Every business owner wants to be perceived as unique. And the goal is for them to lead with their customer service, but so very few companies really do stand out. Think for a moment, what happens when GREAT is not good enough? Today’s guest has an answer for that. Scott McKain, author of “Create Distinction” is well known for his best selling book and inspiring speeches on this topic. The key concept here is to “be a leader that changes the game.” Enjoy this podcast episode and learn what it takes to be distinct.

In this episode, here’s what we’ll cover:

• Why only a few stand out in every crowd.
• Showing up vs. standing out: what’s the difference?
• Which emotions will help you cultivate a business that stands out?
• The Taxi Terry story: How a cab driver changed the game.
• What difference in emotional state made Taxi Terry stand out?
• The circle of joy: how to create, cultivate it and succeed with it.
• Customers we attract vs. customers we pursue: Which one is better?
• Why is it necessary to describe your ideal customer?

Scott’s Target Audience: Scott’s target market is organizations of any size that want to create a distinct position in the marketplace and stand out.

Scott is an internationally-recognized author and a professional speaker who is an expert on helping organizations and individual professionals find out what it takes to stand out in the marketplace. He helps figure out what your competitive advantages are, then helps you focus on them and serve your customers. He gives speeches, seminars and online training based on this very process.

In this episode, Scott talks about finding the distinction you have so you and your business can stand out. This requires charisma, a connection and something special within you. It might be a rare skill but you can discover it by overcoming the obstacles and challenges in your path. It will be challenging and not everyone can stay ahead in difficult times.

Only then, will you be able to figure out what it takes to stand out. He gives a real-life example of an extraordinary cab ride he took from the airport in Jacksonville. He shares how this cab driver was able to stand out by giving a first impression, conversing well while keeping his customer engaged with joy. The experience this cab driver created with Scott left such a marked impression that Scott knows he would be his first choice in the future.

The cab driver story shows how a simple person can take his business forward as a brand by standing out against the competition. Another practical bit of advice Scott gives is to learn from the best practices in the marketplace. When applying to your business, you must know how to not only adopt those best practices but also adapt them to fit your business model.

You should also have a priority for creating joy for your customers. There is an entire circle of joy you can create with them, Scott explains how to do this and why it’s so imperative to the success of your business. So find your ideal customers, work on creating joy for them and your business will be successful.

Practical & Actionable:

Scott says the most practical and actionable thing you can do right now is to ask the critical question which is, “How can a customer tell the difference between you and the competition?”

The first thing you need to do is to get crystal clear about what your advantages are in the marketplace. Sit down and think about how customers tell the difference between us and the competition. Begin to work on that, as it is the foundation and cornerstone of what it takes to create a distinction in a successful business.