MAKE AN EXHIBITION OF YOURSELF

During, and because of COVID19, many people have lost touch. 

Little wonder there is intense interest in and demand for conducting, and engaging with exhibitions of products, services and applications. Social isolation and quarantines do that to the psyche of people. Most long to reach out, connect and engage with people who matter. That includes clients, customers, suppliers, associates, and team-members. 

Little wonder astute business leaders are taking the opportunity to make an exhibition of their companies, brands, products, and people – sometimes extending to themselves. Being an exhibitionist seems timely. 

Reservations about contaminations, intent and understanding are readily and rapidly overcome. 

Exhibitions, in their many incarnations and sizes are filling needs, and stimulating interest in new and established products, services and apps. 

Relationships are being rekindled, established, and extended. Increased business activities are natural consequences. 

Hosts are from a broad cross-section, including professional associations, buying groups, marketing networks, manufacturers, distributors, suppliers, and retailers. 

Creative concepts in invitation designs, displays, demonstrations and samplings are generating interest in and demand for brands. 

The shadow of the pandemic and its evolving variants overhang the marketplace. Attendance totals tend to be down. So too are multiple registrations and participants. Trials and tribulations associated with travel remain a perceptual, if not a real impediment and filter. This has been a catalyst for the programming and conduct of multiple, smaller events. 

Among the by-products are increased engagements, interactions and transactions. 

SWINGS AND ROUNDABOUTS 

One significant trend that is emerging centres on contractions in and terminations of social media campaigns. 

Increasingly, funds and budgets are being allocated to re-entering and profiling a strong physical presence among existing, past and prospective clients, customers and collaborators. 

Self-conducted exhibitions provide platforms with certain endearing and enduring features. These include exclusive access to time-specific events, which in themselves stimulate interest and generate a sense of urgency. 

Promoting new products, the full complementary range, infrastructure support, service arrangements and specific offers, capture attention and often represent enhanced value. 

Everything old seems new again. 

In many instances, and covering numerous aspects, these events are relaunch and launch occasions. They should be considered new, with formats free from traditions and past practices. Interactions, communication, and networking remain the key, fundamental and effective lubricants for commerce. 

Social media and technology should be deployed to complement, not replace the human quotient. Multi-channels, when integrated are optimal when positioning companies, brands, people, and products. 

Facilitating interactions, including peers, should be a feature of the programs and schedules. Smaller, targeted events are seemingly, appealing to promoters, invitees and participants. However, care must be taken to avoid overburdening targeted entities, executives, associates, clients and customers with missives, invitations and opportunities. Saturation via social media has been a key determinant in declining use of those media. 

BE OBJECTIVE 

In the prevailing time-poor, pandemic affected marketplace, with attendant and consequential reluctance to be over-exposed to viruses, infections and both medical and social contaminations, it is imperative for set and specific objectives to be determined for exhibitions and similar events. 

A good starting point is a clean slate. Traditions and past practices, including scheduling, should be at least marginalised, if not deleted. 

Attendee benefits, advantages and rewards need to be conspicuous, alluring and indeed compelling. Even in periods of recessions customers, clients and purchasing managers find satisfaction and delight in purchases. 

That is reason enough to contemplate the planning, promotion and conduct of exhibitions and similar events. New venues, presentations and packages enhance appeal. 

GET EXCITED 

Against a backdrop of several variants of COVID19, it is important to remember that in commerce few things are more infectious than excitement and enthusiasm. 

Barry Urquhart

Keynote Speaker - Exhibitions

Marketing Focus

M:      041 983 5555

E:       Urquhart@marketingfocus.net.au

W:      www.marketingfocus.net.au

DID YOU KNOW?

Really! 

A total of 63% of consumers who had dealt with individual products and services providers for three or more years self-declared that they were unaware of the full range of offerings from those established sources. Reality suggests that figure may understate the true statistics. 

In business-to-business situations the percentages are slightly higher, dependent upon the sectors, concentration of supply and geographic locations of both providers and clients. 

SEEK AND FIND 

The current marketplace dynamics are dictating the need and inclination to identify additional income streams and possible supply sources. Increasing prices, inflation, expectations of a pending recession, contracting expenditure patterns and reduced foot-, telephone- and online-traffic are common. 

Consequently, pursuit of new customers is now the norm. However, given the prevailing states-of-mind, reception of cold-calls and initial contacts tend to be relatively cold, if not dismissive. 

Significantly, the facts detailed above profile a ready pool of potential incremental demand, revenue, and profits. 

Moreover, there are multiple and justifiable reasons for initiating contact, with existing customers and clients. Educating, informing, encouraging, and reassuring people about needs and wants, fulfilment and satisfaction can be, and often is, mutually rewarding. 

Prescriptive and pre-determined selling approaches are deficient in many respects, and may not identify, isolate, analyse and satisfy recognised and unrecognised needs. 

Utilising available internal data does provide valid and appropriate platforms to initiate conversations. Legal practitioners declare such are invitations to treat. 

PIONEERING CHARACTERISTICS 

A significant majority of customers and clients are reluctant to be pioneers. Indeed, in most case studies innovators tend to represent some 2-5% of the marketplace. 

Early adopters typically number between 5 and 10% of targeted audiences. 

For many, reassurance and confidence emanates from the buying preferences and patterns of others. That extends well beyond the influence and importance of self-promoting brand ambassadors. Follow-the-leaders implies less risk. 

Multiple leading global, national and local brands have founded, and sustained their market presence and brand leadership on marketplace acceptance and consumption. Recommendations, endorsements and advocacy are implied. No financial consideration need be, or is, contemplated or paid. 

SHARE THE LOVE 

Some business leaders, owners and analysts simply love statistics and facts. Many make sales, profits and create wealth from those. 

Base information is available to many. Far fewer take that information and convert it into intelligence. It is the latter composition that can be packaged and monetised.  

Take for instance the fact that targeted clients and customers are among the 20% of purchasers for the top-selling products, services and applications. That categorisation is of value to certain people. Psychic-income is emotive, evocative, and influential in enhancing relationships, extending trust and being instrumental in accelerating repeat business. (Read: I belong. Therefore, I buy.) 

To be further informed that one is not in the top quartile of those purchasers who complement the transactions with one, two, three or four compatible products or services is often reason enough to take pause and consider additional actions. Additional revenue. 

Internal statistics can also reveal those existing clients and customers who are not securing the advantages, benefits and rewards of select offerings. 

The resultant interactions and conversations can be meaningful, and financially rewarding. 

IT ALL ADDS UP 

Astute business leaders and marketers will typically conclude that they do not need or want additional clients and customers.

Their focus is oriented to additional revenue and profits. That is, securing increasing share-of-wallet, in preference to the seeming perennial pursuit of share-of-market. 

And so it is that often the means to greater success, sales, profits and competitive advantage is readily available and accessible. Its presence is simply not recognised nor capitalised upon. 

