Why "Being the Best" Won't Grow Your Business (But This Will)
I'm going to say something that might piss some people off. Your business doesn't need to be the best to win. Every business coach out there is telling you: Be the best in your industry. Have the best customer service. The best product. The best reviews. But here's the truth: When someone's searching for a service, they're not looking for "the best." They're looking for someone they know, like, and trust. And that comes down to one thing: who stayed top of mind. Real scenario that happens every day: Meet Danny. 34, works in finance, hasn't been to the dentist in 3-4 years. Sees a friend's teeth whitening post. Thinks "I should get a cleaning." Searches "dentist near me." Five practices pop up. All have 4+ star reviews. All look professional. All seem fine. Then his boss Slacks him about a report due at 3pm. The dentist search? Totally forgotten. Sound familiar? This is happening to YOUR business right now. Someone's interested, but the urgency isn't there yet. You get bumped to the bottom of their mental priority list. What happened next changed everything: Two days later, Danny's scrolling Instagram before bed. Video ad from Dr. Gurki Malhi at Onyx Dental pops up. He's explaining why checkups matter even when teeth feel fine. Plaque buildup, early cavity detection, oral health connecting to heart health. Danny watches half the video. Doesn't click. Doesn't book. Just absorbs it and keeps scrolling. Next morning, coffee in hand, scrolling Instagram again. Another ad from Dr. Malhi. This time showing their office - clean, modern, comfortable. TVs mounted above every chair so you can watch Netflix during cleanings. Plus free teeth whitening for new patients. Danny thinks: "That's actually pretty cool." By lunch that day? He's booked. Here's the question: Was Dr. Malhi the "best" dentist Danny could have chosen? Maybe. Maybe not. But here's what he definitely was: Top of mind. The lesson for every business: When Danny searched, he saw five practices. All qualified. All could clean teeth just fine.