Providing great value for which customers are willing to pay is the name of the game. But great value alone is not enough. If you build it, they won’t necessarily come. You can’t be a well-kept secret.

Berkshire Brewing Company is a perfect example of a well-kept secret. As a matter of fact, it says so right on their website: “Western Massachusetts’ Best Kept Secret.” They aren’t a complete secret, of course. They have been brewing great beer since 1994 and have many fans. 

But in the last four years, I have seen the Berkshire Brewing Company growlers that once stood alone on my local grocery shelves getting squeezed by the arrival of Opa Opa growlers. Opa Opa Brewing Company is also more visible at events, in the newspaper, and around town.

To me, this a perfect example of visibility trumping value. Berkshire Brewing Company’s brews are far superior in my opinion. It’s not even a contest. And yet, if they get squeezed right off the end of the shelf, they will have only themselves to blame. Of course, this could be intentional. They may be selling exactly as much beer as they would like to sell.

But consider your own situation. Is your business a well-kept secret? Are you waiting to be discovered? Or watching a competitor encroach on your territory at your expense?

Either you have an intentional strategy and marketing model, or you are just shifting in the wind. Don’t leave success to chance. If you believe in the value you provide but aren’t getting the results you expect, take action now. Set yourself up for a great new year with a solid vision of the future and a plan for achieving it.