In other words, old information looked at through new perspectives creates new information. 

Allocating sufficient and appropriate resources to reviewing, analysing and deploying existing, available internal information can be financially rewarding. 

Attitude often determines altitude. “Per ardua ad astra”. That is; 

                              Through adversity to the stars. 

Barry Urquhart

Customer Service Specialist

M:      041 983 5555

E:       Urquhart@marketingfocus.net.au

W:      www.marketingfocus.net.au

FAIR WARNING

Always consider the consequences.

When warnings are issued and shared, expectations, good and bad, are established. 

Delivering on those warnings, or whether falling short of or exceeding them impacts on experiences, images, and brands. In essence, intentions count for little. 

Lessons were learnt from the recent scenarios throughout Australia in which airlines, airports and government tourism and hospitality ministers announced probable delays, disappointments, frustrations, and costly inconveniences for intending holiday makers. The outcomes were telling. School terms were about to finish, vacations were about to commence and travel bookings were up, appreciably. 

Many of the restrictions of the coronavirus pandemic were over. The prospects for the return to economic buoyancy were high. Anticipation for “good times” was infectious. 

MANAGING EXPECTATIONS 

Domestic air-travellers were advised to arrive at the airport at least two hours before departure. For international travellers it was three hours. 

They were prepared for congested car parks, long queues in the terminals, increased delays in departure times and flight times. Flight cancellations were expected to increase and instances of “lost” baggage were concerning. 

Alternative flights could not be guaranteed at preferred times, and costs may escalate. 

The only communication deficiency was an absence of best wishes for a great holiday and travel experience. 

Disappointingly, each aspect was delivered in spades. 

EMOTIVE REACTIONS 

Each point was, and is, a trigger for frustration and customer rage. It is typically front-line service providers who are subjected to emotive outbursts.

The media were quick to provide blanket-coverage with personal interviews onsite. For the airlines, airports, and political ministers there was no place to hide. 

PREVENTATIVE, REMEDIAL ACTIONS 

Understandably, affected consumers had little interest in apologies and requests for understanding and tolerance. They had planned, booked and paid for the pending travel. 

Their expressions of exasperation centred on why increased flights had been scheduled, and bookings accepted. Staff shortages and recruitment difficulties were well known and relatively long established. 

Sorry seems inadequate, inappropriate, and offensive. 

Measured, reduced, offerings were alternatives. Disappointment would not be removed or avoided. However, travel-day surprises would be excluded. 

Moreover, the consequential impact on bookings, revenues and profits of dependant and complementary service providers would have been forecast and budgeted. Inventory, staffing, and service purchases would have been better managed, margins retained, and cash-flows protected. 

For those businesses seeking to embrace the concept and principles of “Customer Obsession,” single-minded endeavours would have been: 

                    “How do we deliver the promise?” 

Noticeably, qualifications, rationalisations and justifications for shortfalls would not be considered or necessary. 

A pillar of the concept is that businesses do not exist to make a profit. They persist to satisfy the needs, values, drives and expectations of existing and prospective customers and clients. 

The better and more often that they do so, the better the consumer interest, demand, sales, revenues and yes, profits. Profits are a consequence, not the sole purpose for those driven by customer obsession, one would expect little less. 

OBSESSED CONCLUSION 

If it is possible to determine the need to issue warnings, it is probable that there is sufficient time to formulate, document and implement remedial actions that will satisfy (most) customers and fulfil their expectations.

Promises made need to be delivered. 

Developing skills in issuing apologies is wide of the mark sought and expected by customers and clients. 

Customer obsession necessitates investments of time, resources, and finances, regardless of the costs borne by intending service providers. The psychic-income returns are measured (subjectively) in the smiles, satisfaction and future return and referral business of customers. That is the bottom-line. 

Barry Urquhart

Customer Service Specialist

Marketing Focus

M:      041 983 5555

E:       Urquhart@marketingfocus.net.au

W:      www.marketingfocus.net.au

MEASURES OF SUCCESS

Performance indicators abound. 

Some are objective and measurable. Others are subjective, emotive, and evocative. 

Identifying, isolating, analysing, embracing, and implementing the limited number which can be appropriately accepted as key requires discipline and objectivity. 

For start-up and established entities observable and measurable indicators can typically be grouped into three categories, being: 

·         Essential benchmarks

·         Growth levers

·         Power of customer-first 

Appropriately determined and qualified benchmarks enable delegation of both authority and responsibility. Specific tolerance(variance) measures negate the need for ongoing micromanaging by senior executives. “Management By Exception” is a concept warmly applauded and typically embraced by people of all ranks. In such cases, leadership overviews and interventions are themselves exceptions. 

At best, senior intrusions may centre on refining and redefining the benchmarks themselves, which are focused on individual rather than industry, groups and geographic clusters and performance records. 

It is rare that all relevant competitors and substitutes have identified status, standings, and development stage presence. 

AVOID THE MUNDANE 

Essential benchmarks are distanced from typical month-on-month or year-on-year comparative analyses. Gross sales figures reveal little of meaning and substance. Sales increases can usually be accelerated and elevated by rampant price discounting. The real impact is on profits and sustainable financial viability. 

Likewise, profits can be misleading. For example, a run-down in inventory levels and warehouse capacity can reflect immediately and extensively on short-term profits. Such instances project a false economy and skewed perspectives. 

DYNAMIC REFLECTIVE, PROJECTIVE BENCHMARKS 

Verifiable stock-turns, velocity, and complementary volume rates, along with sales/contract conversion ratios provide comprehensive overviews and insights on performance and “fit” in the marketplace. 

Collectively, they can be and usually are catalysts for appropriate management strategic actions.  

GROWTH LEVERS  

The word and concept, growth is interesting. They can relate to absolute and relative measures or be vertical, horizontal, and multi-dimensional in nature. For some, growth can be, and is, applied to positive and the negative. Go figure.  

Market share is not unidimensional. It can be quantified to an overall market, target segments, geographic spreads or, disturbingly reflect fragmentation – in its many guises.  

Growth, advancement and spread can lead to exposure, vulnerability and both competitive and strategic sustainability. 

Getting the right measure and balance is an art-form. Being right or wrong are binary and constant. 

Identifying, isolating, analysing, formulating, and applying custom company/brand/product/service/applications contribute to competitive advantage. Benchmarks and levers will optimise performance, sustain viability and be fundamental in malleability. 

Heightened sensitivity to the nature, applications, advantages, benefits and rewards of benchmarks, levers and corporate philosophies substantiates ongoing investment in such. 

The true art is in the management and manipulation of chosen levers. Thus, the HOW and WHO outweighs the importance and effectiveness of WHAT. 

CUSTOMER-FIRST

The terms “customer-driven” and “customer-first” have in recent times been overtaken and overwhelmed by new labels including customer obsession and customer regency. 

