Have you ever been to Mexico? When you find that sweet lounge chair on the sand with the big umbrella and lay yourself under the blue sky and stare out at the blue ocean and listen to the crashing surf, you feel yourself relax and enjoy the experience of the moment. No sooner do you get your chair situated, your stuff all arranged and your book opened to where you left off than a stranger approaches. Like clockwork, another stranger appears after that, and another and another, and then, the same ones return.
My reverie was interrupted several times last week with, “Amigo, you want some silver?” and “Bracelets? Almost Free!” and “Nice Bag? Good Price!” I looked down the beach and saw them by the scores—people dressed exactly the same, carrying the same stuff, from the same sources, using the same approach to try to reach the same buyers.
As the same people started coming by multiple times in an afternoon, I couldn’t help but wonder. Are they thinking that they planted a seed and that somehow, I now need a bird whistle or a henna tattoo? Are they thinking that maybe my current hair braider, name-on-bracelet artist or coconut-carver supplier will mess up and they’ll be ready to swoop in and get my business?
Gosh, I thought. What other business is there where people try to sell the exact same stuff from the exact same suppliers using the exact same approaches to the exact same buyers?
How are you different? How are you more relevant?
