One Inch Wide

I received some good news yesterday - I have just been made a Fellow of the Professional Speakers Association. Recognition is always welcome isn't it!

The PSA is a fantastic body with a host of people with tremendous expertise. It's amazing the learning that can be gleaned from rubbing shoulders with this diverse population. There is a further opportunity to do that for me next week when I open the second day of the conference on the main stage with my Rebel in a Business Suit - How to Succeed in the New World of Work.

One (seemingly small) lesson, which has taken time to digest and some amount of courage to committ to, is the lesson of 'one inch wide - one mile deep'. The PSA recommends that tightly nicheing what you do and then providing information in tremendous depth and quality for that niche is one of the best ways of building a business model. It was really only last night that the power of that lesson hit me as I mused on the current market changes in this r'evolutionary age.

A highly-focused approach to a market sector is a powerful way of developing a laser-sharp focus and more income. In this time of uncertainty, choosing to committ to one or two small niches might seem a little crazy but ultimately I believe in a couple of things about 'down times'. 1. In uncertain times customers will pay more (not less) for proven expertise - they want certainty not experimentation. 2. Never compromise on price - but deliver excellent value.