mumble.”
They look, walk, talk, sound, and even dress like everyone else in their profession. And that means there is no particular reason for me to work with them or direct any of my clients their way.
So who do you want to be?
- A general handyman or a Restaurant Maintenance Guy
- A regular clothing store or a Men’s Consignment store
- A run-of-the-mill insurance agent or a Construction Policy Guru
I know which one the Soup Nazi would be.