People often inquire with me whether or not I have the ability to do X or Y. Sometimes I tell them I don’t do either, and that my specific specialty is Z. They look at me perplexed and usually say “But isn’t Y almost the same as Z?” and my response is “Yes it is, “almost”. But it is different. I am not a Y specialist, I am a Z specialist.”
When I am not busy (which happens every third Tuesday of the month), I can dabble in Y. For me Y is web design and coding. My “Z” specialty is online marketing and social networking. Many non-industry professionals assume that online marketing is web design, or that social networking is sales. The truth of the matter is that these are apples and oranges. Yet for the most part, even industry experts fail to realize the difference of apples and oranges.
Too many times I have spoke at a conference amongst “competitors” who were ready and willing to fight tooth and nail for each and every project they heard about. Rather than accept they had superior niche expertise with “apples”, they also wasted time fighting for the “orange” projects too.
As someone who understands social networks, one of the strengths of a community group like ActiveRain is that you will find that even one-hundred professionals in the same industry each have a beautiful and specific niche talent. They may all be web designers, but Giannina may be a saint when it comes to branding design and Kelly may be phenomenal when it comes to corporate identity. Is there a difference between branding and corporate identity? There is when you ask someone who knows what they are doing.
The same holds true in my line of work. When I first came to Biznik there were several members (Israel Rothman and Dominic Canterbury) that other individuals told me I was competitive with. I thought “That’s news to me, I’m a Z guy. They do W!”
If truth be told- I’m sure Israel, Dominic, and myself could go toe to toe on some like-minded projects. Both of them are very smart guys. Yet because they are smart, they realize that if we all stick to our perspective niches the other guy can never come close. I can refer business to either of them when it is not my specialty, simply because I make a better living focusing on my true area of expertise.
When dealing with clients this is an invaluable lesson. Many times the most common objection is “Why can’t I just do it myself?” The answer to that is very basic. No matter what my client’s industry is, I am assuming they are a specialist in the industry.
When I talk to a potential client who asks me that question, I break it into one basic train of thought for them.
- If I need a house. I get a real estate agent.
- If I need a tumor out of my head. I get a brain surgeon.
- If I need a water leak fixed. I get a plumber.
- If I need to grow an online network. I get a social networking expert.
If I don’t follow this logic… and “do it myself”
- My house falls apart. I buy a lemon. The lead in the paint gives me cancer.
- My IQ drops 45 points. I find dirt funny. I may even die.
- My cherished family photos get wet and my bedroom smells like mold.
- My business goes spiraling downward, and my next business consultant is a bankruptcy lawyer.
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