Customers should always be first, second, last and absolute. They are the very reason for being for companies, products, applications, and brands. 

Service excellence is founded on the principles of never saying no to a customer. An inability to satisfy and fulfil needs with one’s own offering does not preclude the opportunity and reality of suggesting and recommending alternatives, substitutes or reassessment of perceived and real needs and wants. 

Compromise is never an acceptable option.  

A laudable statement, culture, declaration, promise, and positioning base were for one department store in the US, Macys, a longer-term competitive advantage: 

Satisfaction Guaranteed. Period. 

There was simply no soft edge to those words and intent. Understanding, embracing, and applying the underlying brief of, and in such were integral to the recruitment and induction processes of all Macys people. 

CONCLUDING WORDS 

Winners are grinners. They are also magnets for customers, clients, and prospective team-members. Recruitment issues are typically quickly resolved. 

The absolute best know, share, and declare their unique measures of success. 

In times of turmoil, simple things are often the most effective in achieving cut-through. 

Barry Urquhart

Marketing Focus

Business Strategist

M:        041 983 5555

E:        Urquhart@marketingfocus.net.au

W:       www.marketingfocus.net.au

THEY’RE ALL THE SAME

Wrong. On both counts. 

Businesses which consider, act, and conduct commerce as though all customers, clients and consumers are the same, miss some fundamental points. 

Individuals, including the leaders of companies, are (rightly) inclined to believe that they, their circumstances, and needs are unique, different, and yes, exclusive. They act, expect, perceive, and buy accordingly. 

A deep and meaningful understanding of this reality develops an appreciation of the nature and importance of the word and concept, WHY. 

It explains in part why people are so inconsistent, unpredictable, and seemingly irrational in so many attitudes and actions. Group norms are seldom definable. Little wonder that marketers are questioning the relevance and application of market segmentation. Within subgroups varying perceptions, beliefs, values, and aspirations exist and influence. Uniformity is rare. 

Online algorithms and AI (artificial intelligence) exhibit the same or similar deficiencies and limitations. Past and present behaviours are not necessarily good and accurate indicators of future actions, buying and consumption patterns. 

Statistics alone cannot and do not identify and enable analysis of innate nuances, perceptions, preferences, and purchases. Each possesses a significant amount of subjectivity. In short, they are often a record of what has taken place. In many instances they provide insight and glimpses on how things were done. (past emphasis). 

A seeming gaping hole exists and persists on WHY. Intuitive marketing, necessarily, is centred and based on personal interactions and understandings. 

SAME COIN – DIFFERENT SIDE 

Consumers often reflect the values and perceptions of corporations in their evaluations on, and value-assessments of trading entities, brand-names, products, services, and applications. 

A common contributing factor is the inability of companies to determine, isolate, analyse and effectively project essential points of difference, uniqueness, and exclusivity. 

Consequently, in a “sea of sameness,” price is often the only differentiating factor.

Sad, costly, inefficient – but … true. 

Therefore, initial emphasis in communication strategies should ideally centre on branding, purpose, and differentiation. That can, and does, favourably position a company, brand, product, service, and application on the shopping and buying list. 

Familiarisation is important. It simplifies and expedites the buying process. That is peace-of-mind. Differentiation influences purchase criteria and establishes absolute and comparative value. 

In both instances, being the centre of attention and an effective datum point establishes a strong influence and presence. For example, IBM and IBM-compatible implicitly stated that in the past the IBM brand was the anchor-point against which all competitors and substitutes were measured. 

The marketing and advertising statement, “Coke is the real thing”, discounted and dismissed the alternative brand. 

Alas, “They’re not all the same.” 

CUSTOMER PROFILING 

Racial profiling is considered by many to be socially and morally reprehensible. Moreover, it is consistently and substantially inaccurate, and therefore misleading.

Arithmetic-based algorithms and AI formulae provide a tentative, opening database upon which human intuition must be applied to identify broad trendlines – not narrow, defined answers. 

Facial recognition can, and does, identify and isolate physical characteristics. However, that too has qualifications, given the repeated experiences of police and crowd-control initiatives which have embarrassingly precluded people from attendances or been responsible for screening and arrests. 

A lengthening and substantial record of legal actions and compensation payments is evidence enough of the need for caution and appropriate social prudence. 

Consider the following phrase and its implications. 

                    “Not all …. are terrorists, but

                              all terrorists are ….”  

Which percentages apply to what? Moreover, can any credence be assigned to such sentiments, even when supported by algorithms and AI data? 

A pertinent extension of that scenario is the dilemma where the targeting of marketing, sales and service communications are determined by digital marketers, utilising algorithms, and artificial intelligence. Often, they are found to be wanting on the criteria of sales conversion, revenue, margins and repeat business. 

To emphasise, reinforce and substantiate the phrase “they’re all the same”, it is apparent that those who stand apart are difficult to integrate into companies with comprehensive, professional, qualified, and experienced infrastructure support. 

That underscores the importance and realisation that advertising advertises. It needs the support of responsive networks and people to achieve, sustain and develop optimal performance. Selling, merchandising, and promoting are distinct, complementary disciplines. Those disciplines too, are not the same. Leaders need to join the dots and integrate. 

Hardware, including the software which is captured, and retained in the cloud – possibly offshore – simply opens the door of opportunity. In other words, it provides latent potential. 

To close the deal, software, that is, the human quotient, is complementary and essential. Intuition is subjective but can delineate primary target audiences. 

MULTI – CHANNELS 

Active, responsive, and rapid social media are non-negotiable imperatives for all business, and public service entities. 

The capacity of the hardware can only ever be fulfilled by, and with the capabilities of the software – people. Importantly, they are not all the same. 

UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL 

Modern society, technology and commerce enable most people access to the same of strikingly similar offerings. The essential points-of-difference are the applications. 

Those who are winning, enjoying competitive advantage, and enhancing mutually rewarding relationships de-emphasise the roles and influence of physically remote and centralised global talent pools and are committing to decentralised presences, which enable team-members to be up close and personal. 

It does not take much to remove the shackles of sameness. 

Insurance premiums, petrol prices and tyre costs can be, and are stereotypically perceived to be the same. One essential variance is ready and immediate access to a local service provider. Priceless. 

CALL TO ACTION 

The current challenge is to compete with and beat yourself. It is one sure way to cast off the cloak of sameness. 

Barry Urquhart

Marketing Focus

Business Strategist

M:      041 983 5555

E:       Urquhart@marketingfocus.net.au

W:      www.marketingfocus.net.au

WOKE UP – MAKE A STAND

CHALLENGING DISCUSSION TOPIC: 

I dare you. 

Regards, 

Barry Urquhart 

WOKE UP – MAKE A STAND 

I have decided to take a stand. 

Ageism is insidious, growing and is socially unjust. Henceforth, I intend to identify professionally as 34 years of age. 

