Marketing

Are You Strategic? by Mark W. Schaefer

How are you trying to create competitive advantage for you and your company?

More advertising?

More time on the social web?

Work longer hours?

Cutting costs?

All of these tactics can provide short-term gains ? but they?re not really strategic. Your competitors are probably trying to do the same thing, aren?t they?? So if they are, how is this going to create ADVANTAGE for YOU?? There is only one way to create competitive advantage in the long-term:

Listen to your customers more effectively and respond more rapidly than your competitors.

That?s it.

I?ve just saved you a ton of money on business books because every successful strategy is based on this idea and every great product innovation has this concept at its foundation. So if times are still tight and you’re looking to make cuts in your business, don?t jeopardize your relationships with your customers.? In fact, this is the time to embrace them more tightly.

The social web provides a great way to connect more deeply with customers. Mastering that skill really can lead to competitive advantage.? So even when times are tough, keep listening, keep responding, keep innovating!

About the author: Mark W. Schaefer is the Executive Director of Schaefer Marketing Solutions, and has more than 25 years of global sales and marketing experience as well as advanced degrees in business and applied behavioral sciences. You can follow Mark on Twitter or read his daily blog to learn more.

Quality Assurance

You have a new product. You need to test it before it goes public. You hire an agency to carry out a focus group for you. You pay people to tell you what, essentially, you want to hear (many focus group participants won’t be completely honest since they want repeat invitations).

You’ve just spent five figures to find out just a tiny bit more than you knew before about your product.

Now. You have a new product. You need to test it before it goes public. You give it to your sales people; your marketing people; your customer service people. You know – the ones who have to live with its real value from the front line.

Who do you think will offer the real feedback?

Universal

Ideas begin with one person, but the best ones are chewed over by many before being released to the public.

There’s a reason for this. Personal bias and parental protection often makes us myopic about letting go, and this can make us miss the bigger picture. Afterward, we realize our good idea became great because of universal viewpoints.

Something to keep in mind the next time you’re about to tell someone they’re too junior to offer an input into your business masterplan.

One Size Fits All

Marketing to a law firm is very different to marketing to a butcher’s shop.

Implementing social media strategy for a school is not the same as implementing social media strategy for a school for spine surgeons.

Flying a kite is not the same as flying a three hundred passenger Boeing.

One size fits all solutions?

No such thing.

We’re Watching

We’re watching.

We’re watching what you say; how you say it; and the conviction behind it. We’re taking in the words you use; the directions you’re giving; the recommendations you’re sharing. We’re taking you at face value and trusting what our ears hear and our eyes see.

Our eyes are our cameras and cameras never lie.

So next time you’re about to speak, remember – we’re watching.