One of the conundrums of today’s (and even more likely tomorrow’s) world is the notion that we are living in a world of (mostly) abundance – which begs the question how one does make a living when everything is available at (close to) marginal cost.
Consider this: Approximately 10 billion distinct products and services are currently offered in the world’s major economic centers. How does your product or service even stand a chance?
The answer is deceptively simple – and of course, the implementation can be hard: In a world of abundance, what is valuable is that what is rare.
Now the question becomes – what is rare anymore? What are features, qualities, and properties which are not abundantly available and might never be?
One of the answers to this question is human connection. Humans crave connection, the survival of our species relied on it – it is quite literally hardwired into us. Empathy, compassion, and love are also “features” which are hard (if not impossible) to replicate or fake and thus become a defining factor.
Think about it – your favorite restaurant is likely not only the place where the food is tasty but also where the people make you feel at home. Your preferred store is the one where you can buy all the cool stuff but also where you like hanging out with the people. Moreover, even your most beloved product or service is likely one which is not only great but where the people behind it make you feel connected.
To make your product or service stand out from the 10,000,000,000 other products and services in existence, focus on the human experience and create something which is rare and desirable.