Tuesday 23 August 2016
Thursday 11 August 2016
Wednesday 27 April 2016
Wednesday 30 March 2016
Tuesday 22 March 2016
Sunday 13 March 2016
Thursday 10 March 2016
Tuesday 8 March 2016
Monday 7 March 2016
Monday 29 February 2016
How to Avoid becoming Obsolete...
Technology, innovation and creativity are not new; it wasn't something invented in the 20th Century by students in Palo Alto...
In 1838 Turner painted his famous picture "The Fighting Temeraire..." which depicts an old warship of the Royal Navy being towed up the Thames for scrap by a new steam Tug...
The picture was displayed in 1839 and in 2005 was voted the "Nations Favourite" in the UK according to a BBC Radio 4 Poll...
A copy should be hung in every Entrepreneur, Business Owner and Executives office to serve as a reminder that one day - if they don't adapt, learn and change - they too will be taken to the scrap yard by new technology...
The picture is symbolic in many ways; the sunset and ghost like Temeraire with the much more definite Steam Tug in the foreground symbolic of the end of an era and the dominance of the new...
Whilst the picture shows a sunset behind the retiring fighter, as she was being towed West toward Rotherhithe for dismantling, this was artistic licence on the part of Turner...
Whilst the picture shows a sunset behind the retiring fighter, as she was being towed West toward Rotherhithe for dismantling, this was artistic licence on the part of Turner...
There is a scene in the Bond Film - Skyfall where Bond meets with Q in the Museum and the sit opposite the painting of The Fighting Temeraire. Symbolic of Bonds impending obsolescence and the him needing guidance and help from the younger Q...
Picture credit - www.paintingsinmovies.com
How does this apply to Your Business...?
We are all Fighting Temeraires', we will all become obsolete and overtaken by the next generation unless we adapt and change...
The technology that will wipe you out has already been invented, it's just not on the market yet...
Battery Cars will wipe out the Internal Combustion Engine, and likely that Hydrogen Cells will wipe out Batteries....
Rental will wipe out ownership - from cars, to software from buildings to franchising. People will not "own" products, they will simply pay for their use on an "as required" basis...
Keyboards will be replaced by first voice and then thought activation controls, and education will go the same way - the Qwerty Keyboard was invented in 1873 and yet we still use a 140 year old design to communicate with 21st Century processors...
There are Three Types of Innovation that all companies and organisations can use to maintain their competitive advantage...
1. Technology Innovation #1 - Creationism...
This is where a brand new Technology enters the market and has the potential to dominate it in the future. These are relatively rare - they don't seem that way, but most Innovations are made at #2...
These would include Nuclear Fusion, The Internet (although I would argue that this is real;y a #2 Innovation...) Flight, Radio, Electricity, Calculus etc...
These would include Nuclear Fusion, The Internet (although I would argue that this is real;y a #2 Innovation...) Flight, Radio, Electricity, Calculus etc...
The fundamental building blocks that enables change to happen - when William Gilbert investigated what we now call "electricity" in 1600 he didn't realise it but he was starting a revolution that would change the world.
Note - Amber was found to attract light objects such as feathers when it was rubbed and the Latin word Electricus meaning "of Amber" or "like Amber" was established from the Greek word for Amber - "Elektron"
Note - Amber was found to attract light objects such as feathers when it was rubbed and the Latin word Electricus meaning "of Amber" or "like Amber" was established from the Greek word for Amber - "Elektron"
2. Technology Innovation #2 - Adaptation
Adaptation is where existing technology is either made better or adapted for specific purposes - this is where 90% of Innovation actually takes place...
Airbnb did not invent the internet or the development of Apps - they "simply" used the platform that already existed to connect people with rooms with those who wanted one...
Uber did not invent the Taxi business, the Smartphone or the Internet. They too "simply" brought existing technology together to enable people with empty seats in cars to be found by people needing a ride...
Tesla - did not invent either the car or the battery. Battery powered vehicles are not new, they have been around for decades; in fact the first Electric car was pioneered by Thomas Parker back in 1880 - 136 years ago...
