The secret to killing your competition

The term beach head comes from war. It is a defended position on a beach taken from an enemy by landing forces from which an attack can be launched.

Business is war. Everyday competitors try to take each others clients.  The war becomes bloody unless someone has a  clear strategic advantage.

In the past strategic advantages were created by being the first to advertise to the masses. Procter and Gamble proved with their brands how to create the beach head through the usage of mass media. And today the list is seemingly endless. Look at this picture for a sample size of P&G's products.

If terrorists have taught us anything, you never fight a war head on against a war machine. So what do terrorists do? They use guerrilla warfare. They attack their competitor in ways that would never be expected.

Fighting big companies like P&G head on would be insane. Yet through guerrilla warfare, you can carve out a beach head unknown to your competitor and take a few customers at a time.

Today carving out a beach head is easier than ever before. Mass media used to be the way to get your brand well known. It's only good today if you have the same amount of money that the big advertisers have. They established their beach head and built a fortified city around it. You ain't getting in.

So don't play that game.

Beach heads are found in virgin pastures. Look at your industry and research what no one else is willing to do. Then go do it.

If you own a daycare and no one is advertising on radio, you have your opportunity.
If you own a massage therapy clinic and no one is saying anything remarkable, be bold.
If you own a garbage removal business, and your competitors don't measure cleanliness of its employees, you know what you need to do. Then figure out how to measure it.
If you own a convenience store and no one is offering "old time, customer service values", then you get back to the basics.
If you own a restaurant and no one is using fresh, local products, then you use only fresh local products.
If you own a caulking company and no one has a cool name, you call your company "The Mother Caulkers".
If you own a yoga studio and no one is doing anything remarkable, you offer speed dating at the end of the yoga session because guys are checking out the girls anyways.
If you own a pet supply store you set up displays of dog food like they do in grocery stores.
If you own a coaching business, you offer free clinics to youth sport organizations for their volunteer coaches.

I can go on all day. Nothing is ever won by doing it the way your competitors are doing it. You have to create a beach head in an area where your enemies aren't expecting. Once you do that, the marketing takes care of itself.

Most small businesses have not figured out how to effectively market themselves online. They think a Facebook page, a twitter and linkedin account is what they need to do. The beach head cannot be found there because most competitors are already there.

Where's your beach head?

It's exactly where no one will expect you to be.

Go claim it. The world is waiting for your greatness to show up.