Tuesday, May 18, 2010

Collapse of Distinction by Scott McKain

Collapse of Distinction by Scott McKain.  Thomas Nelson, 2009.

Collapse of Distinction:  Stand Up and Move Out While Your Competition Falls is an interesting book.  The target audience is business owners who are looking for ways to make their businesses a success.

McKain's whole premise is that businesses are no longer distinct or individualistic.  As a consumer, I found myself agreeing with much of what he said.  After all, is there really that much difference between McDonald's, Burger King, or Wendy's?  Yes, they have their slightly unique flavor but if you are traveling down the interstate and want a quick burger do you care which one is at the next exit?

If you are a business owner, McKain encourages you to focus on the one thing you do really well or the one thing that makes you different from everyone else.  Market that difference to your customers while making them feel important and they'll keep coming back.

So why am I reviewing a business book on my blog?  Well, 10 years ago I owned a business (Pampered Chef consultant), my parents currently own a tire and oil change shop, and my brother owns a beef farm.  I guess you could say business runs in the family.

But beyond the applications for businesses, I found much of what McKain said to be applicable to blogging.  If you want to increase your blog readership then focus on those 1-3 topics you are passionate about.  Then make your readers feel valued and they'll keep coming back to read about your passions.

If you own a business, are considering owning a business or own a blog I recommend you read this book.

Have you ever owned a business?  What did you do to make it a success?  What tips do you have for sharing your passions with blog readers?

Disclosure: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

2 comments:

Doug Hibbard said...

I read Collapse of Distinction last year. Found what you say here in it, and I also thought about this:

What about churches? What about your faith?

Are you distinctive enough that it matters?

In all, this is a good book, well worth the reading for bloggers, businesses, and anyone seeking influence.

Doug

Carrie said...

I didn't think about this book in relation to blogging.

Hmm...

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...