Know What You’re Good at and Play to Your Strengths

What type of work do you think you are the best at doing? What type of work are you trying to be best at? Take a good look at your business and identify the types of clients, and the types of work that allow you to perform to your best ability. Then identify what you are not good at. For me I’ve finally figured out that I’ll never be able to drive that short par 4 at our course. I’m over it.

Here’s the exercise for you. Go through your account list, start with your largest client, and work your way down. Next to each client, add an A if the work you do for them allows you to be your best. When you get to a client that the work doesn’t always fit, or the relationship is difficult, add a B next to it.

Continue to go through your list. When you are complete, look at all the clients that have an A and ask yourself: Who else should I be calling on that looks like them? And, how can I grow this type of business? Now move to any of the clients that you’ve added a B next to, and ask yourself, “Why am I still calling on these folks?”

I’m not saying that selecting only the A clients to work with is easy, not even close. I see customer lists that are made up of clients the printer enjoys working with and it’s a positive business relationship with the client. And then there are those clients they feel they have to work with. What I am suggesting is that you have a choice. You have a choice to work with clients that are a good fit, and the results are a win-win relationship. Re-think your offering. You are not a public utility that has to work with everyone that comes knocking on your inbox.

What’s the outcome of going down this path? You do the work that you can be the best at with clients that you bring value to that they appreciate. These clients are happy to pay you for this and it makes doing business much easier. Not a bad gig.

Learning from, and leveraging your strengths is one way to grow your business without re-inventing the wheel each time you want to add a new client. You are already doing great things for your best customers. Learn from this. Double down on what you know about their markets and find others like them. This isn’t rocket surgery, but it does require discipline and a clear path to what you want, and what you don’t want. Without this, anything with a heartbeat looks like a good prospect – not the case, and you can do better than that.

These are some ideas that I think are important, but what’s working for you? What are some of the ways that you’re leveraging your competitive advantage in the marketplace every time you step up to the plate? Please add your thoughts and comments below.

Mike Philie can help validate what’s working and what may need to change in your business. Changing the trajectory of a business is difficult to do while simultaneously operating the core competencies. Mike provides strategy and insight to ambitious owners and CEOs in the Graphic Communications Industry by providing direct and realistic advice, not being afraid to voice the unpopular opinion and helping leaders navigate change through a common sense and practical approach. Learn more at www.philiegroup.com, LinkedIn or email at mphilie@philiegroup.com.