Woke Culture advocates, often referred to as social justice warriors, will doubtlessly be accepting, understanding and supportive, as will my now-peers, the young. The only thing I expect to be cancelled is ageism itself. 

The contention is consistent with the issue of transgender, where the sex of an individual is determined and classified by biological fact. Gender, according to respected ethicist, Professor Margaret Somerville of Notre Dame Australia, is a culturally assigned characteristic. 

Likewise, I choose to be forever young. 

WARDROBE ASSIGNMENT 

The good news is that I will not be effecting changes to my wardrobe. Disney will be pleased. They felt obliged to introduce a new pants suit and footwear for Minnie Mouse, to satisfy the ever vigilant woke warriors. 

PROFESSIONAL OUTCOMES 

I expect many benefits from this stand and declaration, including empowerment, transparency, inclusion, and equity – the catchcries of woke culture. 

Lifetime experiences, expertise and learnings will be set aside for the foreseeable future. 

Barry Urquhart

Managing Director

Marketing Focus

M:      041 983 5555

E:       Urquhart@marketingfocus.net.au

W:      www.marketingfocus.net.au 

FOOTNOTE: I foresee this reality to be short-term.

GET ON WITH IT

We all have a job to do. 

Right. But be careful. 

Defining, valuing, respecting, and adhering to specified duties is difficult, particularly in times of a pandemic when so much is expected of all. 

In recent times there has been increasing evidence that job descriptions have been set aside. So too have skill-sets, expertise, experience, and training. Everyone, it seems, is being asked to dig in and do more. 

Geographic and operational boundaries have been dismissed, marginalised and (seemingly) removed from organisational charts. Coverage has been “thinned”. That is, State Managers have morphed into Regional Managers, notwithstanding the difficulty of travel and the need for closer and more repeated support and interactions. 

Business Development Managers, Franchise Support Executives and Member field staff-members are less conspicuous and fewer in number. 

During testing times each of these initiatives can be justified, reconciled, rationalised, and tolerated. However, they do come at a cost. 

CAREFUL 

Declines in morale are among the most noticeable consequences. Increases in staff mobility and attrition rates are others. Fractures in group cohesion evolve. People dislike change, particularly unannounced, and when arbitrarily applied. 

The costs do impact the bottom-line. Productivity, efficiency, and effectiveness measures typically reflect downturns. The cascading effects are evident in margins, profits, longer-term competitiveness, viability, and sustainability. 

New and redefined duties should not be a consequence of an individual’s geographic proximity to senior managers who are delegating and attributing duties and responsibilities. 

A reasonable contention, seldom expressed, is the need for the rescripting of job descriptions, conditions of employment, remuneration packages and job specifications. The latter tends to be a rare document. It details the human requisites and characteristics necessary to fulfil a position. Alas, a marketing manager may not be appropriate to undertake one-on-one counselling with those in networks. 

Graphic designers may, and often do, fall short in taking up all the duties of a social media or digital marketing executive. It does equate to horses for courses. 

COMMUNICATION CONSEQUENCES 

In trying times established rules and practices are inclined to be set aside. 

The implications can be, and often are personal. Understandably, many people become introspective. They withdraw from formal communication channels. Casual, informal, and non-recorded discourse increases. 

Among the common resultant phrases and statements shared are: 

·       That is not my job.

·       I was not recruited to do that.

·       Those new duties are a distraction.

·       What do I prioritise?

·       I do not have the resources necessary (to do that).

·       I have the responsibility, but not the authority to achieve. 

Many team-members feel that they are already stretched. Additional duties will be undertaken at the expense of others. Choice and priorities do not appear to be within the realm of the lower-order staff-members. 

Moreover, in some instances duties can be incompatible. That is emotionally challenging for those implementing the changes and for those being subjected to the outcomes. 

RESTRUCTURED PRIORITIES 

Reassigning duties tends to be a defensive, if not a holding, endeavour. It is by nature tactical. 

Addressing immediate needs and circumstances are understandable and appropriate. However, realigning shorter-term targets can have significant, profound, compromising, and negative consequences for higher-order, long-term focused strategies, and goals. 

Therefore, to maintain cohesion, focus, integration, and harmony, it is imperative that consideration be given to impacts and cascading consequences of “corrective,” remedial short-term and opportunistic management decisions and initiatives. 

In short, if a tactic, target, and duty are changed, consideration needs to be given to the necessary refinements to objectives, goals, missions, cultures, purposes, job descriptions, job specifications, terms of employment and remuneration packages. 

Phew! Spontaneous decisions, which seem so easy to make, have broad, specific, cascading, and ongoing consequences. It is time to recognise and respect that no man, woman, or workgroup is an island. They seldom, if ever work in isolation. Consideration must be given to others.  

So too, targets, tactics, and duties. 

Each need to be reviewed, refined, extended, and developed – but never in isolation. 

DISCIPLINED ACTION 

A forensic review of strategic, business action plans, along with assessments on the currency of job descriptions and specifications, and evaluations of operational procedures should be undertaken and documented periodically. The experience can be insightful, beneficial and, for some, cathartic. 

The word and concept, discipline, is an essential driving force, if one is to seek, attain and sustain optimal performance, productivity, competitiveness, and relevance. 

Just get on with it.  

Barry Urquhart

Marketing Focus

Business Strategist

M:      041 983 5555

E:       Urquhart@marketingfocus.net.au

W:      www.marketingfocus.net.au

THE DNA OF BUSINESS

Well developed foundations and building blocks anchor structures. Durability is a consequence. 

The pyramids in Egypt are a classic case study. 

In commerce, organisational structures are not as stable and as enduring. The need for adaptability is recognised and accepted. What is often missing is a core, from which values, virtues, relevance, and resonance emanate, is lacking or deficient. This highlights the need to determine, define and articulate a purpose. 

Innovation, technological change, disruption, and outright creativity necessitate malleability, flexibility if you will. Those attributes can be design features which complement, not replace the importance of a business’s foundation. 

They seldom necessitate the need to change the foundations, core, and purpose materially and structurally. Broaden and re-orient such, certainly. 

Over millennia, countless bridge structures have collapsed. Tolerance, for mobility, was in-built. Permanence was not. Societies and businesses need both. 

In recent times religions have seemingly ossified. Modern cult movements have disappeared, arguably by the process of self-destruction. Often the foundation centres on the individual, the founder. Shortened lifecycles and mortality come into play. Such leaders fail to differentiate mortality from the attributes of being eternal. 

The overview reflects the words and title of the US radio feature, hosted by John Doremus:

                    “The Passing Parade” 

The speed of that passing is accelerating. 

RESPECTING THE CHARTERS 

Boards of Directors and Advisory Boards are philosophically given the charter to ensure financial prudence, ensuring persistence, achieving resonance and relevance, and retaining the capacities of growth, innovation, and change. 

