INSIDER ACCESS
A Little-Known Secret To Gain A Significant Competitive Advantage And Erase Fee Resistance For Your MSP
There was a time when coffee was simply coffee . Today , there ’ s no such thing as a “ coffee .” There are umpteen choices of beans , brew , milk options , sizes , and add-ons . When I was a kid , the only options were cream and sugar , decaf or regular . Today ? What region of beans do you want ? Do you want drip ? A pourover ? Press ? Espresso ? Cuban ? Would you like an extra shot ? Double shot ? Extra hot ? Foam ? No foam ? Whip ? Cinnamon ? Syrup ? One , two , or three pumps ? Then you have milk options : Full-fat ? Fat-free ? Almond milk ? Oat ? Half-and-half ? You need a degree just to place an order . But that ’ s only half the story . Starbucks happens to sell coffee , but that wasn ’ t the original business plan . Schulze correctly predicted the market demand of the “ third place ,” a location between home and work where you could stop and chat , meet with friends , and fraternize — something he witnessed when visiting Europe . Unsophisticated marketers think he ’ s in the coffee business , when that ’ s the least of what he does .
Let ’ s look at another favorite coffee marketer of mine that is the anti-Starbucks : Black Rifle Coffee . They ’ re a veteran-owned and operated coffee delivery roaster that uniquely combines ardent support of the 2nd Amendment and our troops — and coffee . What do coffee and guns have to do with each other ? Absolutely nothing , except to stand for something to stand out from competitors and secure a very loyal following of repeat members . Back in 2017 , when Starbucks pledged to hire 10,000 refugees , Black Rifle pledged to hire 10,000 veterans . They routinely put out funny videos , emails , and promotions that would make any liberal ’ s blood boil , and they delight in it . Is their coffee any better than Starbucks ’ coffee ? Is it the best you can buy ? That , of course , is an argument that cannot be won because it ’ s based on personal preference and opinion . What I can tell you is that they are one of the fastest-growing coffee sellers in the U . S ., so someone likes them . However , I would argue that it ’ s not the coffee that got them there . What they STAND FOR is what gets people interested and buying . That sentence is worth reading again . Lots to be learned here .
The reality is that we live in a marketplace that is grossly saturated with choices made up of thousands of companies all floating in a GIANT “ sea of sameness .” Thanks to Amazon , not to mention the dozens of apps for shopping , delivery , price comparison , etc ., nobody needs anything anymore , and searching for options to buy anything — from socks to IT
support — is as easy as a 10-second Google search complete with online reviews , a map to your location , details about you and your employees ( LinkedIn ), and any number of other pieces of information a buyer might want to know about you . Right next to you , however , are dozens of competitors saying roughly the same thing . A ridiculous number of choices .
So the big question is this : HOW do you compete in THIS environment where nothing is in short supply ( except for common sense )? It ' s simple : Stop selling “ stuff .” For the most part , many businesses are still stuck in the mode of selling goods and services . If they have any marketing savvy at all , they ’ re advertising “ the same stuff , but better .” That argument leads directly to price competition , and the easier it is for someone to replicate what you do , the less someone is willing to pay top dollar for it . Further , once you develop a competitive advantage by offering something unique , it ’ s only a matter of time before your competition catches on and matches your offer . Bed Bath & Beyond will take any competitor ’ s coupon and honor it . For years , Walmart guaranteed to meet or beat any competitor ’ s pricing . Mattress stores , airlines , hotels , and Best Buy do the same .
A better approach to marketing and true differentiation is this : Be FOR someone and link your product or service to something bigger , bolder , and more important than just the functional aspects of what you do .
Rolex isn ’ t selling watches any more than Tesla is selling cars . The Saint Laurent purse selling for $ 2,900 isn ’ t 1,000 times more valuable or better made than a purse selling for $ 29 at Target , but the women who buy the Saint Laurent purse aren ’ t buying a purse ; they ’ re buying a feeling of superiority . The same goes for a man who buys an Aston Martin or Bugatti . They aren ’ t buying transportation . They ’ re buying a statement , a feeling of power , and admiration . In some cases , it ’ s a giant middle finger to their haters .
Harvard and Columbia University aren ’ t selling a college education , and their education won ’ t give its students a guaranteed path to success in life . BUT the parents who pay the bill get to brag to friends and family that their kid is going to Harvard or Columbia .
So , what does this have to do with selling IT services ? These services are , after all , not a luxury item like the aforementioned examples . But like the Black Rifle Coffee example , you can differentiate and secure a loyal following
8 | MSPSUCCESSMAGAZINE . COM • VOLUME 2 ISSUE 1