Yesterday, I met with a customer who was struggling to keep up with their rental equipment payments. They ran a café in a food court and, in an attempt to draw more customers, they tried offering a little bit of everything: Different types of Asian cuisine, Turkish cuisine, Indian Cuisine and an upmarket coffee offer. This approach resulted in a confused business with an unclear brand, delivering a menu that was inefficient with a high labour cost to produce.
Meanwhile, every other business in the food court focused on one or two specialties and excelled at them, drawing in loyal customers.
This scenario is a perfect illustration of why focus in business is crucial. Trying to be everything to everyone often results in doing nothing particularly well. Customers value clarity and quality. They want to know what you’re best at and trust that you’ll deliver it consistently.
When a business focuses on its core strengths, it not only hones its skills but also builds a clear brand identity. Customers know what to expect, and the business can refine its processes, reduce waste, and deliver a superior product or service. In contrast, trying to cater to every possible preference dilutes quality and confuses potential customers.
When trading or economic conditions worsen, businesses often get forced into to trying new methods and tactics to reduce costs and increase revenue, this is often when the danger of moving away from your brand and what you de best is most present.
The lesson here is simple but powerful: stick to your knitting. Stay in your lane and excel at what you do best. It’s better to be known for one excellent thing than to be forgotten for trying to do everything.