Most evenings in my house, there’s a quiet competition.
Both my daughters want the cat to sit with them while they watch TV.
Lately, my 10-year-old keeps winning.
Not because the cat loves her more.
Because she brings the brush.
Our cat enjoys cuddles. She’s loyal to my 12-year-old — she’ll always choose her, even over my wife who feeds her and cleans up after her. But the moment brushing is on offer, the decision shifts.
The brush wins.
That’s how customers behave.
You might be good at what you do. Friendly. Reliable. Even well-liked. But if a competitor is offering something your market values more — faster turnaround, clearer communication, better pricing structure, smoother systems — that’s who gets chosen.
Not the business that tries hardest.
The one that solves the right problem.
Most business owners assume they know what their customers want. They build their offer around what they think matters. Then they wonder why they’re discounting to win work, chasing volume to protect profit, and feeling pressure on margins and cash flow.
It’s usually not a sales problem.
It’s a positioning problem.
When you understand what your best customers value most — and build your pricing, systems, and delivery around that — things change. Margins improve. Cash flow steadies. Repeat work increases. You stop competing on price and start competing on value.
The market always picks the brush.
So be honest.
Are you offering cuddles and hoping… or have you clearly defined the brush in your business?