 I visited a friend’s house the other day and he had pictures of his children on the wall from every grade in school starting with kindergarten through high school graduation. – It was very interesting to see how they changed over the years. Some years there were just small minor changes. Other years there were very pronounced changes. In some years even their hair color changed. In looking at the pictures you could see how young children turned into young men and women. It was really quite interesting to see the evolution in such a pronounced fashion.
In business we often don’t take the time to reflect and take a snap shot of how things have changed. Often when you start a company you have a plan based on the situation at the time and you just go from there. You do what you have to do and make adjustments along the way. Over the years however things do change. What you set out to accomplish when you started your business may not be as relevant today as it was years ago. Your business changes and your competition changes but because we get up and see the same person in the mirror every day we often don’t recognize the changes that happen over time.
Consider the person who goes to sell their house after living in it for ten years. During that time a significant squeak develops in their front door. They never hear the squeak because it developed slowly over time. When the real estate agent comes to the front door to check things out she suggest that some oil be put on the door right away to help make a better first impression.
Over time it is easy to fall into habits that may not be the best for your business. You may take short cuts or you may have lost sight of what your competition is doing. Because you look at yourself in the mirror every day and you see the business form your perspective it is easy to lose sight of how others may see your business. While you may see things the same way your customers and potential customers may be seeing things from quite a different perspective.
Every three to five years or so it is good to push back and reflect on what has changed in your company and with your competition, the category you compete in and your customers. If your category or customers have changed have you? Are the changes that have occurred been for better or worse? Is it time to pick a new strategic direction or are you still better served to “stay the course”. To really see the changes it helps to have a picture taken every year. – In business
your snap shot should be your annual marketing plan.
You should take a clear snap shot of what your situation is relative to your competition and how that perspective relates to your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats as an organization. By understanding clearly how you, your competition and the category you compete in changes each year you can more effectively plan for the future. If you don’t take the time to get an accurate snap shot in time you will likely be looking into the mirror and seeing the same person every day without ever recognizing the need for change.
About the Author – Scott Francis is President of Topline Development LLC a Strategic Marketing Consulting Group that provides helps companies determine how they can make the most amount of money with the least amount of resources. To learn more about Topline Development LLC visit their web site at www.ToplineDevelopment.com or contact Scott directly at scott@toplinedevelopment.com. |