3 D Printing - clever, but only an adaptation of existing technology and engineering principles. The transmission of designs to remote "printers" is amazing but again, only using platforms invented somewhere else...
This is where business can score big wins - you really don't need to be the next Thomas Edison, Nikola Tesla or Sir Isaac Newton - what you do need to be is adapting the technologies that are available to capitalise on the opportunities in the market...
3. Technology Innovation #3 - Transformation
How can you transform your customer / client experience not just as a consequence of a new App - but in terms of how they think and behave...?
For example - we don't by music anymore - we can download it for a fee but increasingly simply rent access to a library where we can list and sort what we want to hear - providing we keep paying the subscription...
Games are be rented over the Web - disks will become obsolete as they have for Video and Music....
Cars will be made to suit the mass consumer, and we will rent them for specific journeys. The days of washing the car on a Sunday and having it parked either on a street or in a garage for 96.5% of the time.
Any other depreciating asset that was utilised for around 3.5% of the time would have been made obsolete years ago...
For example - we don't by music anymore - we can download it for a fee but increasingly simply rent access to a library where we can list and sort what we want to hear - providing we keep paying the subscription...
Games are be rented over the Web - disks will become obsolete as they have for Video and Music....
Cars will be made to suit the mass consumer, and we will rent them for specific journeys. The days of washing the car on a Sunday and having it parked either on a street or in a garage for 96.5% of the time.
Any other depreciating asset that was utilised for around 3.5% of the time would have been made obsolete years ago...
Can you "rent out" your services and products rather than sell them...?
Franchising is the rental of Intellectual Property, Microsoft is in the Software Rental Business - there is a move towards efficiency and productivity in the use and allocation of scarce resources, products and services...
Paying on an "as required" basis is the fundamental driver of the Freelancer market - connecting skilled people to buyers when they need them is the way that work will evolve in the future - the days of the 40 Year career have long gone, the days of the 40 hour employment contract are evaporating quickly too...
Paying on an "as required" basis is the fundamental driver of the Freelancer market - connecting skilled people to buyers when they need them is the way that work will evolve in the future - the days of the 40 Year career have long gone, the days of the 40 hour employment contract are evaporating quickly too...
Leverage is the key - why sell when you can keep the asset and rent it out multiple times to multiple users...?
How can you disrupt your market with innovative services and approaches that use existing technology to transform the user experience...?
How can you disrupt your market with innovative services and approaches that use existing technology to transform the user experience...?
How is it done...?
Simple - people, time and money...
You have to have what Lockheed Martin describe as a "Skunk Works" - a team of people thinking the impossible and creating new ways of working, producing, marketing and selling...
You have to invest in people who will get it wrong 90% of the time, but who will invent flight, AC current or Uber and Airbnb occasionally too...
You don't have to employ them - use the technology that enables them , to locate and organise them - bring in outsiders to look at your business, get students to evaluate your next product line...
Get people from outside your industry to look at what you do - Millenials and Pensioners (technology is wasted on the young..) Engineers and Artists - people who don't think like you, look like you or behave like you...
Build your virtual creativity team and enable them to create the nest product or service innovation that will make you and the rest obsolete overnight - if you don't do it then someone else will...
In fact they probably already have - it's just that you don't know about it yet...
David Holland MBA is Business and Executive Coach - he's also a Husband of 30 years; to the same person too, Dad to two amazing boys, an only Child (explains a lot...) a Drummer and a Biker...
His cooking sucks - apart from Christmas breakfast which is awesome, ask Jon and Rich - but he can fix cars, is kind to animals and is really good at enabling people to achieve remarkable results both personally and professionally...
He's published 48 books, (thank goodness for spell-check...)worked in 25 Countries, lives in France and has offices in Luxembourg, the UK and the USA...
His friends call him Dutch and Lynn calls him anything she likes because we all know who the boss really is...
You can come along to one of his events - click HERE to find out where in the world he'll be appearing next...
