I bought some grocery store sushi the other day.

My rationale?

• I was hungry.
• It was there.
• It was cheap.
• It didn’t look terrible.

Besides, the woman was making them right there behind the counter.

How bad could it be?

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Don’t worry - I didn’t get sick.

But it wasn’t great.

Rice was a bit stale, roll fell apart.

I probably won’t do it again.

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Let’s compare this with another sushi experience.

When I’m actively in the mood for sushi, I’ll typically head a few blocks further down the street to Noren.

A sit-down place, moderately priced.

As I head there, I can remember my last meal there vividly and favorably.

As I sit, the service and ambience feels high-quality.

As I eat, the signature roll is savory, delicate and well-crafted.

And when the bill comes, I don’t wince when it’s 3x the price of the grocery store roll.

All-in-all, I’m satisfied. Delighted even.

And will come again.

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The contrast here isn’t “you get what you pay for”, though that certainly holds in this case.

Rather, just look how I subconsciously approached the two options.

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The cheap sushi that happened to be sold in a store where I happened to be?

I convinced myself, against common advice, that the downside risks were worth satisfying my basic hunger for a few bucks.

But I wouldn’t ever go seek it out.

It was offered as an add-on to a grocery trip, and I treated it as such.

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The pricier dinner at the sushi restaurant?

I sought it out decisively and aspirationally.

I savored the product, service and experience.

I happily paid the higher bill.

And I’ll come back to do it again.

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If you’re stuck in the generalist mindset...

Offering broad services to anyone who might hire you...

You're pandering to the grocery store cravings of those passing by.

People that aren’t necessarily looking for what you offer, but instead see you as a low-risk impulse buy that'll do the trick.

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As you begin to specialize, though..

To really become known for your niche...

The paradigm flips.

The right people crave specifically what you serve…

Are willing to pay you handsomely for it…

And you can focus on delivering a high-quality, high-value service.

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And that's how you shift how prospects see you.

From "That'll do"...

to "Let's do this."

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💡

-Wes