How to be Rare

A box of free-range eggs only costs a few dollars. A Fabergé egg costs millions.

Their rarity, intricacy, and mystique make all the difference. And you can’t even eat them.

In a race to become an overnight success, we frequently observe the rapid commoditization of products, services, and brands. Many appear to prefer being a free-range business, rather than a Fabergé business.

How can you be the latter?</p> ##1. Be Different, because ‘rare’ isn’t the same.

• Do unexpected things. Fabergé makes precious few eggs, surely they’d want to sell more? Free-range thinking: ‘more’ doesn’t always mean ‘better’.
• Learn other markets. Most markets use the ‘rules’ of that market, doing things the way everyone else does them “because that’s how it’s done”.

##2. Be Specific, because ‘rare’ isn’t wishy-washy.

• Get clear. How clear are people on the distinctive value of your offer before you present that offer to them?
• Choose your own market. And bake it into your marketing. Fabergé isn’t sold in supermarkets because that’s not where their target audience is.

##3. Be a Leader, because ‘rare’ isn’t where everyone else is going.

• Write the rules. If a map exists, someone’s already been there, in the exact same way. Find a better way, and draw a new map.
• Forget all you know. And do it better, by instead questioning everything in your market, industry, and process.

##4. Be Better, because ‘rare’ becomes more exquisite with time.

• Give back. Benefit a community, market or industry and make your venture bigger than yourself.
• Train, grow, let it show. The best are comfortable revealing their journey of growth. Others get a look at the precision of your work.

What would it to do your work if you accepted it’s not for everyone, and instead became a precious rarity for those you serve?