During Tom Brady’s epic Patriots Hall of Fame speech, the greatest-of-all-time quarterback stated that you didn’t have to be special to be successful. He listed other more meaningful traits such as being determined and being willing to put in the work.
But the first adjective he used was “consistent.” Brady noted that being consistent is something most people aren’t, and it’s an impediment to success.
Consistency, doing something over and over again, might sound boring. But as the hall of famer noted, it’s a game changer.
What’s interesting is that the idea of consistency works on both sides of the success equation. Professional athletes and their fans need each other. Football fans consistently supported Brady because of the level of excellence he brought to the game. The idea can be applied to a small business, too. It must bring its “A” game every day, but it still relies on consumers to consistently choose its product or service.
Unfortunately, sports and business don’t always work the same way.
According to Investment Property Exchange Services (IPX1031), a leading business and real estate exchange company, 81% of consumers would like to give more dollars to small businesses but can’t pass up the convenience of big-box retailers. The result is that only one in five support small businesses often or consistently.
There are good intentions. And then there is what we really do.
Small business owners deeply appreciate their regular customers. I understand that gratitude first-hand. I just retired and closed a local, independent repair shop that had operated for the past 17 years. Every oil change, mount and balance, alignment, and vehicle repair was all appreciated, but it meant more when it was coming from a regular. My small business had a good run but now that its run is over, it feels more important than ever to reach out and support other small businesses.
Again, there are two sides to this relationship. First, small businesses must provide quality services and products in order to earn your business. Then, consumers might consider if their needs can be met by local establishments before heading straight toward big-box retailers or other corporate conglomerates.
Challenge yourself to not let a week go by without spending your dollars in at least one small business. Once you start looking for them, they’re pretty easy to find.
The Center for Rural Affairs makes some of these recommendations: Seek out local farmers markets. They’re a great place to find fresh produce and you’ll be supporting small farmers. Independent bookstores will keep all the hot titles on their shelves but often carry local or regional authors as well. Craft breweries keep dollars in the hands of local owners. Main street clothing boutiques offer unique buys that are also affordable. Home goods and décor shops will typically feature the products of local artisans and crafters. Mom and pop restaurants and bars depend on local traffic to keep their doors open. And smaller service-oriented businesses can sometimes offer faster service than larger, regional companies.
According to the Chamber of Commerce, small businesses account for about 64% of all new jobs created in a year. That’s a lot of families who are counting on you. As you’re reading this, have you visited a small business yet this week? If not, consider getting to one. And the next week after that. And the next.
Small businesses have a failure rate of 50% within the first five years. There are many reasons why a business may fail that quickly. One thing that will always help is consistent consumer support.
Turns out you can’t be a great quarterback without consistency. And you can’t expect small businesses to thrive without consistent consumer dollars either.
Moving the Conversation Along 