To put myself through college I worked slinging pies for Papa John’s Pizza.  This was in Atlanta and it was back 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.