To put myself through college I worked slinging pies for
Papa John’s Pizza. This was in
when Papa John’s had no doubt what it was, a pizza place, pure and simple.
While Pizza Hut and Dominos fought over “innovative” ways to
use their ovens making brownies and crème Brule, and lobster Newburg or
whatever PJ’s was doing it old school.
We had a simple menu Pizza, cheesticks and breadsticks. No salads, nothing with cinnamon just those
three simple things went through our oven.
And the pies had Pepperoni and sausage, peppers, things that belong on a
pizza.
There was a certain amount of pride in that. Hey, when you deliver pizzas it is nice if
you can at least be proud, for who you work.
PJ’s theory was the whole “better ingredients, better pizza” thing. It was great we don’t need to compete on the
fad of the week and be a “me too” solution. We have the best pies so buy from us.
Of course at some point this all changed. I remember one of the last times I worked there,
I was putting tomato and chicken on a pizza and it just seemed…dirty. Not the chicken, the putting it on the pizza
part.
Sometime it is easy to get away from your core competencies,
whatever makes you, you. Maybe you feel
that you are being left behind by your competition and feel you have to change. Or you lost a large customer or somehow doubt
creeps in. Or maybe it’s not doubt, but
pride. If we can just do “this”, we can
be the big dog. This is the time to step back and reappraise the situation.
If you can’t compete on being you, can you glom onto some
else’s idea and make it work? If so more
power to you. However, in many
situations going to someone else’s customer and saying, “I can do that, too” does
not seem to be the best strategy.
That’s why I am proud of 366. I am doing something odd and different in
marketing; telling the truth. Check me
out at 366marketing.com. Oh and you have a little sauce on your shirt.