Be like Pistachio ice cream

I kid you not, my wife really loves Pistachio ice cream. Are all women like this? I’m not sure.

In Penang, we’d go to this ice cream shop, Hema Hema, for pistachio ice cream. When we visit Australia, we’d go to a few gelato shops, hunting for the best pistachio gelato.

In a world of vanilla, be pistachio ice cream

When there’s a new ice cream shop in town, what do people want?

I’m not an ice cream or F&B expert. But one thing I know is nobody looks forward to finding vanilla ice cream in an artisanal ice cream shop.

In the world of marketing, being vanilla means being universally acceptable, but bland. And in today’s world, where attention is needed for businesses to thrive, your company has to be the pistachio ice cream in your market.

People either love or hate pistachio

I’m not a big fan of pistachio ice cream. The flavor and green color look weird to me. And the thought of turning a really hard nut into ice cream just doesn’t sit with me. I’m a pistachio hater.

And that’s the point.

For loyal fans, pistachio ice cream stands out, demands attention, and charges a premium. (Every ice cream shop has that +RM4 for pistachio flavor)

It’s an example of driving attention and demand by leaning into your weirdness, which, quite ironically, is exactly what most businesses need.

What's the difference between you and another company, both doing the same thing?

If your business is vanilla (common, but accepted) don’t expect it to receive a lot of attention or to be able to fetch very high prices.

If you choose to be the pistachio ice cream of your market, expect that some people will hate it. But it’ll also attract people willing to pay a premium for it.

Be the pistachio ice cream in your market.

Don't ask customers to pay attention to your business. Instead, start doing unique and unusual things that attract attention in order to make your business stand out.

A system to attract customers

The number #1 problem every business face: how to get customers.

With a busier market than ever. New vibe-coded apps launch. More people offering the same services. More noise and competition...

How do you stand out?

You don't start by selling. Instead, you start by building an audience. You educate, listen to them, and build goodwill before asking for a sale.

All this sounds easy in theory, but hard to replicate in real life. Because at its core, humans (us) are made to be selfish. But if you're able to break through that mindset and remind yourself that there exists a different way to market a business, business & life can be a whole lot more fun.

This is part of what I'm teaching in the lead gen workshop with Stageo on 10th April.

Learn more and join me here (Exclusive on Stageo)