Typical board compositions and competencies do limit capacities because insufficient emphasis is given to capabilities. Investments in operational and technological hardware are seldom matched with outlays on software, i.e., human beings. 

Organisations exist, adapt, develop, and achieve through people. Better people make for better organisations, particularly under good leadership. 

However, the influence of each is typically short-term.  

“OPEN” BUSINESS 

The COVID pandemic has been a prime catalyst for organisations embracing “open” design offices, WFH (working from home), “open” cloud computer systems, “open” multi-channel communication networks and online real-time interactions with suppliers, distributors and collaborating associates. 

Less open are delegated authorities, personal interaction (internal and external), risk-taking and resourcing for innovation, change and new products, services, and applications. 

As a result, emphasis is given to increased internal efficiencies and productivity. 

External effectiveness, founded on relationships, repeat, loyal and referred business, have floundered somewhat. So too has originality. 

Not surprisingly, morale is down and attrition throughout the workforce continues to increase. 

Better balance between the tactical and the strategic will facilitate greater stability and durability. 

DOUBLE HELIX 

Beyond the hallowed halls of academia and scientific laboratories few people can attempt to visualise the double helix of their own DNA, the core of their very existence. 

Leadership and management teams in commerce exhibit similar characteristics and dispositions. Consequently, entities can “drift” in the marketplace and rapidly expire. 

That can, and does, raise justifiable questions among team-members, associates, suppliers, and existing, prospective, and past clients. 

Innovations, adaptions and changes to products, services, product/service lines, perform best in the short, intermediate, and longer terms when they are attached to and anchored by strong DNA.  

Remember, purpose promotes pride. 

TAKE TWO 

Invaluable insights were recently gleaned from an unstructured interaction with the leader of a religious-based community group whose prime purpose was to engage with people, many of whom were homeless, unemployed, and dependent (to varying degrees) on a range of drugs. 

His and the entity’s endeavour was to have the targeted people re-integrate into society, families, and local communities.  

The complexities and vagaries of the pandemic have affected financial supporters, contributing health professionals and the operators of essential infrastructure amenities. 

Income was trending down. So too the pool of resources. Reaching out and connecting with those in the targeted audience proved more difficult. 

Engaging with all and sundry seems to be a step too far. 

An extended session in which the DNA and purpose were reviewed, analysed and tentatively recalibrated, was energising. 

The principal activities and resources of the entity were ultimately identified to be and accepted by activities and resources – not the purpose. 

What evolved was the realisation that the purpose of the community group was.... purpose. 

That is, to provide purpose for the intended recipients, (clients, customers, patients or whoever) was illuminating and provided a purpose to approach and re-approach sponsors, financial supporters, medical and health professionals and infrastructural amenity owners and operators. They felt rewarded and engaged by accepting, endorsing and contributing their purpose to the endeavours. 

The recipients responded positively and enjoyed enhanced self-worth because of an acceptance of them having a specific... purpose. 

ARRESTING STATEMENT 

Websites, submissions, and literature that declare and detail company/entity DNA which centre on relevance, advantages and benefits to existing and prospective clients are compelling in their appeal. 

When the focus is external, interest is stimulated, and value is enhanced. 

CONCLUSIONS: 

In many instances the activities that occupy the time and attention of many seem meaningless. When the purpose is identified, defined, embraced, articulated, and implemented a new, fulfilling realm materialises. 

That progress is, well, purposeful. It also underscores the fact that the purpose of a business is seldom, if ever, to make a profit. 

That profit is a consequence of attaining and sustaining the purpose. The better and more often you do that, the more profit you make. 

Barry Urquhart

Business Strategist

Marketing Focus

M:      041 983 5555

E:       Urquhart@marketingfocus.net.au

W:      www.marketingfocus.net.au

FOOTNOTE: Complex and confusing. I wrote it that way on purpose … to stimulate your creative juices.

OPEN UP

National and state borders are opening up. The capacity and temptation to travel are being recognised and are being deployed and enjoyed. 

Above all, in commerce, people are greeting, meeting, interacting and sharing. Receipt of invitations to participate ensures positive reactions, attitudes and perceptions. People want to get involved. 

Measured hesitancy persists. It is reasonable for sensitivity to the prospects of further disruptions, and for distractions to return. 

REALITY CHECK 

Resilience is the ability to return to the original state. It is probable that many entities, economies, communities, distribution networks and brands will not seek, or have the ability to return to the pre-pandemic era, which ceased in February 2020. 

To re-establish a robust presence will involve lead-times. Empty supermarket shelves will not be corrected for at least four, and possibly six weeks. 

Readily available stock of new vehicles will not evolve for possibly six months. 

Variable supply-chain, logistics, geo-political, labour, skills and inventory circumstances will, individually and collectively, retain a degree of volatility, apprehension and risk in the marketplace. 

Coming together, facilitating open discourse, establishing mutually beneficial collegiate arrangements and initiating collaborative actions will create their own momentum. Sustained momentum will be an essential pre-requisite for optimum productivity. Enhanced margins and profitability will be natural consequences.  

It just takes time, engagement, communication and a little self-belief. 

We at Marketing Focus are witnessing the processes and financial outcomes from an increasing schedule of customised keynote addresses to select targeted audiences, hosted by manufacturers, distributors and professional association executives who are keen to leverage the prevailing, latent (that is, unfulfilled) potential into reality. 

Get started. Get together. And, get those business opportunities. 

Barry Urquhart

Marketing Focus

M:      041 983 5555

E:       urquhart@marketingfocus.net.au

W:      www.marketingfocus.net.au

THE NEXT STEP – FROM WHY TO WHY NOT

Belatedly, an increasing number of external professional business consultants, accountants included are appreciating the value for clients is not asking WHAT or HOW, but rather WHY? 

There is a noticeable awakening among business owners that many answers to the question Why? are inadequate, lacking depth, understanding and strategic competitive value and advantage. The sources to those answers reside with client principals and traditional constituencies. 

Training, experience and expertise in accountancy, human resources, organisation design, law are specific process-driven skill sets and are therefore insufficient for purpose. 

Innovation, creativity, originality and disruption tend to be beyond the scope of many external spheres of influence. 

Business workshop facilitators and moderators likewise are perceived to lack the capacity and drive to be catalysts for identifying, developing and articulating “stretch-goals” and quantum-change initiatives. 

ASSERTIVE FORCE 

Shaking up and dispelling states of comfort will typically not be achieved by external sources asking “easy” questions. The need exists for contributors to pose “hard” questions enthusiastically and unapologetically. 

These can be, and often are confronting, challenging and inclined to elicit personalised defensive responses. 

Sometimes, to effect significant and sustainable change the structuring and delivery of “hard” questions exposes the fact that in these instances and times: 

                                                There is no place to hide 

And so it is that a key fourth question is evolving, WHY NOT? 

