the think tank:
business development

the little things

In a world where a frantic pace has become the norm, we sometimes forget that lasting impressions are made by the little things.  The thank you’s and acknowledgments, the smiles in a greeting, the odd phone calls or email just to stay in touch. The little things.

These things are what lasting working relationships are founded by. Making an effort to be that genuine, likeable representative of your firm who can stay in contact through the busy.....and not so busy times. A working relationship with your client is not just about what comes your way in monetary terms, but that by being patient and staying in touch even when there is nothing to receive – that strong relationships will be built, and in turn business to business relationships will come to fruition.

Next time you have second thoughts about keeping in touch with that client who only offers a small glimmer of a possibility, stick it out. Small seeds eventually grow and business will prosper for a person who can do the right thing by those around them by growing the relationship before you expect to benefit from it.

So smile, you never know who’s watching!

put your business in other people's hands

Estimates suggest that Apple's App Store is turning over $200 million per month in selling iPhone Applications.  In addition to this, smart phone apps have only become the rage in the last couple of years.  It would appear there are a lot of people looking into how they can take advantage of these emerging technologies...putting themselves in the hands of other people.

There have been those who have referred to current trends of their day as passing fads.  I would think though that any trend that is creating this amount of interest is well worth investigating to see how your organisation or business can benefit from being 'hand held', so to speak.

For some time now people have used their mobile for more than making a phone call.  With the advent of smart phone apps they are paying bills while enjoying a coffee...they're playing addictive games...they're researching and making purchasing decisions wherever they have down time.  It is a new day of product placement and advertising acumen.

My point is simply this...however you are currently marketing your business or communicating with people who are yet to hear about your outstanding product, there is always going to be some new method to consider.  Whether or not an iPhone App is for you right now, I would encourage a courageous outlook into how you diversify your marketing strategy in the midst of new technology.

It's worth thinking about.  It's worth talking about.  We're happy to spend some time considering the possibilities with you.

what is your strategy for 2010?

We have all heard the saying, "if you fail to plan, you plan to fail."

Well there is no better time to put a plan in place or review your existing strategy than at the start of the year. Especially when that year ushers in a new decade.

Many of our non-retail clients have been reporting an unusually busy December 2009 and January 2010, traditionally quiet months for non-retail sectors. Our experience at Nucleus Media supports this. We have gained three major new clients during this period which is uncommon for the advertising industry at this time of year. 

Based on this kind of activity it seems confidence is returning which is an indicator that 2010 is shaping up to be a very positive year for business.

Therefore, it is a great time to ask questions like:

• Are we prepared to take advantage of the current business climate?
• What have we learnt from the economic downturn and is our business stronger for it?
• Do we have a strategy that will take us confidently into a new decade?
• Is our web strategy current and/or effective?
• What portion of our business will need to be web based to be competitive in the future?
• Does our brand image suit 2010, this new decade and future growth?
• What new technologies do we need to explore to keep current? And which do we ignore?
• What place will social networking have in our future?
• What is happening right now in our market segment?
• Are our materials suitable for growth?
• What is our communication strategy?
• etc....

Taking time out to ask yourself these questions and review your business strategy can not only increase your revenue but can save you lost opportunities, motivate your staff and ensure the long term health of your business. Is it time to update your business plan? Is it time you put a five or ten year plan in place?

Our advice is simple, make sure you have a plan in place to ensure success in 2010.

be available, not complicated

In the age of global markets and economies, connectivity has never been so important. Technology is racing ahead and the internet, teamed with mobile and wireless connections, means that there are endless options for people to reach you, however when they call you, can they find you? Are you accessible?

You would think that in tough economic times, people would be happy to get all the business they can. The other day I rang a contractor to arrange repairs for equipment at home. Both listed numbers went directly to voicemail and I’m still awaiting a return phone call. Needless to say, he won’t have my business when he calls back…if he ever calls back.

The key to being accessible is to develop a code of communication, that is, for as many numbers as you have, have a plan of response. In other words, when you receive a call, answer it after so many rings and if you accept messages, commit to return them promptly. There is no point in having several phone numbers, fax, email, mobile, facebook, twitter and website communication tools and yet never monitor them or follow through the enquiries and customer communications you receive.
       
