In 2002, Steven Bradbury competed at the Winter Olympics in ice speed skating.
That doesn’t sound unusual - until you hear Peter is from Australia. Not exactly well known for its ice skating.
Knowing he was at a disadvantage against the fastest ice skaters in the world - Peter used a different approach.
Instead of going super quick, Peter’s strategy was simple - to stay on his feet longer than anyone else.
During the competition, Peter's competitors all sped ahead which led to a massive crash on the last corner.
But Peter focused on consistently - always ensuring he never fell.
And what was the outcome?
Peter sailed past his competitors and won the gold medal.
His efforts have resulted in ‘The most unexpected gold medal in history’ - and he became the first Australian athlete ever to win a gold medal at the Winter Olympics.
He even got a catchphrase named after him ‘Doing a Bradbury’ - when you triumph unexpectedly, especially due to the misfortune of others.
When we heard this story we thought of two lessons that are relevant to our business.
First, having a strategy different from what everyone else is doing will set you apart.
If you blindly follow what everyone else is doing, you will blend in and get the same results - often achieving sub-par results.
But if you make a conscious decision from the start to differentiate yourself - you can stream ahead using less effort.
The second lesson is that sometimes all it takes to win is to keep showing up.
We know that 55% of people who enquire about a product will buy within 18 months.
But only 15% of that 55% will buy within 90 days.
So if you’re not playing the long game and staying consistent - you’re missing out on a ton of customers.
So we're going to strap up our ice skates (or rollerblades), do things differently, and stay on our feet for the long haul.
We also may get a haircut and a piercing like him.
If you want help to create a content strategy that is different from everyone else, and that will work in the long haul - check out our program 'Engagement Architecture'.
Chur!
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