AND - you can even drop him an email to see how he can be involved - he'll even do a keynote for your conference if it's due to be held somewhere warm...
davidholland@resultsrulesok.com
Sunday 28 February 2016
$crew the High Profile Entrepreneurs...
From time to time here on Social Media you'll see meaningless quotes from the Super Duper Entrepreneurs such as Musk, Branson, Lord Sugar, and Zuckerberg...
You'll be given glimpses into their mindset, success strategies and tactics that have made them wealthy - the deal is that if we copy them, then we'll become wealthy just like them...
You may even be invited to learn the secrets of the Wolf of Wall Street or a top flight CEO who earns $millions and has share options into the stratosphere...
You'll be given glimpses into their mindset, success strategies and tactics that have made them wealthy - the deal is that if we copy them, then we'll become wealthy just like them...
You may even be invited to learn the secrets of the Wolf of Wall Street or a top flight CEO who earns $millions and has share options into the stratosphere...
Should we listen to their pearls of wisdom...?
Yes of course...
Should you believe that by copying the theme of a sound-bite you too can buy your won Necker Island..?
No of course not...
How Bill Gates made his fortune, or how Abramovich made his Billions are intriguing and interesting - but approximately useless to the other 99% of people who simply don't understand the basic principles of achievement...
Unlike you reading this Blog of course...
I can pretty much guarantee that these highly successful people won't tell you that the secret of their success was reading Think and Grow Rich and then standing back and watching the money flowing in...
They didn't read the slogans that are now attributed to them - they didn't need to because success is simply a consequence of;
They didn't read the slogans that are now attributed to them - they didn't need to because success is simply a consequence of;
The RROK Success Formula
(Opportunity x Action) + (Location x Timing) = Achievement
According to this Formula, lets look at Richard Branson signing Mike Oldfield to Virgin Records...
Richard Branson had a record shop - just one - and had scraped enough money together to open a recording studio call The Manor...One of the Engineers happened to hear a demo tape of Mike Oldfield and recommended that an Album should be produced - that demo tape was what would become known as Tubular Bells....
This was the first Album release from Virgin back in 1973 and effectively made the business - enabling both the Sex Pistols and the Rolling Stones to be signed to the label later...
John Peel on played the entire Album on his radio show and it went to #1 on the UK charts and stayed in the charts for 279 weeks - it continues to dip in and out every decade...
Tubular Bells has sold around 18 million copies and counting...
I met Mike Oldfield at a party in the Bahamas, he is a lovely guy - and I get the feeling that whilst he is clearly talented; he still can't believe his luck...
Back to the formula...
Scoring each of the sections on a scale of 0 to 10 the Virgin Formula looks like this...
(Opportunity x Action) + (Location x Timing) = Achievement
Opportunity = 10 The Engineer recommended that the Demo Tape was excellent gave the opportunity to Virgin...
Action = 10
The Record was made, promoted and circulated, even John Peel joined in teh action on his radio show...
Location = 10
Mike Oldfield and Branson were in London and the Studios are in Shipton-on-Cherwell - just 1 1/2 hours away...
Timing = 10
The Album was "of it's time" a work of a teenage genius waiting to be discovered, and Virgin needed new talent...
The Album was "of it's time" a work of a teenage genius waiting to be discovered, and Virgin needed new talent...
(10 x 10) + (10 x 10) = 200
A perfect score - one of Virgin Atlantic's 747's is called Tubular Belle in homage to this single Album arguably being the catalyst for the whole Virgin Empire...
So there you have it - do the same and you'll get an Airline...
Errrr...
Perhaps not; by just saying "Screw it; lets do it..." you won't automatically get your own Airline, or you won't sign the next Mike Oldfield to your struggling Record Label...
Perhaps not; by just saying "Screw it; lets do it..." you won't automatically get your own Airline, or you won't sign the next Mike Oldfield to your struggling Record Label...
You'll probably get scared and then go bankrupt...
The challenge is that for 99% of people the formula doesn't stack up...
The challenge is that for 99% of people the formula doesn't stack up...
- Opportunity - whilst there are endless opportunities out there, they don't recognise them as such so they pass them by...
