As I wandered my way through the small local village to the butcher the other day I was struck by something – most of the people I could see were in line for one store. One cafe.  It got me thinking about how important ‘exposure’ is to all of us as business owners and entrepreneurs.

You see, the only perceivable difference between that one cafe and all the others in the village is its position and the way they display their items.

Trust me, the prices are the same (or bigger) for their coffee and food, the quality is arguably the same, the service is equally nonchalant. In fact everything else is much the same.

The only real difference that appears to generate 4-5 times the sales of their competitors is their positioning and presentation.

The thing is though, that that apparently small point of difference has a wonderful snowball effect…. because the fact that they have a huge line out the front and the other cafes don’t equals instant social proof  – which is crucial.  (You know how people love to join a line, even if they don’t know what the line is for, because they want to know what all the fuss is about??)

This theory also applies in the online world. In fact, it’s exacerbated. As a business owner, you  must position yourself and present your brand/offering in the best possible way – and with absolute clarity – at all times. You need to give your audience the feeling they are in the right place. The feeling that they have joined the correct line.

Think about what you stand for and why. Create services and products that align with what your audience wants and needs. And be ruthless in your precision-point positioning as the best alternative for them. Be aware of where you are hanging out online and with whom. Be conscious of how you are ‘being seen’ and in what way you are packaging yourself in those places. Positioning and presentation deeply matters.

Your coffee may be a little bit more expensive but it tastes so much better for the special cup its delivered in and the way it was created. You need to make your coffee worth lining up for.