Your clients deserve the courtesy of a response. It is important to ensure that accessibility remains a priority for your business because people will always be the backbone of your success. It is too easy for people to look elsewhere for a solution, so get in quick or risk losing current or prospective business, and worst of all, being the catalyst for bad word of mouth.

And finally…smile! People will hear it in your voice!

for best results, make the right start in business

A while back we had a client approach us who wanted help in launching their business with a website, because they felt that was what everyone else was doing. They had no logo, no business identity, no business plan, and no real idea of how to build their brand. What they did have, however, was a great idea.

This type of scenario is like trying to sell a product that has no packaging. While you might sell something, it would be an uphill battle from day one.

Unfortunately, many people start business like this, doing what they think is right because they have a great idea or are a skilled tradesperson. The truth of the matter is that this is not enough to start a business, you have to begin to think like a business owner rather than a worker.

"The E Myth Revisited", by Michael Gerber, is a book we often recommend to people starting out and to small business owners. It encourages you to think of your business as a product or a franchise that you will one day sell to someone else for a profit. While you may never sell your business, you'll certainly think differently if you design it to be sold....

In fact you'll probably start asking questions of yourself like:

• How do we get the business working without us?
• What will make our business appealing enough for someone to buy it?
• How would we design our business if it was going to become a franchise?

You may be thinking it's way too early to start with questions like this. We would suggest that if your business is going to have a good chance of succeeding, you have to start with the end in mind. Picture what you want your business to be and start heading for that from day one. This is the essence of a business plan.

Back to our client, we discussed these ideas with them and asked them to read the book. Our ethos is that we would rather point our clients in another direction than do a job that may fail. Therefore we suggested that if they wanted to consider a more strategic start to their business, we would help in every way we could.

We are happy to report that the client came back to us two weeks later with a whole new outlook on how to start their business. The great news is that one week prior to this article they finally launched their business with a great deal of industry support because they packaged themselves correctly.

Click here to see their logo design
Click here to see their stationery design

If there are any books that you would like recommend as a help for business development or practice, we invite you to post them in the comments for this blog.

less players...more room to move

In these challenging economic times it is sad to see people going out of business.  No one likes to see the hard work of another person come to nothing, however, we're seeing it more and more every day.

For those that remain it's like having the entire forward 50 without any defence in the way...it's a lot easier to get to the goal.  Or perhaps consider an art exhibition...with less pieces of art on the walls yours are more likely to be seen.

The point I'm making is that as these current unfortunate outcomes undo someone who may be in opposition to you, it provides you with an opportunity to be more easily noticed by your audience.  This would then turn down times into an up situation.  Times like these are the perfect opportunity for those with strength to spread out and take more ground in the market.

The needs of your customers won't go away...which means they will still be looking.  A strategic marketing campaign, whether it be via television, print or the web stands to be a very effective way to gain market share...and the next 12 months could be the best time to take these steps.  I'm no economics expert, but I think it stands to reason.  It's all about making the most and the best of whatever is happening around you.

networking and nurturing

Have you ever been to a networking event, handed out every card you had in your pocket and felt like it was a great achievement?  Well, you're right...it was.  Meeting new people who may become involved in your business is something that is always filled with anticipation wondering what may eventuate in the future.

Well, now that you've possibly assembled quite an array of networkees, have you considered what could come of nurturing them.  When you're planning on running out to your next Chamber of Commerce or Industry Specific Meeting, consider this...what are you doing with the important and valuable people you already have?

By regularly keeping in contact with those people already in your network and being genuinely interested in helping them build the things that are important to them, I would like to suggest you are doing more to build your business than standing around a room full of people you don't know just hoping that the tray of Lemon & Pepper Squid would come past one more time.

Nurturing your network is simply keeping in touch because you are genuinely interested in where people are at and helping them get to their goal, as you may have already done to some degree.  It's a way of letting people who are important to your business know that you're not only still around, but you're always thinking of ways to help them.  They will really appreciate it, especially if you're suggesting new ideas that can help them grow what is important to them.

Of course, don't pass up the opportunity to continue growing your network because some of those functions do serve some great food!