There is an old saying that no man is an island. Do you believe that adage and also believe it is true for your
business? You should be a believer.
Look around you at the local businesses and see how many are in locations away from others and appear to be thriving. If isolation was good, do you think Malls and strip shopping centers would have cropped up in as many places as they have?
Humans are social animals and we gather in groups for fun, safety and convenience these days but it was for survival of our species in the past.
I’m sure you’ve noticed that you achieve greater success when you make the buying process as easy as possible for your customers. This means that the more decisions your prospect has to make the more of them you will NOT gain as customers.
Many businesses specialize in one tightly themed segment so they are making it easier for their visitors to find exactly what they are seeking. This explosion of highly targeted niches is happening both online and offline.
If you watch the most successful business owners both online and offline, you’ll probably notice they are NOT working their business entirely alone.
In our social networks, we have discovered that small groups have great power as a competitive unit.
Many businessmen are finally waking up to the realization that small groups of like minded business people make great mastermind groups.
These small groups are the most powerful when each participant openly cooperates and shares what they are planning. The other members of the group then either shoots down the idea or they hold a brainstorming session that helps make the original idea pale in comparison.
Most plumbers work alone and wouldn’t think of sharing their ideas with their competitors but imagine the innovations and business enhancements they might develop if they were to work together all year rather than maybe one trade show a year.
Online business owners can cooperate in the same way if they wise up. Imagine the power a group of webmasters would have if they shared what worked, what didn’t, what they were thinking of trying and how they could help each other with social bookmarking.
I think you’d find that by working with 3-5 of the people you consider competitors you’ll each become more profitable and be happier within your business.
I hope this article has helped you see that no
business should be an isolated island any more than a man or woman.
