What Are You Aiming For?

Is what you do designed to reach the masses?  Or a carefully selected niche?  Are you attempting to be all things to all people?  Or have you chosen a target and then designed what to do to reach that target?

This is the challenge for many of us.  In the attempt to get the most we're really not designed to get the group we'd love to get.  We're not really set up to be the best at any one element.  Instead, we're often hoping that by going after the crowd we'll reach a larger number.

Seth Godin has an interesting post today about a religious order in Belgium that makes beer.  Not just any beer.  This beer has been called the best beer in the world.  Not the best-selling beer.  In fact, they produce a very limited supply.  Godin points out that they're not trying to produce the most.  They're not trying to maximize their output.  Instead, they're clear about what they do and how they do it...and really good at doing that one thing.

And on the day they sell the beer some people have driven 16 hours to pick up their two case limit per person.  Must be some pretty good beer.  Anyone producing something that people will drive 16 hours to get?

How does what we do compare with that?  Are we producing that kind of product?  Or are we trying to maximize?

If you want to read the back story you can get it over at the Church of the Customer blog.