Fundamental is the presence of contentions, propositions and considerations, but never conclusions. 

Conclusions rightly remain the province and responsibility of the client, owners and leaders. They cannot and should not delegate the authority of such to external catalysts and facilitators for change, innovation, creativity and, yes, transparency. 

A sense of discomfort seems innate in such scenarios. That reflects the presence and reality of cognitive dissonance. That is, recognition of the gap – often substantial – between what is and what should (if not need) be. 

CASE STUDY:

START WITH COMPOSITION 

Recent exposure to a local government Business Development Advisory Committee presentation was revealing. Indeed invaluable. 

Public Notice placements had been published in the local media calling for submissions regarding participation on the committee. Really? Very selective. 

Some select invitations were extended to identified people. Included in the list were several “usual suspects”. 

Meetings were held. Ideas exchanged. Lists compiled. 

And then … tentative directions were issued to local government employees whose experience, training, expertise, authority levels and budgets were, well, limited, deficient and founded on inappropriate corporate culture values. There was little or no capacity to enforce, reward or penalise local property and business owners to undertake positive action. 

The ideas may well have been profound, creative, original, appropriate and potentially financially rewarding. 

Some committee members were identified as and nominated to be entrepreneurial. Most were senior employees and consultants known to local government executives. 

It was quickly apparent that structural deficiencies and inadequacies existed. There appeared to be no shortage of issues. In all likelihood, the questions WHAT, HOW and WHY were addressed. 

Posing a series of WHY NOT, questions was not well received. 

However, one can be persistent and resistant to reluctance and dismissal. 

Contemplate, if you will, the validity, veracity, and potential inherent in the “following” questions: 

WHY NOT … 

• Change the Advisory Committee to an Action Board

• Extend Board members list to include genuine local entrepreneurs who had the capacity to take on some of the ideas, accept the risks and invest outright or in collaboration with local property, business owners and residents.

• Provide an annual budget for investment, encouragement and facilitation.

• Issue specific briefs to specialist professionals to initiate, negotiate and facilitate nominated projects and proposals.

• Provide tolerance for possible, and probable failures, and in some instances financial write-offs.  

And finally, WHY NOT overcome the stifling belief and contentions that local governments are primarily responsible for rubbish, roads and rates, and take on the entrepreneurial mantle of being effective, efficient and supportive catalysts and facilitators for change, development, creativity, innovation and, above all, disruption.

The same principles and challenges apply to commerce at large. 

Barry Urquhart

Business Strategist

Marketing Focus

M:        041 983 5555

E:        Urquhart@marketingfocus.net.au

W:       www.marketingfocus.net.au

PATHWAYS TO MARKET

Options ... so many options.  

Many options in business are tempting, viable and potentially financially rewarding. 

Globalism and digital channels have opened up, with boundless opportunities to identify, utilise and advantageously exploit multiple supply chains. 

What a wonderful web we weave. The roles of the traditional “middle-man”, that is, wholesalers, distributors and consolidators have been under review and subjected to extreme scrutiny and cost pressures. Adding value to relationships is now an imperative, complementing bulk-buying and administration advantages. 

Rapidly increasing consumer and corporate acceptance of house and generic brands has intensified and broadened the supply, distribution, branding, retailing, marketing, advertising and promotions of companies’ products, services and applications. Competition, substitution and disruption are intense and increasing. 

Franchising, licensing and brand-centred strategic and collegiate alliances have also come under pressure. In recent times there has been conspicuous “push-back” from previously subservient and dependent “down-stream” operators in countless networks. Consumers are not alone in verbalising calls for exercise of their rights. 

The scenario has become more complex and the rate of change accelerated since and because of the declaration of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020.

Long-standing business models have been, or should have been, subjected to forensic review and refinement, or outright re-building. 

YES. NOW. NEW. 

Imagine ... previously unimaginable supply-source options. The discounting and marginalising in value of recognisable brand names, widening acceptance of, and in some instances, preference for housebrands. 

There is increased resistance by consumers and clients of paying premiums, a de-emphasis on warranties, service contracts and structured maintenance programs, because of the “purchase-utilise-dispose” philosophy. 

Greater measures of value are being assigned to easy and immediate access to products, services and applications. There is a conspicuous intolerance to supply disruptions and delays, leading to spiralling declines in repeat, loyal and referral business. 

Individually and collectively these market forces have created a new set of dynamics in commerce at large. It is those that business owners, leaders and managers need to address, marshal and control. 

Design and refine typically comes before decline. Inertia too leads to decline. 

WITH QUALIFICATIONS 

Each of the seeming positive and appealing characteristics and attributes of the new marketplace comes with differing measures of compromises, imposts and barriers. 

Over-reliance on single or limited numbers of suppliers exposes businesses to potential disruptions, delays, cost imposts and transportation impediments. Minimum order-sizes are being progressively introduced by global suppliers, nominated shipping times are being extended, credit is being curtailed and full pre-payments are being invoked.  

Awareness of the availability and choice of numerous alternatives of supply, brands, products, services and applications falls well short of ongoing, mutually dependent and rewarding relationships from physically diverse sources. 

In the background, the influential dark hands of national politics are being played out. 

Global trade, supply chains in particular, are subject to national government influence and control. Therefore, government-to-government relationships are important considerations. In these volatile times it is difficult to determine what is politically correct and probable. 

FAIR. EQUITABLE 

On reflection, there is little balance and stability in the economy at large. No one circumstance fits all. Best is a meaningless term and unreachable, let alone an unsustainable goal. 

Indeed, at best, we can only hope to strive for and attain optimal outcomes which contribute to competitiveness, viable financials, harmony and cohesion. 

What is deemed to be fair and equitable by one may not be universally accepted.

It will, however, be a great starting point for effective engagement. Getting products, services and apps to market is fundamental, if not pre-emptive to success. 

In short, all commercial entities are affected, utilise and depend on efficient, effectual and productive supply-chains. Whose supply-chain is another issue. 

TAKING CONTROL 

Having the ability and discretion to exercise control over the full supply-chain and operations is appealing, alluring and can be both fulfilling and profitable. Achieving optimal outcomes is both challenging and complex. All options should be identified, isolated, analysed, prioritised and then subjected to structured, disciplined and measured selection criteria. 

The permutations and computations possible with numerous variables (read: sources, products, services, applications) can be almost limitless, can and do create confusion, anxiety, frustration, inertia and inefficiencies – among other things. 

Suffice to say, the future is not and will not be a lineal extension of the past and the present. In all probability the status quo will be irrelevant and could be a major impediment. 

Marketplace realities, when overlaid with structure, discipline, objectivity, malleability, openness and understanding tend to be resilient and sustaining. 

Certain long-standing business principles appear immutable. Many such beliefs, policies and practices have an air of being eternal. Others are mortal and have finite life cycles – in which decline and termination are inevitable. Numbered among the latter are outdated and outmoded supply-chains. 

