3 thoughts on “Small Businesses”

  2. There are ways of competing. It can be done. I’m currently managing a retail store (strike 1), located in a mall (strike 2), selling DVDs and Video Games (strike3), with a staff of youngsters (strike 4). So by all current assumptions we should be failing because (a) everybody shops online, (b) malls are dying, (c) everybody streams, and (d) everybody after the Baby Boomers sucks.

    And yet I’ve turned the store into something of a nerd mecca for East Texas. Had my best day yet on Friday in gross sales $, and was up over 70% from last year. Saturday was up over 50% from last year.

    One example of how I compete: I went around to all of my local competitors who sell the same kind of stuff I do and collected business cards. I went to the only place I could find a physical road map, the local Chamber of Commerce, and used it to put together a Geek Guide for the city. My customers from all over East Texas and LA use it to find more stuff they might be interested in that I don’t stock, and as a result our particular niche in the marketplace is growing nicely as new generations come in and craft their own cultural experiences. So I’m trying to grow the pie overall while nevertheless grabbing a larger share for myself through effective competition. I don’t compete with Wal-Mart on their terms, I compete with them on my strengths, things like outstanding customer service where there’s just no comparison. The ability to track things down for customers and get it into their hands. Having extensive nerd knowledge.

    Sure it’s tough for small businesses, and the deck is absolutely stacked against them. That’s when it’s time to go into nimble mammal mode and outcompete the dinosaurs in the niches of opportunity.

    1. Very nice.

      You illustrate a strength you have over the big box stores, the ability to make your own decisions. The manager of a Walmart doesn’t have much autonomy to change marketing.

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