Be No. 1

The <i>first</i> in almost every category tends to become the well-known brand.

December 25, 2001

While the business world buzzes about quality, the real success stories are the ones that are first. Instead of following the crowd and opening the 10th coffeehouse in town, do something no one else has done before.

Just think about the bagel business. For tears the breakfast pastry of choice was probably the doughnut. From coast to coast, it was the snack the masses ate with their morning coffee. What a revolution when the first bagel chop appeared on the same block as the doughnut factory! Now bagels are practically a ritual for many people. The key to the bagel ship success came with being the first one in the neighborhood. After all, that's how Starbucks, Domino's and even McDonald's got their start.

Excerpted from 303 Marketing Tips: Guaranteed To Boost Your Business