A random analogy for the serial networker: are you considering your adjacencies? When you go to a networking event, you dress up, you make sure you have your cards in your pocket, you practice that stadium pitch, but have you put any thought into merchandising yourself in the room? Retailers put a tremendous amount of time and energy into tweaking and tuning the merchandising of their stores. There is a conscious effort to setup product adjacencies that will encourage increased sales, complimentary product sets, and impulse buys. Why not apply the concept to yourself at the next chamber of commerce luncheon? You probably already know some of the folks in the room – think about what they offer and how your offering would look on the shelf next to them. If you own a car wash, it might be good to follow the local mechanic when it comes time for everybody to make their pitch. It’s an easy segue. Or perhaps you can find a nice bit of contrast. Do you have a competitor in the room? An intelligent adjacency might give you the opportunity to point out the difference in your value proposition – it is always easier to see the difference between two things that are side by side rather than separated by space or time.
"I adore your doodles... I swear looking at those bunnies lowers my blood pressure, calms my mind and makes me smarter. Who needs meditation when there are bunnies?"
Adjacencies
A random analogy for the serial networker: are you considering your adjacencies? When you go to a networking event, you dress up, you make sure you have your cards in your pocket, you practice that stadium pitch, but have you put any thought into merchandising yourself in the room? Retailers put a tremendous amount of time and energy into tweaking and tuning the merchandising of their stores. There is a conscious effort to setup product adjacencies that will encourage increased sales, complimentary product sets, and impulse buys. Why not apply the concept to yourself at the next chamber of commerce luncheon? You probably already know some of the folks in the room – think about what they offer and how your offering would look on the shelf next to them. If you own a car wash, it might be good to follow the local mechanic when it comes time for everybody to make their pitch. It’s an easy segue. Or perhaps you can find a nice bit of contrast. Do you have a competitor in the room? An intelligent adjacency might give you the opportunity to point out the difference in your value proposition – it is always easier to see the difference between two things that are side by side rather than separated by space or time.