MAKE A COMMITMENT 

The present, as challenging and changing as it is, is a great starting point to determining the fundamentals of: 

·         SUPPLY CHAIN

·         BRAND MANAGEMENT

·         PRICING/PROFIT POLICIES

·         PAYMENT SYSTEMS

·         DELIVERY NETWORKS

·         SERVICE STANDARDS   

Optimal, multi-channels in each element will be prudent to address any current, pending, probable and possible evolving contingencies. 

Start early in the designing and building of your unique pathway to market. 

Barry Urquhart

Business Strategist

Marketing Focus

M:        041 983 5555

E:        Urquhart@marketingfocus.net.au

W:       www.marketingfocus.net.au

VALUE BUSINESSES

Worth. 

More than ever it is a very subjective measure. Indeed, price, worth and value appear to be out of alignment at present. 

Real estate auction transactions are indicative of irrational pricing. So too, low-kilometre used motor vehicles, which are attracting sums which exceed the list price of new models. A new take on the phrase “pre-loved”. 

Supply chain issues are contributing to inflated prices for used mining equipment. Businesses are attracted to ready access and immediacy, stimulating a willingness to outlay significant premiums to satisfy, fulfil the needs and expectations of NOW clients. The return of irrational exuberance. 

IRRATIONAL RATIONALISATION  

It is not all upside for business owners, particularly in the small to medium-sized enterprise sector, where considerable amounts of wealth, retirement and superannuation plans are tied to the value of family businesses. 

Indeed, some personal service, hospitality and “bricks ‘n’ mortar” based operations are “priceless”. That is, they have little, no or negative value. 

Countless exit strategies and succession plans have been discarded, reluctantly and by necessity. Working and career-futures have been extended or suspended. 

Goodwill, always subjective, is hard to visualise, let alone quantify. Business-multiples have floundered, in absolute and relative terms. To some it is largely a concept whose time has come and gone. Negotiations have been vexed. A meeting of minds is a difficult goal or benchmark. Consensus and concurrence seem to be esoteric, oblique concepts and principles. 

A CHANGE OF GEARS 

A touch and measure of reality is riveted home to doubting Thomases when they seek additional funding from major established banking and finance sources. Notwithstanding the absence, or declining worth of bricks ‘n’ mortar businesses, the underlying value of the real estate is a non-negotiable imperative for risk-averse and risk-tolerant financiers. Shades of the omnipotent presence of “building society” mentality among bankers. Physical assets still appear to be solid guarantees. 

Financial leveraging and gearing have been subjected to review. “Recession” and “depression” may have been, or will be avoided in the immediate future because of creeping socialism, throughout the public and regulatory, corridors of power. The consequences will see a lowering of gears as we individually and collectively, encounter and seek to overcome and conquer substantial inclines, on the way to brighter, more profitable and satisfying futures (nirvana). 

GENERATIONAL GENERATORS 

Inter-generation transitions are becoming increasingly prevalent and attractive. 

Transaction costs are, seemingly nominal. Exit strategies often facilitate an ongoing presence, albeit occasional and informal, of the leader (often the founder of the business). 

Working hard, being innovative, prepared to take considered risks and focused on the immediate and pressing needs of existing, prospective and past clients is, figuratively, and literally, profitable and worthwhile. 

The true worth of a business is inextricably tied to its purpose, and the commitment of team-members to that ideal. 

Sadly, very few business owners, leaders, managers and contributing team-members comprehend the concept of purpose. 

A lack of fulfilment and motivation inevitably follow. 

Be assured, purpose is seldom, if ever tied to or qualified by revenue, volume, market share, assets or wealth. They are simply score-lines which rapidly come and go. 

From a young age I’ve always considered myself a multi-millionaire. If offered, I would readily decline offers of a million dollars for either of my arms, and for each of our family dogs. Worth has no bounds. Value is often measured in modules of fun, fulfilment, choice, independence and yes, unconditional love. 

STAY FOCUSED 

The underlying message is to stay focused on the needs, wants and aspirations of existing and prospective clients. Fulfilling such is a fundamental driving force and purpose. Scores are simply distractions. Moreover, they are influenced, determined and quantified by achieving, sustaining and enhancing purpose. 

Barry Urquhart

Managing Director

Marketing Focus

M:        041 983 5555

E:        Urquhart@marketingfocus.net.au

W:       www.marketingfocus.net.au

THINK BIG. FAIL FAST. MOVE ON.

Amazing Amazon. 

Founder Jeff Bezos has much to answer for. Among the bouquets are countless brickbats. Numerically, financial failures have exceeded successes. 

Few people have heard of the Fire phone. Even fewer bought one. Entry into the highly competitive, sophisticated and dynamic mobile phone marketplace was and is fraught. It was an expensive lesson for Amazon and Bezos – more than $US200 million. And yet there were no or few regrets. The lessons learnt were invaluable a unique KPI (key performance indicator). 

Amazon has moved on from Fire phones. 

Significantly, those involved in the design, manufacture, distribution, wholesaling and retailing of the failure were encouraged to keep thinking big. Risk tolerance was resilient. Risk aversion was discouraged. 

This is an encouraging cultural value which persists in the midst of coronavirus. In such circumstances culture does eat strategy for breakfast. 

BEYOND WORDS 

Think big has been embraced by an Australian national radio station network as its positioning statement. Upon reflection and on balance, question could be put to whether it is a projection of the belief of the broadcaster or exultation for, and to its listeners. 

There is no consistent, universal evidence of programming and programs which characterise the term Think Big. 

Positioning statements should, indeed must, reflect core values. 

Amazon’s abiding belief in, and adherence to, the Think Big philosophy is reflected in its commitments to the development of electric powered motor vehicles and space travel, to name just a few of its creative initiatives. 

FAIL FAST 

In commerce, failure is often a relative rather than an absolute measure.

Slower, inert management and leadership teams tend to be sensitive and reflective to even small scale and limited numbers of failures, and suboptimal performance initiatives and endeavours. Consequential costs seem large in a restricted, relatively static portfolio. 

Not a lot has changed over decades. Products and services powerhouse 3M prided itself in having at least 60% of its product/service range having been introduced to the marketplace within the previous five years, at all times. This was dynamism personified and was a key driving force, before “disruption” became fashionable and a mantra for entrepreneurs and start-up business leaders. 

Individual concept, product and service failures were deemed to be incidental and stepping stones to bigger things in an ongoing journey, which dictated, that all and sundry moved on. 

The same principles apply to small and medium sized enterprises. It’s simply a matter of scale. Significantly, scalability applies to growth, contraction and application. Lessons have relevance and benefits, regardless of size. 

MOVE ON 

Fast fashion has superseded many of the established philosophies and practices of traditional ‘bricks ‘n’ mortar’ fashion retailers. 

