How Conventional is Running an Unconventional Business Really? You need to experiment and push yourself to ensure that you stay in the lead amidst the ever-growing competition in the market
By Amin Rozani
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When it comes to business, there are a ton of options out there. Taking a deeper look into what one can pursue in life only results in them finding an endless pit of options. Man, with time, has known to run some of the most unique, bizarre and out-of-the-box-business models.
This can be mainly attributed to an individual's constant urge to do something different, something not considered mainstream. This drive inside us gives rise to some of the most amazing and original ideas being conceptualized and executed.
From running a bee farm or cat cafes to running an online Poker gaming portal that has delighted gamers across the world, people love to experiment with ideas for different business ventures. A lot of these designs/projects have proven to be successful business models.
But running something unique, that too successfully doesn't come without its fair share of problems and challenges. Right from how people would respond to your products, to how to make them a value proposition for the consumers, there are many hurdles that stand in the way when conducting an unconventional business. Here are some of the main challenges faced by not-so-conventional business models.
Market Outreach: If you have a business that is common in nature, what one witness here is the market being usually set and people having an idea of what to expect from your line of work. So targeting the right market and clients becomes fairly simpler in this regard. But when you have a slightly unique business model, your target clients are extremely niche and you need to tap them individually and pitch your business ideas. You also need to convince your prospective clients as to why they should consider doing business with you, as the ambiguity around a different idea can surely be a cause of concern. Hence it is important little extra cautious when approaching consumers and business associations.
People's Preconceived Notions: When you talk about an uncommon idea or business plan, people tend to get a bit sceptical. The main reason for this is their lack of information and knowledge of the respective business and space. When it comes to products and services like online Poker or other similar games, the first thing that comes to one's mind is gambling. This is because these games are perceived as ones that involve betting with huge sums of money. Such ideas are engraved in people's minds and it takes some time and patience to change their mindsets about such notions.
Experimentation at Every Stage: When you are running a trade/craft which does not always conform to the norms of business, on many occasions would you have to bend your ways from the tried and tested in order to fit your business model. Generic methods might not always work for you, and you might need to adopt newer, more robust methods to grow your business. Change is the name of the game and experimentation is one of the key elements for the growth of any business. With companies constantly striving to reinvent themselves, you need to always look out for different ways to increase your reach.
Selling Your Ideas: This is something that comes as a challenge when it comes to running a unique business. Your ideas could be different, and there's a chance that the market might not understand or welcome it in the first go. This is because people are not so well versed with novel and unconventional ideas, which need to be explained well. So selling your different ideas could prove to be quite a challenge initially, at least until your business has a good customer base. One this challenge is overcome, putting your ideas and points across becomes much easier.
Retaining Customers: The fate and future of many businesses across the world depend on how well they treat their customer and what they do to hold onto their loyalty. So it is of paramount importance to keep them happy and retain them, resulting in the growth of your customer base. When you have a different business model, not everyone would always tend to continue with you. So you need to take the necessary steps to retain your customers by taking some preventive measures. You need to keep the trust factor always high in order to not lose out on your clients. This is one of the main challenges faced when you are experimenting with your business.
These are some of the challenges you face when you have a slightly unconventional business model. You need to experiment and push yourself to ensure that you stay in the lead amidst the ever-growing competition in the market. Although there might be hurdles in the path, they can be worked around with a few additional efforts and some innovative and street-smart strategies. And one must never stop thinking outside the box, because that may be the difference between a market leader and one that's lost in the clutter.