- Action - they are too risk averse, they procrastinate too much think too much and talk themselves out of doing anything...
- Location - they stay in the same town, and expect it to the the one place on earth that is perfect for high achievement...
- Timing - the best time is always now, but they sabotage themselves through lack of knowledge and awareness, they hesitate and the time is missed...
Here's what the formula looks like for too many people...
(2 x 1) + (1 x 2) = 4
And that's the level of achievement they get to...
For too many people Action is a ZERO - which reduces the outcome even further...
Then they think that achievement is hard, not for them or for someone else - someone who knows something they don't or is somehow more fortunate, gifted and connected than they are...
For too many people Action is a ZERO - which reduces the outcome even further...
Then they think that achievement is hard, not for them or for someone else - someone who knows something they don't or is somehow more fortunate, gifted and connected than they are...
It becomes a self fulfilling prophecy - a continuous cycle of hope rather than dreams, thinking rather than doing and being more scared of the potential for failure than ever the reality could be...
It's not that they can't do something amazing - it's just that they create the environment where the chances or so slim that they may as well win the lottery...
And then they sign up to a Wealth Workshop, go and see a Success Guru and think that by simply modelling the behaviours of the super elite - they too will achieve something remarkable...
But - they don't - and they likely won't...
But - they don't - and they likely won't...
Unless...
They change their approach to the Formula...
There is no magic incantation, simple guaranteed method; but there are some Rules that can increase your chances of achieving something remarkable...
Opportunity...
Step 1 - understand that Opportunity is everywhere, and that the only limitations are those we place on ourselves...
Step 2 - keep learning; opportunity favours the prepared and the intelligence to decipher them from all the background noise...
Step 3 - remember that you have been taught to think on scarcity mode, that risk is bad and only the lucky get wealth; so simply learn a new set of rules...Action...
Learn to say YES| to opportunities; even if they seem a bit daunting or risky. Start small with going to a Workshop when you are invited, attending a conference, doing something different; buy a book and read it then email the author and thank them...
Most of all, avoid thinking and procrastinating - the assumption that most people mistakenly make when the "think about it..." is that they actually know what they are doing - none of us really have the capacity to evaluate opportunities, mainly because they are outside our frame of reference...Location...
Move - you are not a Tree...
Go where the people, opportunities and environment are that give you the best chance of being discovered. If you want to be a Film Star - you'll probably have to leave Cardiff a couple of times...
Travel and experience the new - put your self in the flow of ideas, people and opportunities that you would otherwise have...Timing...
Perhaps the trickiest one of all - being not only in the right place but at the right time too...
The more you move, connect and learn to recognise that opportunity is everywhere - the more "right time" opportunities will come your way. It's the Law of Attraction - you do not have to create opportunities, you simply have to open to the possibility of them being available...
Build your life so that Formula works for you - no magic just a little bit of application...
How do you score on the Formula...?
What is the area that needs to be improved..?
Remember - Results are a lagging indicator of attitude, application and work, theRROK Success Formula simply predicts the outcome for you..
I knew for me that Location and Action were the two missing ingredients that I could improve...
So I took the opportunity to move - a lot - we are in our 15th House in the third country we have lived on the second continent - so plenty more to go at here...
And I took Action - 12 years of night-school for example, to catch up on my education that I didn't get...
How do you score on the Formula...?
What is the area that needs to be improved..?
Remember - Results are a lagging indicator of attitude, application and work, theRROK Success Formula simply predicts the outcome for you..
I knew for me that Location and Action were the two missing ingredients that I could improve...
So I took the opportunity to move - a lot - we are in our 15th House in the third country we have lived on the second continent - so plenty more to go at here...
And I took Action - 12 years of night-school for example, to catch up on my education that I didn't get...
Oh Yes - and you had better be prepared to work your little socks off too...!
I have the privilege to work with and call friends some of the most amazing people, entrepreneurs and business owners in the world - if you'd like to hang out with them and join us on the journey - take a first step into the risky unknown and drop me an email...
davidholland@resultsrulesok.com
At least you start to change the Formula in your favour by taking some positive Action...
