A watermelon is a watermelon is a watermelon.
Or is it?
If you’re in the market to buy a water melon (or any other commodity-type purchase) how do you decide where to buy? And as a seller, how do you make your product stand out from the crowd?
Here’s the thing. I know virtually nothing about watermelons. So if I go to a store and you tell me to pick one that “looks” good, I won’t have a clue what that means. And I more than likely won’t buy from you because a little voice inside my head will be afraid of getting it wrong and bringing home a dud.
Instead, if you tell me that it doesn’t matter which one I pick because they’re all sweet and utterly delicious you’ve just silenced that doubting voice of mine.
And if you continue by inviting me to watch your short but informative video which explains how you grow and harvest your watermelons with exceptional love and care, well, I’m yours.
And if what attracted me to your store in the first place was your innovative display of carved watermelons, I’m yours for the entire watermelon season.
See, it’s really not that hard. Whatever it is you’re selling, make it stand out. Figure out a way to entice me, to draw me into your lair.
You really can differentiate almost any product. Even something as ostensibly ordinary as a bag of sugar or a pair of knitting needles.
I took the photo of the carved watermelon while wandering around my local market. Watermelon stalls are a dime a dozen there. None of them stand out. They’re all exactly the same. Same product (so I thought) and same pricing.
Then I came across this particular watermelon stand. The owners had just opened for business and wanted to get some buzz going.
They were selling watermelons faster than you can imagine. And it’s easy to see why.
Lesson learned: Figure out how to differentiate your product and stand out from the crowd.
