20 years ago, Paul Pilzer said monopolies are impossible because markets have no corners. It’s true. No matter what your competition is, there is always a way over, under, around, behind.
Whatever you face, a solution exists.
The solution could be to abandon your current assumptions and embrace something new.
The solution could be to stop chasing shiny metal objects and commit to something.
But there is a solution. You only need one thing to find a solution: You need to ask yourself the right question.
This past Thursday, a client from Michigan was in my office telling me about a business he started last fall which has already sold $157,000 to date. Ships physical products. Good start.
He’s still a tiny player in his market and he’s way behind in the SEO department.
I asked him if it might be possible to buy out another website in his market who has good SEO. We hunted. Another guy at the Intensive discovered that the #1 site in this category – which has a GREAT domain name – is currently not accepting orders because the owner is battling health problems.
It’s not at all difficult to envision a situation that would be highly advantageous to everyone. Regardless of who decides to play ball with him, our friend from Michigan will probably be a major force in that market by the end of the year.
A client from Queensland Australia was having success with software he sells for $99. Within an hour we crafted a plan to convert it to Software-As-A-Service and re-position it to sell *instant* results to people who are having a major crisis. It becomes 3X easier to use than any information product on that subject. Instant gratification.
*Are you asking yourself the right questions?
*Are you surrounding yourself with people who ask you great questions?
*Do they challenge you to the depths of your soul to be the very best you can be?
Perry
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About the Author
Perry Marshall has launched two revolutions in sales and marketing. In Pay-Per-Click advertising, he pioneered best practices and wrote the world's best selling book on Google advertising. And he's driven the 80/20 Principle deeper than any other author, creating a new movement in business.
He is referenced across the Internet and by Harvard Business Review, The New York Times, INC and Forbes Magazine.
5 Comments on “There's *always* a superior way. Always….”
I’m trying to get my head around what questions I should be asking myself for my business Footy Boots. Any pointers Perry?
Great point Perry. One can only get so far soul searching and contemplating one’s navel. At some point you must emerge from your man cave and seek the advice of experts.
You will probably quadruple the guys info product business by creating a service for those in need of a “get it done now, get it done right” solution. Not to mention a real service gets you a pat on the back by the quality score police.
Sometimes it’s good to see your final outcome before you make the next move. Just make up your mind that you will achieve it.
We get caught up in conventions so easily…
For instance, Microsoft Windows seems like the only way to use a computer.
But there is Linux and Mac.
I’m sure there are other systems.
At some point Facebook seemed nothing next to MySpace… Look at what’s happening now!
So yeah, once you’re focused, you’ll definitely find a solution.
Great post!
Truth be told, I don’t think that I ask myself the right questions because I always seem to find myself in a bind. I appreciate the article because it reminds me to not take life as it comes to me (although I am a tremendously hard worker) but to design life by asking good questions.
Theres always a superior way…
Exquisite newsletter!!
Clap clap!