AND...
You could buy one of my books - they are actually pretty good...
Business Growth - Your Business Rules OK...
Available on Amazon - HERE...
Strategy VS Tactics - which is which...?
It's a bit like Mark Up and Margin - everyone knows the words, but lots of people seem to get them confused...
*Mark Up is profit expressed as a percentage of the Cost, whilst Margin is the profit expressed as a percentage of the price...
So what is a Strategy and what is a Tactic...?
In 2014 Walmart CEO Doug McMillon stated that the Strategy for growth for the company would be...
...to win on four key customer dimensions; price, assortment, experience and access...
Translated to mean lots of cheap stuff that is fun to buy and easy to get at...
This strategy could apply to other companies too. Maybe an airline, restaurant chain even a hotel group...
How to put a Strategy together...
The major challenge I find is that Business people get it wrong at the start...
For example, a recent conversation at after one of our workshops in the bar...
How to put a Strategy together...
The major challenge I find is that Business people get it wrong at the start...
For example, a recent conversation at after one of our workshops in the bar...
"we manufacture food additives and we are getting screwed on price from cheap importers and payment terms from our customers; what should our strategy be...?"
Get out of the food additive's business...
You see, none of us are in the "XYZ" business - we choose the "xyz" business to achieve our Vision - what type of business we choose to build is part of our Mission and a fundamental aspect of Strategy...
I asked the lady at the bar what her Vision was - and she had no idea, either what she was trying to achieve or why she was doing it...
She was running her business to make money - she'd lost her passion, her raison d'etre, her why...
Get out of the food additive's business...
You see, none of us are in the "XYZ" business - we choose the "xyz" business to achieve our Vision - what type of business we choose to build is part of our Mission and a fundamental aspect of Strategy...
I asked the lady at the bar what her Vision was - and she had no idea, either what she was trying to achieve or why she was doing it...
She was running her business to make money - she'd lost her passion, her raison d'etre, her why...
Rule #1 - do not run your business to make money...!
Money is a consequence of Vision, Purpose, Passion and Excellence - build something that adds value to people and the money will show up..,
In order to define your business Strategy and Tactics you must start with your Vision - what is your "why", does your business pass the "so what*.." test...?
*The "so what..." test can be applied to a variety of business decisions and actions - "I'm in the food additives business..." - so what...?
Alternatively...
"My Vision is to change the way people relate to food and enable them to live healthier, longer and happier lives - at the moment I am achieving this by providing the worlds finest herbs, spices and natural ingredients to independent restaurants and specialist food producers..."
Money is a consequence of Vision, Purpose, Passion and Excellence - build something that adds value to people and the money will show up..,
In order to define your business Strategy and Tactics you must start with your Vision - what is your "why", does your business pass the "so what*.." test...?
*The "so what..." test can be applied to a variety of business decisions and actions - "I'm in the food additives business..." - so what...?
Alternatively...
"My Vision is to change the way people relate to food and enable them to live healthier, longer and happier lives - at the moment I am achieving this by providing the worlds finest herbs, spices and natural ingredients to independent restaurants and specialist food producers..."
A little different...?
What is your Vision for you, and your professional accomplishments...?
Having a compelling Vision does not mean you have to be in business - it's probably the toughest way to achieve anything...
Look at the first part of the Vision above - it could be achieved through Nutrition Training, Education, Restaurants, Medical Practitioners; it could also apply to Mr Jamie Oliver...
Having a compelling Vision does not mean you have to be in business - it's probably the toughest way to achieve anything...
Look at the first part of the Vision above - it could be achieved through Nutrition Training, Education, Restaurants, Medical Practitioners; it could also apply to Mr Jamie Oliver...
The Vision defines both your Purpose, Passion and Why - it's then over to the Strategy to define the What, and the Tactics give you the How...
Once your Vision is clear - then you can move onto making a strategic choice - do you build a business, a charity, lead an organisation or start a movement...?
