As a [tag]professional speaker[/tag] and [tag]sales trainer[/tag], it is important to know what I don’t know, and as a result, I focus on very specific topics. I just returned from western Kentucky. While I was there I heard the following on a local radio station, and it is the antithesis of specialization. This may not be an exact quote, but it is VERY close.
The medical staff at [NAME] Hospital specializes in all types of general surgery.
How do you specialize in all types of general surgery? Doesn’t the term “General Surgery” preclude specialization? Is it really possible to specialize in being a generalist?
Organizations and salespeople need to be careful in the way they position their services. I see sales brochures and advertisements that say “We specialize in…” followed by a list of 10 -20 items. Does that send the message that you really specialize, or does it say indirectly that you need some business, and will sell whatever you need to sell that day just to make a commission? If in fact you do specialize, be specific and zero in on your best possible target market. If you truly are a generalist, define yourself by the problems for which you are the solution. Doing this conceptually as opposed to offering a laundry list of products and services communicates a clearer message of what is in it for your prospects.
In positioning your business, the best success comes when you can niche or micro-niche yourself with products or services that truly make you totally unique and valuable to a large potential customer base, or when that expertise is so specific that you are the only solution for a certain problem. Few of us have that high a degree of expertise, so craft your defining statement to appeal to the largest possible prospect audience. No matter how tempting it may be, you will maximize your profitability if you don’t specialize in everything.
Good selling!
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