Listen closely now. This is important.

I’m unplugged for a few days to recharge with Dee after getting the book finished. The following is an excerpt from Good Company: Making It, Keeping It, And Being It that goes on sale on Monday, August 20th.

I want you to do me another favor.

List out all your business’ competitors.

Take your time. Don’t rush.

I’ll wait … give yourself a little longer … make sure you have everybody.

Got ‘em? Good.

Now, count ‘em up.

How many do you have? Wow. A bunch, huh?

Okay, now one more favor:

List all the major brands of hearing aids.

Take your time. Don’t rush.

I’ll wait … give yourself a little longer … make sure you have everybody.

Got ‘em? Good.

Now, count ‘em up.

How many do you have? Wow. Two, huh?*

Listen carefully: To everyone else, your business category is no different than hearing aids.

People can maybe name one or two in your market in your business category.

Are you one of them? Which one? And what feelings do people associate with your name? Do you know? Does it bother you that you don’t know?

About a billion times, I’ve had business owners preach to me about the fact that if consumers only knew this and that and the other about this industry, they’d surely pick us because, dangit, we’re the best.

Of course you are, but no one cares.

No one has the time.

There’s simply too much noise and most of it sounds like that irritating squeal that rang from Grandma June’s Beltone in 1986.

Squeeeeeeeeeee … that’s everybody but maybe the top one or two in your business category.

Would you like to know how to begin to tune in?

We’ll talk about it throughout this book. I hope you’re listening.

*Most people get either Beltone or Miracle Ear or both. In all the years of doing this business, I’ve never had anyone – outside the occasional wearer or retailer – name three. There are 16 brands.