There are no shortages of film festivals, especially in Los Angeles, so why on earth would someone even try to enter in to this saturated market?

Suzanne DeLaurentiis and business partner, Juliette Harris, co-founders of The Cinema City International Film Festival and owners of Venice-based ItGirl Public Relations, are taking their chances. The two entertainment industry veterans have uncovered the one niche that has not yet been tapped, TV pilots. They’ve created an entire festival for new TV shows.

Are you a business owner in a seemingly saturated market? Are you having trouble convincing prospects that you should be their vendor of choice? Take a page out of DeLorentiis’s and Harris’s playbook and look for ways to innovate your business. what can you do that is different than and BETTER than the competition?

According to LA Business Journal writer, Brett Sporich, “the unusual TV pilot category does serve to distinguish the two-year-old event amid an increasingly crowded field of L.A.-based festivals. The Santa Monica Film Festival, the Hollywood Film Festival and the granddaddy of them all, the Los Angeles Film Festival.”

If you were a customer of your service, what would really make you go WOW? Almost every small business today has thousands of competitors so only the strongest will be left standing. Your best survival tool is your ability to innovate your business so that you stand out above and beyond the crowd.

The Cinema City International Film Festival, which will launch Sept. 29 at Universal City’s AMC theater complex.

For a short exercise on how to identify what makes you unique, download the following document.
The Master of Disguise buy

Anna Christie release

Aenigma the movie Dough Boys rip

The markets have had a topsy-turvy week!  Some people lost their shirts, others made a ton of money - what are you doing to ensure your success?

Speaking to dozens of small business owners each week - I can quickly analyze which ones buy into the negative spin media is putting on the recent market whoas simply by the gripes and moans relating to the challenges they are having in their business; too much competition, no one is spending money, housing and stocks are down, high gas prices etc.

On the other side of the coin, I see other business owners in the same industry and the same market flourishing during these same temultous times.

Why is this?

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I didn’t make this up.  “Wow” was something put forth by Ken Blanchard years ago.  Yet, its potency has never been more significant for the small business owner. 

 As a consumer of various products and services, I’ve become so accustomed to mediocrity in what is delivered to me:  My expectation bar is set way low.  Rarely does a service provider provide that one little thing that sends me to “WOW.  It happens rarely, and when it does, I want to tell everyone.  If fact, I’m still telling “Wow” customer service experiences from years ago.  That said, it doesn’t take much to innovate your business in such a way that you create that “WOW” reaction from your ideal clients.  And, I say ideal clients because that’s the client you want coming back again and again.

 I was stunned the day after a doctor visit, when he called me to check up.  I’m telling everyone.  I was in disbelief when the owner of an ‘order-and-pick-up-at-the-counter’ burger joint walked around with a pitcher refilling iced tea.  My chiropractor sends me articles of interest.  That’s “WOW”.  And it obviously doesn’t take a lot; just a focus on the hot buttons of your ideal client. 

 What is one innovation you can make in your business right now to have your best clients express “WOW”?