Of course, many people think it's too late for all this - they have been in the "widget" manufacturing business for so long their very identity is defined by the "widgets" they make and the market they operate within...
Of course, many people think it's too late for all this - they have been in the "widget" manufacturing business for so long their very identity is defined by the "widgets" they make and the market they operate within...
This is really dangerous, we used to call moments of inspiration a "Jack Daniels" moment after the Gibson Guitar off site manager meeting - now we have to consider the "Uber" moment when some kid in his back bedroom who isn't as passionate about "widgets" starts a disruptive movement that wipes you out; and you won't even see them coming...
If you are already in business start being Innovative and Creative and thinking outside the "widget" - again - you are in business to achieve your Vision, not to make "widgets"...
Your Vision remains fixed - your strategy can change...
OK so we have a Vision - and at the moment we'd like to achieve it through the delivery of food additives or whatever business you like - what's next...?
Strategic Choice...
What's your Mission - what will you do to deliver on the Vision..
In military terms the Vision could be to eradicate fascism from Europe, the Mission is to secure the Normandy beaches and the Tactics are Airborne Assault followed by amphibious landings with air support..
In military terms the Vision could be to eradicate fascism from Europe, the Mission is to secure the Normandy beaches and the Tactics are Airborne Assault followed by amphibious landings with air support..
Choosing your business is just the start of your Strategic Development - it's important; but not the end of the process; we need to speak to a Mr Porter here for guidance - ref Michael Porter - Competitive Advantage LINK
Most people choose a business because it's what they know - Accountants runs Accounting Practices, Chefs run Restaurants, Beauticians run Salons...
Or they run a business because their Father or Mother started it years ago and there is a sense of loyalty, heritage and historical identity associated with it..
Or they run a business because their Father or Mother started it years ago and there is a sense of loyalty, heritage and historical identity associated with it..
These are of course natural, and when blended with practical strategic choices, they likelihood of long term success is a lot higher - there is a reason that lots of start ups don't make it - they don't know what they are doing...
So if you are starting out - or starting with a going concern, assessing your business idea strategically is a great starting point...
So if you are starting out - or starting with a going concern, assessing your business idea strategically is a great starting point...
Michael Porter defines 5 Market Forces that should be taken into consideration when developing your business; it challenges us to be critical about the environment we either will be or are operating. Remember, the market changes and this process should be carried out at least annually to take account of environmental, social and economic changes...For example - here's the model applied to a Business Coaching Business...
There is a load of Coaches out there, the barriers to entry are low and they have to be a competitive bunch...Substitution through technology is a threat, however the power of suppliers and customers is low...
So to thrive in this type of market environment - I have to choose make a number of Strategic Choices...
If you are going to go into the Coaching business - you need to go down the Differentiation Focus route for example...Walmart are going down the Cost Leadership route...
This starts to define the way you have to structure and design your business; it should guide all the decisions you make about products, services and the way you market and sell them...
You can even plot your Strategy on the Strategy Clock and mount it on the wall as a reminder of the choices and focus of the business...
Note - low value high price is destined for failure - not a real surprise but when it comes to services and products that you want to charge a premium for, at least do your customers the courtesy of being good at it...
OK - so you have made your Strategic Choices - now we can move onto developing the Tactics that will contribute towards them...
Note - low value high price is destined for failure - not a real surprise but when it comes to services and products that you want to charge a premium for, at least do your customers the courtesy of being good at it...
OK - so you have made your Strategic Choices - now we can move onto developing the Tactics that will contribute towards them...
What are Business Tactics...?
Tactics are the things you do to support the Strategies...
For example - as a Coach in order to define myself from others in my market and achieve competitive advantage through differentiation I have published 48 Books, I have worked in 25 Countries, I read a book every couple of weeks and my approach to clients unique...
Whatever business you choose to be in and whatever your Vision and Strategic choices - your tactics must lead towards them...
Tactics are the things you do to support the Strategies...
For example - as a Coach in order to define myself from others in my market and achieve competitive advantage through differentiation I have published 48 Books, I have worked in 25 Countries, I read a book every couple of weeks and my approach to clients unique...
