Recently I was with a client at In-N-Out Burger and I thought of my dad.
My dad, Edwin Herbert Garson, was a world-famous ventriloquist, who travelled all over the world with the same act. It was just him and his dummy on some really big stages, such as Radio City Music Hall, “The Ed Sullivan Show,” “The Tonight Show” and others.
His one act brought him a great career and a lot of fame.
In fact, he once said to me, “Lisa, don’t change your act, change your audience.”
I thought of him because this client was dying to go to In-N-Out, which is just a fast food chain with good burgers and fries, really yummy shakes, and beverages. But that’s all they have. They have this cult-like following with only four menu items. Why?
They keep it simple. Rather than running around changing what they do, they focus on what they’re good at so they can do it really, really well.
That’s what I’ve done with my signature talk. Sure, I’ve enhanced it, but essentially I’ve used the same title, structure and content for several years. And with that talk, I’ve built a 5-million-dollar business.
So the next time you’re tempted to strike out in new territory, think of my dad and In-N-Out. Whether it’s a signature talk or another offering: keep it simple.
