(Time to read this Blog is about 4 minutes)
Before we get to the main topic, here are a few things to get you thinking or smiling:
- My Biz Quote of the week:
“What are you ‘famous’ for? Famous is good! If you’re not famous for something that matters to your target customers, you’re an undifferentiated commodity…and that will end badly!”
…Donald Cooper.
- Quick Biz Tip:
What gets measured, gets managed:
What are the 5 or 6 most important Performance Metrics in your business that tell you how you’re doing and what needs fixing? Do you track these daily or weekly and then take effective action? Do you involve your management and supervisory Team in this process?
- Fun Fact. Bermuda is now the most expensive place to live in the world. The Cayman Islands are #2 and Switzerland is #3. Vietnam is the cheapest country to live in.
- Fashion becomes more ‘green’ in the EU. Because of chronic over-production, up to 9% of all garments produced by European fashion companies is destroyed before being offered for sale. This amounts to 655,000 tons (655 million kilos) of perfectly good clothing, shoes and accessories going to land fill.
As of July, 2026, large fashion companies (over 250 employees) in the EU can no longer destroy unsold items. Medium-sized fashion companies must follow in 2030. The over-produced goods must be sold at a discount, or donated.
Everything you ever wanted to know about Moose milk. Produced by only a handful of farms in Russia and Sweden, moose milk It is famously rich in fat and protein and is used to treat some medical conditions and to make specialty cheeses that cost up to $1,000 a kilo. Now you know.
- AI update: Hollywood’s movie and streaming companies estimate that embracing AI tools can cut movie production costs by up to 50%. That’s a huge productivity gain…but undoubtedly will result in thousands of lost jobs.
Now, to this week’s important topic…
Seven lessons on how to be #1…from a small company in the #2 business:
Northern Disposal & Sanitation (ND&S), located in the tiny community of Katrine, 20 miles up the road from Huntsville, Ontario, is a wonderful ‘case study’ on how to get things right. ND&S does 3 things…and it does them well. Here are their 3 revenue streams:
- They rent out portable washrooms to construction sites, festivals, community events and private functions like outdoor summer weddings and family reunions.
- They rent waste disposal bins (dumpsters) to contactors and homeowners needing bulk disposal.
- They pump out septic tanks for cottagers and full-time residents in their area. For you city dwellers, ‘septic tanks’ are the on-property, in-ground sewage treatment units used by folks in the country who are not connected to municipal sewers. Every few years they need to be pumped out.
So, let’s look at how they do each of these 3 revenue streams a bit better than their competitors….and also let’s see what we can learn from them.
- Portable Washrooms: Notice that they don’t call them ‘portable toilets’ or ‘porta-potties’ like everyone else in their industry does. These are ‘portable washrooms’. They have sinks in them for hand washing, they’re spotlessly clean and they don’t smell. They offer 4 styles…Basic, Supreme, The Royal Flush and Wheelchair Accessible. The units that they rent to festivals, community events and private functions have never been used on a construction site, so they’re sparkling clean, inside and out. The units used for weddings are white, with ‘Welcome’ door mats outside and solar powered lights for evening use.
They also have special pink ‘portable washrooms’ that, when rented, raise money to support cancer care at their regional hospital. Renting toilets and touching hearts by giving back to the community is sheer genius.
ND&S coaches you on their website as to how many ‘portable toilets’ you’ll likely need for your function, then they deliver on time, maintain the units and pick them up when they say they will. And, they have ‘fan’ letters on their website from delighted customers praising them for doing that. They also partner with event planners and caterers to proactively market their units and their unique commitment to service and cleanliness. Who are you partnering with to promote and grow your business?
- Waste Disposal Bins: Each bin is delivered clean and on time….and it’s placed exactly where the customer wants it. They coach customers on what’s recyclable to help them save money and to be more environmentally friendly. Their slogan is ‘Green & Clean’. How could you coach your customers to wisely choose and more effectively use or dispose of what you sell? Being your customer’s ‘Caring Coach’ is powerful marketing…and it’s the right thing to do.
- Septic Tank Pumping: Because many people, especially city folks with a cottage, don’t understand how a septic system works, and what keeps it working effectively, ND&S devotes an entire page on their website, including a detailed drawing, to coach customers on how to ‘manage’ their septic system. How are you ‘coaching’ your customers to wisely choose and effectively use what you sell?
They also give each new customer, as a gift, a one-year supply of ‘Bio Active Septic System Treatment Packets’. Everyone loves to get a gift.
In just 6 years Katy and Dave McGregor have built a successful regional business based in a tiny town that no one has ever heard of. How did they get their story out into the marketplace? First off, they’re active in and support 15 local Business and Trade Associations in their area. Because local contractors are a big customer group for them, Katy serves on the Board of the Muskoka Builders’ Association. She speaks at conferences, gets interviewed by the local newspapers and wins awards.
They’ve built a database of customers and prospects and write a regular E-Newsletter to keep in touch with them. Katy is the company’s ‘Chief Visibility Officer’. She makes sure that every potential customer knows about and understands their value and their difference. Katy is ‘firecracker’ and an unstoppable force. That’s what it takes to succeed in any business today.
Who’s the ‘Chief Visibility Officer’ in your business? Remember, there’s no point being the best if you’re also the best kept secret.
So, what are the 7 key lessons from this successful company in the #2 business?
- World-class is an attitude, not a location. You can be amazing anywhere if you chose…and if you do the work.
- Clearly differentiate yourself with extraordinary products and services. Mediocrity is no longer an option.
- Give back, touch people’s hearts. People buy with both their minds and their hearts.
- Be the ‘caring coach’ for your target customers. Help them to wisely choose & effectively use what you sell.
- Promise to be amazing…and then keep the promise. You can’t build a business on broken promises.
- There’s no point in being the best if you’re also the best kept secret. Be visible…get ‘famous’. Not ‘Hollywood’ famous…but famous to your target customers.
- Create a customer database and proactively use it to add value, inform, remind and uplift.
- Create a media and key influencer database and regularly send them some helpful information that they can use. They will help make you famous.
- Use social media to keep in touch with customers and fans.
- Get involved in your industry and your community. People do business with people they know and trust.
- Be an unstoppable force. Love what you do. Every business is tough, unless you love it….and no one will love it more than you do.
So, there you have it. How can you use these 7 simple tips to delight and amaze your customers, become the ‘go to’ business in your market and to grow your bottom line?
That’s it for this week…
Live brilliantly and be kind to each other!
Donald Cooper
