I've read some of the latest marketing books. The authors mostly advocate specializing as a way of limiting competition, plus to draw in more prospects.
I specialize in fishing equipment. Unfortunately, Wal-Mart sells products for prices that are about what it costs from my supplier. I know I shouldn't try to compete on price because it's a weak foundation and Wal-Mart will be able to beat everytime.
But how can I compete when people are more apt to go for the lowest prices?
Re: Wal-Mart is catching my customers Author: Dennis S. Vogel
Hi:
Here's some ideas for you.
You can do joint ventures with boat dealers in which your products would be a purchase bonus or may be they would recommend you as their official fishing equipment supplier.
You can have a contest for best fish story in two categories, true and false. This could attract attention.
This may work with fishing jokes too.
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One year when the Green Bay Packers and the Chicago Bears weren't in the play-offs, the coaches decided to have an ice fishing contest.
Each of the 3 days, the teams were fishing the Packers caught fish, but the Bears didn't catch any.
At the press conference afterward, the Bears accused the Packers of cheating. They took reporters to the Packers' fishing shack and pointed to the hole the Packers cut in the ice.
The Bears showed all of the ice they caught compared to the Packers, who only caught fish.
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Post pictures of people with their fish.
Invite people to come and discuss fishing in a group setting.
Have somebody you know and trust, who won't be recognized as being connected with you go to Wal-Mart to find out how much/little W-M employees know about fishing. S/he may need to do this a few times to meet the various people who cover that department.
Sometimes, that's all the employees do, they're assigned to cover a few departments at a time, so they probably don't know much about any of them.
Be sure you have a strong Unique Selling Proposition. It can be similar to -
"Do you know how when you go to the sporting goods department in a big discount store the employees grab a flyswatter when you talk about flies? At Fishstory LLC, we know the local fishing conditions and can recommend the right equipment so you can catch what you want."
Get a free web site if you don't already have a site and a message board like this one for your customers and prospects.
Establish yourself as the local authority with fisher-people and the press. If an issue about fishing comes up, submit your opinion by phone or by sending a good, crisp press release. There are plenty of books and articles about publicity and press releases. Ask at a library or book store.
Ask about having a fishing column in the local newspaper or a feature spot on a radio/TV station.
If you have more questions, please post them.
Thank you for using my blog. Please let me know if I should clarify anything.
Copyright 2016 Dennis S. Vogel All rights reserved.
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