Whatever business you choose to be in and whatever your Vision and Strategic choices - your tactics must lead towards them...
I see so many companies that have a great Vision and even Strategic Clarity - but the tactics are not supporting them..
For example, some years ago, a Nut and Bolt supplier in the West Midlands had a Vision to "Transform how Engineering Components are attached to each other, making them safer, more reliable and more efficient..."
So far so good...
The Strategy was to be one Focussed Differentiation - providing specialist solutions to a specific market and being recognised as the leader within it..
For example, some years ago, a Nut and Bolt supplier in the West Midlands had a Vision to "Transform how Engineering Components are attached to each other, making them safer, more reliable and more efficient..."
So far so good...
The Strategy was to be one Focussed Differentiation - providing specialist solutions to a specific market and being recognised as the leader within it..
However - when it came to Tactics - it went wrong...
The team thought that they were a Nut and Bolt business - so just kept designing and selling nuts and bolts, that could be sourced from anywhere...
Their mindset and tactical approach was Low Added Value and Medium Price point - 8 on the Strategy Clock...
The team thought that they were a Nut and Bolt business - so just kept designing and selling nuts and bolts, that could be sourced from anywhere...
Their mindset and tactical approach was Low Added Value and Medium Price point - 8 on the Strategy Clock...
What they could have done was consider the following Tactics...
- Innovation - attaching components together does not mean a nut and a bolt. It can include adhesives, welding, 3D printing, rivets - but they decided to remain a simple "me too" nut and bolt provider...
- Naming - if you are going to lead through focussed differentiation then name your products. Having a product name of "M8x25x1.25" is not going to excite anyone - plus if you Google that you'll get thousands of places to get it from...
- Bundling - sell "kits" that solve a problem for your customers, build the "Happy Meal " of the Nut and Bolt world.
- Service - deliver the products within 2 hours of ordering, be open 24 hrs a day 7 days a week..
- Cross Sell - provide tools, training, clothing that your customers are buying from somewhere else - chase after budget share not market share...
- Partnership - work with your customers at the design stage, get specified and built into the design so they have to buy from you...
- Reputation - deliver customer service so amazing that people send you unsolicited bottles of wine, testimonials and thank you notes. Be so good that you have a waiting list of people who want to come and see how you do what you do...
- Training - recruit, train and develop your team so that the Vision, Mission, Strategy and Tactics become the DNA of your business ...
There are plenty more - but you get the picture...
There is a place in the market for a successful high growth and profitable business, that supports your Vision - all you have to do is match your Strategic Choices and Tactical implementation to be in sympathy with it and you will have no choice but to be successful...
Or you can keep selling cheap nuts and bolts to a market that wants high value innovative fastening and component attaching solutions - and get nowhere quick...
There is a place in the market for a successful high growth and profitable business, that supports your Vision - all you have to do is match your Strategic Choices and Tactical implementation to be in sympathy with it and you will have no choice but to be successful...
Or you can keep selling cheap nuts and bolts to a market that wants high value innovative fastening and component attaching solutions - and get nowhere quick...
Finally - if you ask me about Business Strategy, I'm going to ask you about your Vision...
This is the start point for everything...
David Holland MBA is Business and Executive Coach - he's also a Husband of 30 years; to the same person too, Dad to two amazing boys, an only Child (explains a lot...) a Drummer and a Biker...
His cooking sucks - apart from Christmas breakfast which is awesome, ask Jon and Rich - but he can fix cars, is kind to animals and is really good at enabling people to achieve remarkable results both personally and professionally...
He's published 48 books, (thank goodness for spell-check...)worked in 25 Countries, lives in France and has offices in Luxembourg, the UK and the USA...
His friends call him Dutch and Lynn calls him anything she likes because we all know who the boss really is...
You can come along to one of his events - click HERE to find out where in the world he'll be appearing next...
AND - you can even drop him an email to see how he can be involved - he'll even do a keynote for your conference if it's due to be held somewhere warm...
davidholland@resultsrulesok.com
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)