A New Field of Dreams
In the 1989 movie Field of Dreams, the lead character, Ray Kinsella, is a corn farmer who hears a voice that causes him to do strange things.
Kinsella, played by Kevin Costner, first hears the voice say, “If you build it he will come.” And even though he doesn’t yet know who “he” is, Kinsella determines that “it” is a baseball field, which he actually builds, and which, incredibly, attracts a bunch of formerly dead baseball players.
Field of Dreams is a wonderful feel-good movie because in the end, everything turns out well for the Kinsella family. But this flick is based on fantasy and, consequently, is best enjoyed by suspending all attachment to reality.
Unfortunately, some entrepreneurs believe what I call the Field of Dreams Myth, which is, “If I build it, they will come.”
They think that by merely building “it,” which is a business, not only will “they,” the customers, come but will consistently do so and in sufficient numbers to ensure the success of that business.
This will be on the test: In the 21st century marketplace, “if I build it they will come,” is a business strategy based on fantasy and the business equivalent of a death wish.
Any questions?
From the time immemorial, right up until somewhere around 1990, the Field of Dreams strategy was never a very intelligent way to start a business.
It’s always been prudent to survey the market to identify how that pie is being carved up by the current participants, plus how prospective customers will accept the entry of your product or service.
But before 1990, it wasn’t difficult to identify all your competitors, which you could probably count on your fingers. Today, you couldn’t do it with a supercomputer.
Every day of the 21st century, our customers have a virtually infinite number of purchasing options through the many new competitive models in the traditional marketplace, plus the thousands of options available through the virtual channels made possible by the Internet.
So, as you develop your 21st century business strategy, the Field of Dreams voice in your head should be saying,
“If you build it customers will only come the first time if you offer a compelling value proposition that clearly and quickly identifies what’s in it for them. And even then, they won’t come back unless you make sure their experience is so exceptional that they choose to forsake all other options.”
There is one message the voice in Ray Kinsella’s head told him which tracks perfectly with our new Field of Dreams business strategy. When Kinsella was up against his most challenging obstacles, the voice said, “Go the distance.”
You must go the distance to determine who your customers are, what they want, why they’re doing business with you today and what they require to come back tomorrow.
Write this on a rock... All small business owners must understand the 21st century Field of Dreams strategy and be prepared to go the distance to execute it.
Jim Blasingame
Small Business Expert and host of The Small Business Advocate Show
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