| Current Category is: Strategic Planning | Select Another Category | |
|
|
| Home | Search | Categories | Links | About Us | Contact Us |
|
|
 |
Have You Identified the Enemy?
One of the most powerful driving forces in human nature is competition. The desire to overcome something or some company, the need to win, the cause, can in many cases be more important than the day-to-day work of the company. If your company and your people are to ever reach some level of greatness, you must identify and focus on beating something, on creating and communicating a reason for being. If your reason for being is that you got fired, so you decided to go into business for yourself, then maybe all you will ever create is a job. Now, understand that when I say enemy or competition, I'm not necessarily suggesting something negative. While the folks at Apple Computer will tell you that their reason for being is often rooted in beating Microsoft, many organizations also draw motivation from saving things, ridding the world of things, creating peace, making life more enjoyable, teaching, sharing, spreading and a host of other very positive things. And that's the point. Small business owners often have no readily identifiable group of competitors or Goliath to aim at but they may find motivation in a great cause or reason for being and connecting that that great cause can become the drive to play the game at the highest level. Your cause can be grand or it can be humble, but find it and you will be much more prepared to market your business, run your business with passion, hire people who support the cause and create a vision for your business. Great causes possess the power of attraction. Think what you do isn't grand enough to call a cause? I will rid the world of bad advertising, one ad at a time. We will prove that tax preparation can be fun. We will empower anyone to buy a home. I will make my customers so overwhelmingly thrilled they will refer their friends and neighbors willingly. I will ensure that no one will ever be afraid to go to the dentist again. Are you starting to see how this kind of thinking and the notion of focusing on competition could help drive your actions? What if you could actually connect your beliefs and values to your reason for being? Would that provide motivation to do more? Would that start to feel like more than a job? So, what is your organization's cause for being? Aim high and let your cause guide you, your people and your clients to greatness. Copyright 2004 John Jantsch About The Author John Jantsch is a marketing coach and the creator of Duct Tape Marketing. Find out more and recieve you free small business marketing guide at http://www.DuctTapeMarketing.com.
MORE RESOURCES:
Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Scheduling of Additional Auto Detailing or Mobile Car Wash Units If you own a mobile car wash business or auto detailing business then you realize that when you are parked working you are making money and when you are stuck in traffic you are losing money. Sure you can say when you are in traffic people see you and write down the phone number, but you are not making money, that is potential future income, which is work you still must do in the future. Balanced Scorecard Strategy Map With the help of balanced scorecard strategy map, it is very easy to design the organization goals and build business strategies. Balance scorecard and strategy map are interrelated with each other. 8 Ways to Earn More Without Working Harder Conventional wisdom has it that there are only three ways to grow your business: find new customers, increase the amount of each sale to existing customers or get customers to buy more frequently. But I've seen business owners go blank when presented with those three options. Three Easy Ways To Know Thy Competitor "Did you hear what your competitor is doing?" This question has caused many business people to freeze in their tracks. How about you? Does your sales team know what your competitors are doing? And if a prospect was to ask them, "give me 10 unique reasons why I should buy from you and your company," could they answer this question without a pause? "Knowing thy competitor" is critical, and this article will outline three easy ways to know more about them, than they know about you! Let's get started!Their people: Begin by "shopping" on the telephone, by mail and in-person, the competitors who offer similar pricing and products as your company. Getting Started with Succession Planning: Part II Succession planning requires the owner of a small or medium-sized business to plan for what the company will look like and how it will operate after the transition to new owners is complete. Unless the owners have succession goals in mind, they won't achieve them. Take A Systems View To Ensure Your Business Stays Healthy How are you feeling today? Good, not so good, great? Let me ask the same question in a different way: How is your gastro-intestinal system functioning today? What about your lymphatic system? How's the old circulatory system flowing along? Are all your bodily systems aligned, in sync, and cranking at peak performance?In order to get everything done perfectly and on time, your body must use many systems that effectively work side by side. Just as it is important to take a systems view when it comes to your body's health and well-being, it is equally important that you have a clear understanding of your business and its organizational systems. Business Process Methodologies I've either been involved with or held a process-related role since 1994. It started in the government with TQM (Total Quality Management). Expanding your business in a franchise system If you are a successful franchise of a large franchise brand or chain, chances are you will wish to expand. The most important thing to do is make sure you are on the most positive terms with your franchisor. Vision Getting Dim? A recent conversation started with a typical question, "How's business?"The reply was equally typical and prefaced by a sigh, "You know (another sigh), same old / same old."Clearly the person responding has "VCD" or "Vision Challenge Disorder. Content Management: Wise Investment for Business Prosperity The time when a website was just a simple set of HTML pages has gone by. It's true, just five or seven years ago simple websites developed with HTML and JavaScript were usual. Business Strategy Planning Made Easy Ask Yourself three simple questions that affect your strategy planning.. Urban Flight in Ohio Many of Ohio's downtown areas are in need of upgrading as folks pack up and move to the suburbs. Many downtown revitalization projects are currently going on there. Mining Market Data With a heightened awareness of opportunity, ideas can often be generated by market research. The National Women's Business Center (NWBC) defines market research as "a systematic, objective collection and analysis of data about your target market, competition, and/or environment with the goal being increased understanding. Akron OH; A great place to do business When looking at Akron carefully one cannot help but notice it's brilliant location to rivers, water, large cities and middle class consumer spending populations. With Canton to the South, high-end and growing Fairlawn to the North, Kent State and University of Ohio both a stones throw; the potential for any business is quite apparent. Why 9 in 10 Businesses are Overspending on Day-to-day Expenses Experts estimate that 90 percent of Australian businesses are overspending on day-to-day expenses, by as much as 75 percent in some cost categories!Looked at the operating costs of your business lately? You might be surprised at the savings that can be gained with a systematic approach to cutting costs.The easiest way to lift profits is to cut the fat out of costs. Business Plan Long Term Goals Writing a business plan is not an easy endeavor, nor is predicting the future. You will need to spent adequate time in preparing your long-term goals and objectives. Becoming Wise - Wild & Free - Writing A Successful Business Plan - Part 2 - Do It In Steps So you've decided to write your own business plan because you know the value that the experience will give you. With the books and software that are out there today you can probably sit down and complete the plan in a day or so, right? Plug in the numbers, add the notes, write the whole narrative (story), print it and get it out to the banks or investors. Is Your Company Growing Fast Enough for You? Are you frustrated by the lack of growth in your firm, or the effort required to squeeze any up-tick in performance? Are inadequate policies and procedures a root cause? To find out, take this simple self assessment to see if this may be inhibiting real growth at your company.Q. Leverage - A Small Step For You /A Big Change For Your Career Cassy was an employee of a nonprofit who had been at her job 5 years. She came to me because she felt that the organization she was working for didn't value her and was upset because others had been promoted but she had not. 19 Questions to Supercharge Your Business Plan Whether you are seeking capital for your company or are optimizing your business strategy, the most important element - particularly for outside investors - may be your written business plan. You can tune-up and supercharge your plan using this 19-step checklist.
|
| Home
| Sitemap
| Disclaimer
| Privacy
| Contact
Us © COPYRIGHT 2011 BRAINBELLY.COM |
