Pinterst is a new social sharing site where as they say “you organise and share what you love.”
It is a specialist site so they do not have to worry about Facebook and Google + as competitors.
One look at the site and you know that it is ideal sharing visuals such as crafts, food, and photography. It is not for everyone.
They have capitalised on a growing trend of sharing, but importantly tapping into visuals and you know the saying about the worth of a picture.
On a completely different tack is Paul’s Famous Hamburgers which started in business in 1957.
Their specialty is hamburgers and many of their regular customers over generations regard them as the best hamburgers.
They have thrived even with the onslaught of fast food chains.
Read the story and you will see that by specialising they operated the way they wanted and not what is normally done. And be sure to check out the gallery which shows customers lining up in the street.
Apart from specialising both embrace simplicity.
What can we learn from these two examples?
Secure The Base
If you have a speciality that is your base then it is a lot easier to build from. The wider the base the harder it is to have focus and clarity.
The more services you add under the one brand name the harder it is for your customers to know what your specialty is.
And to build a profitable business.
Let Go Of The Fear
Sometimes I call this trying to hedge your bets. You can be fearful if you specialise that you won’t get enough business.
It is like throwing it out there and hoping something will stick and make sales.
This is often caused by not doing real homework to identify the best option that has the most demand.
Once you clarify all aspects the pieces have a tendency to fall into place such as your positioning.
Embrace Both Passion And Profit
You often see articles about follow your passion and success will follow. That is true in one sense however and yes this rather practical but there has to be money in it.
The sweet spot is finding the intersection between the two. Indentifying your speciality needs to be something you really enjoy doing and you can make money from it.
Let’s share. What are your thoughts on this?
Both visuals where taken from their websites.
Susan,
You piqued my interest by starting your article with an introduction to Pinterest. I think there is huge potential in using that platform for artists and crafters.
Then, you go on to introduce us to Paul’s Famous Hamburgers. That’s truly an inspiring and motivating story of a “hole in the wall”.
Then, you bring your post full circle to specializing which you’re doing a very good job of educating us on. Perfect example! Fun post! – Thanks.
Sherryl Perry recently posted..How to Balance Traditional and Social Marketing Strategies
Hi Sherryl,
Glad it did.I agree with you about Pinterest and it has some pretty big backers.
It is a great story and I had one of their hamburgers on the weekend.
Glad you liked the post and sometimes it is the little examples that can teach us a lot don’t you think?
Susan Oakes recently posted..What do Pinterst and Paul’s Hamburgers Have In Common?
Susan, I agree that examples and personal stories make a blog post interesting and helps us to connect with our readers. If all bloggers only wrote the same thing, it would be boring.
Sherryl Perry recently posted..Utilizing Social Media to Build Brand Awareness and Authority
I like that you have matched the two different examples and found the similarities in them, such a nice article! I haven’t heard about pinterest until I came to your blog, but now I’ve already checked it and it seems to be great for me! I can’t wait to give it a try and create my account. Thanks for the idea!
Glad you found about Pinterest and thanks for your comment.
What do Pinterst and Paul’s Hamburgers Have In Common? | M4B Marketing…
Pinterest and Paul’s hamburgers have one thing in common. A smart marketing strategy of specialising in what they offer. Read their stories and see how you can apply their approach to have a thriving business….
Great post, Susan.
I have recently relaunched my writer’s blog to emphasize that I am a book author. (My previous blog emphasized the freelance writer part of what I do.)
But as you say and from your examples, we need to give a clear idea of who we are and what are goals are when we are establishing our “brand” and that need to be redefined as out goals change.
Doreen Pendgracs recently posted..let your networks work for you
Hi Doreen,
I like your new design and emphasizing that you are a book author would definitely lift you out of the crowded freelancer market. Getting the clarity upfront does make life easier.
Susan — you make an excellent point. It’s seems counter-intuitive. But the more your narrow your offers the greater your opportunities. That’s because you will bring clarity to your target audiences who will understand why it benefits them to work with you. That’s hard to do when you’re first starting out. You’re not sure what’s going to sell so you throw every against the wall hoping something will stick. And, truly, if some things do stick then that’s what you should go for!
Jeannette Paladino recently posted..Optimizing Your Title Tag for Search Engines
Hi Jeannette,
It is true about when you start and that is why doing some research helps. What we also don’t realise that the more services you have the more difficult it can be to develop your positioning.
Off to read your latest now.