Totally Spoke'd here in Stratford.
Bicycle shop - pure and simple. Quality, selection and all that, but above all, a crystal clear position the market. I took my daughter's birthday present in today (bought it from Direct Buy - more on them in a later post) to be tuned up before she started riding it. The guy I talked to summed up their story succinctly and effectively: "95% of the bikes we fix here are from big box and department stores."
That says so much, don't you think?
They are the Un-Canadian Tire. The Un-Sears. With those simple words they solidified their position as the place to go if you want a GOOD bike.
You can say a lot by saying what you're NOT.
So, let's take a snapshot of their success:
- Good retail location... check.
- Good product... check.
- Clearly defined offering... check.
- Clear positioning in the market... check.
- Unique/differentiated... check.
- Appropriate marketing tactics... check (good sponsorships in town).
- Pricing to support positioning... check (they aren't the cheapest).
- Uber-consistency in message...check.
Oh, and by the way, I took the bike in today (Monday). They told me I could pick it up on Wednesday. They called THIS AFTERNOON and said I could come pick it up. Imagine that, they over-deliver as well!
I think what this example shows, as does the other one, is that you have to be so thoughtful, relentless, clear and consistent to really be strong.
How is your company's "checklist"? Can you stand up against these guys?
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