Would you be more or less inclined to open an account with a bank if they gave away a free oil change as an incentive?
What if they did the actual oil change in the third drive-through lane while you wait? The idea of a banker doffing his suit jacket and rolling up the sleeves of his oxford shirt to do an oil change every time they got a new customer is absurd. As a premium incentive to drum up new business, it would be counterproductive, because it would send a message to the public that this bank doesn’t know whether it is a financial institution or a quick lube garage. Can you trust them with your money?
Let’s say you are looking in the yellow pages for an attorney to help you with a real estate purchase. As you scan the subcategories under “Attorneys,” you notice one guy has himself listed under Accidents, Bankruptcies, Criminal, Divorce, Patents, as well as Real Estate. We find it altogether likely that this lawyer will be a nightmare for anyone willing to take a chance with him or her. The adage, “Jack of all trades, master of none” comes to mind. We’re far more comfortable dealing with a lawyer that specializes in the field we are looking for help in.
A specialist is someone who not only knows his trade, but he knows the market for his trade. He has tuned his expertise to fill a need. The outlook for a large animal veterinarian would be pretty bleak in Manhattan; but in Casper, Wyoming, a good vet in that specialty will stay quite busy.
Now let’s talk about your business. You’ve made a huge investment in your operation and you know exactly what it takes to be competitive in the salvage industry. You’ve spent years refining your production techniques and you probably have a pretty good idea of what your advantages and weaknesses are relative to your competition.
As a specialist yourself, surely you appreciate working with others who speak your language.
