The second step is to choose one of the things on your list where you can excel- exceeding your customers’ expectation and performing better than your competition. That’s your point of differentiation; the single most important story you want your marketing message communicating.

Now you are ready for your purple cow. Seth Godin’s bestselling book, “Purple Cow,” is based on the premise of a family driving through Wisconsin on vacation. The thrill of seeing dairy farms fades after the children have seen a number of them. Then they see one with a purple cow and their attention spikes. They have to stop and see it first hand, and the parents have to admit that they want to see it too. They pull off at the next exit, circle back and head straight to that dairy farm. It’s easy to find, because of its purple cow, and once there the kids want to buy the purple cow milk in the farm’s store. Then, when the vacation is over, everyone tells their friends about the purple cow they saw.

What is your business’ Purple Cow? What is it that makes you remarkable, the thing people remark about because it stands out from every other alternative? For Harley Davidson it’s that well known sound; for John Deere it is that distinctive green and yellow color scheme; for the Town of Tryon it’s Morris; for The Gorge it’s the steepest zip line adventure in the United States; for Be Kind Solution it’s their all natural bio-based soaps; for Bi-Lo it’s their cents-off gas discount. What’s your business’ purple cow? Is it a unique product or service, a guarantee, a unique look or something else that your customers want that you excel at? Identify it and make sure you boldly and proudly communicate it where people will see it.

Marketing is identifying what your customers want, what you do better than your competition and doing it with an unbridled passion to be the best. If your business has that, the media vehicle you use to tell your story is secondary.

If you would like help with this process, or other aspects of your established or start-up business, the volunteers at SCORE are available to help.

SCORE, which is supported by the US Small Business Administration, is a nationwide network of over 12,000 experienced volunteer executives offering free assistance to small businesses looking for mentoring, counseling, tools and workshops. You can read about SCORE at www.score.org. The Polk County Chapter of SCORE can be reached at 828-859-5456.

SCORE in cooperation with the Tryon Daily Bulletin will provide monthly articles on various business topics. We encourage you to send in requests for future topics by emailing SCORE at scorepolkcounty@gmail.com.

If you would like to set up a mentoring session with a representative you may also send the request to this email address. SCORE can also be reached at 828-859-5456.

-article submitted by Don Hofmann