Stock-turns (a true and accurate measure of business performance based on the rate of turnover of inventories) have accelerated. 

Failures and underperformance of stock items and styles are registered, analysed and rapidly archived. The focus is on volume, velocity and productivity. 

The bottom-line is typically, profitable. Margins may be squeezed, but more than compensated by appealing cash-flows. 

GET EDGY

Playing at the edges is usually time-consuming. Doing lots of things does not ensure substantive outcomes. There is enormous evidence of such at present. In contrast, being edgy suggests agitation, provocation and assertiveness. Such attitudes and actions attract attention, interest and interactions, particularly when alternative and competitive initiatives are sparse. 

Risk need not, and seldom is a consideration. Promoting and packaging presence are initial steps in business development initiatives. 

Some sayings in commerce are ageless. Remember:

Fortune Favours the Brave 

It is the translation of a Latin proverb, which has a long history of use in the military, and throughout the Anglo-Saxon world, as a motto for families and clans. It recognises that fear is the most inhibiting of factors. 

ON BALANCE 

Upon reflection, the most prevalent and dominant constraints on the economic well-being of businesses are established policies, practices and processes. 

Innovative, creative and entrepreneurs have recognised that in the current pandemic-affected environment and marketplace there are no rules. “Open-minds” accept that scenario as an open invitation to make one’s own rules. As such, value judgements and comparative analyses are somewhat meaningless. 

The metrics which measure performance aligned to, think big, fail fast, move on,

are hard to qualify. 

So, “do your best, and try for better”. 

You’re on your way. 

Barry Urquhart

Managing Director

Marketing Focus

M:        041 983 5555

E:        Urquhart@marketingfocus.net.au

W:       www.marketingfocus.net.au

CLOSE THE GAP

Gap analyses are typically brutally honest. 

The insights and overviews from internal and external stakeholders are invaluable. 

Identifying, isolating and analysing variables and dimensions that are of interest, relevance and importance to existing, prospective and past clients are often refreshing and revealing. 

They detail in stark terms the reasons why people and entities seek out, deal with, purchase, utilise, return and become loyal to specific companies, brand names, products, services and applications. 

Furthermore, explanations are revealed and heightened of why good sales conversions, lack of responses and losses of clients, revenues and profits do occur. 

Disciplined, malleable and well-structured gap analyses ensure that there is

nowhere to hide. Transparency, accountability and measurability are well profiled. 

Assumptions, presumptions, naivety and ignorance are sidelined and made both redundant and obsolete. 

Improved productivity, efficiency and effectiveness are seemingly natural consequences of ongoing, scheduled gap analyses. 

STRIKING GAPS 

The philosophy and related mantra of being customer-driven are found wanting when customers and clients, as well as the front-line service providers are asked to nominate a discrete (often 20 factors or less) list of criteria which are employed in the selection and buying processes. 

Seldom do the two sets of responses correspond. 

Individual dimensions are often worthy of extended review, analysis, possible refinement and adroit application.  Significantly, cost is rarely ranked in the top three factors. 

The variances average between 15% and 20%. Often, they can differ in up to 50% of instances.  

Prioritising those purchase criteria variables adds further to the disparities which typify the perceptions and perspectives of customers and internal service providers. 

Clustering the nominated dimensions into weighted groupings of, say, five is equally revealing. 

In short, and in reality, the understanding of customers, their needs, wants, values, expectations and preferences is shallow, often misleading and potentially significantly detrimental to the wellbeing, profitability, competitiveness and relevance of service-providing businesses. 

Sub-optimal performances of marketing, selling, merchandising, promotional and advertising campaigns, and the reasons why, become apparent. 

Refinements and recalibrations need not be expensive and resource-intense. 

CUSTOMISED PROBING 

Gap analyses are like companies, products, services and brand names. Each is unique. 

Informal, casual and occasional analyses count for little. Their implications, consequences and importance are far too serious. 

The true value is the input and the resultant outputs. Open, unstructured probing of consumer and service providers’ frames-of-reference provides the content, context and structure of the analysis. 

Process is important, but secondary and consequential. 

No ideal or optimal model exists. The capabilities are typically available and accessible, much like access to social and digital media. 

In all instances, the art is in having, utilising and deploying capabilities. Understanding is, to a considerable measure, intuitive. 

Gap analyses are often equated to looking at one’s self (or business) in the mirror. Only on these occasions a three-dimensional reflection is received. The depth and breadth of the images are meaningful and profoundly advantageous. 

Presenting, explaining and applying the findings distinguish the true nature of a customer-centric (if you wish, customer obsession) leader is revealed in their willingness to accept the findings, no matter how confronting and brutal. 

CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENTS 

The efficiency, relevance and innate value of gap analyses, like artificial intelligence-generated modelling, improve with ongoing applications. Experience and expertise of practitioners are broadened and deepened. 

Resultant business goal settings, performance reviews and briefings (of internal and external resources) are enhanced. Confidence improves, often in parallel with reductions in errors and the margins and frequencies of those errors. 

The life-cycle durations of gap analyses are shortening as a consequence of the dynamics of life, lifestyles, economic forces, technology, innovations and creativity. 

Change is inevitable. The quantum nature of that change and its rapidity are breathtaking, exciting if you will. Ironically, the variances between the findings of progressive gap analyses are indicative measures of change. 

The process is not a waste of time. Indeed, it is an investment in the relevance, competitiveness and future of a business, product, service and application. 

VALUE BASED 

For those who embrace the concept, process, outcomes and applications, a true measure of the value of gap analyses is a better understanding of existing, prospective and past clients. Invaluable. 

Barry Urquhart

Marketing Strategist

Marketing Focus

M:        041 983 5555

E:        urquhart@marketingfocus.net.au

W:       www.marketingfocus.net.au

THE PRICE IS RIGHT

That’s fixed. 

Those words, phrase and sentiments are reassuring. They typically confirm the successful conclusion of a deal done – project  a sense of peace-of-mind, and enable clients, consumers and service providers to move on to mutual benefit. 

FLUID BACK-DROP 

One significant consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic has been widespread apprehension about continuity of supply. That is compounded by sensitivity to the probability of variability in access (trading hours and product/services availability, prices, maintenance and service costs and responsiveness) to specific needs. 

Anxiety levels have risen as a result. Overall, expectations have fallen. 

Collectively, these factors have impacted customer satisfaction, loyalty, repeat and referral business. 

SET PRICES 

Prices are not the dominant and overriding forces they have been in the past. In recent times, across the board, owners and managers of businesses have reviewed and, in a significant majority of instances, have increased prices. 

No product, service, application, sector or locality is immune. New cars, used vehicles, caravans, swimming pools, dine-in and take-out meals, fashion, electrical appliances, vacation accommodation, hire cars, air-travel, new and established homes. The list goes on. 

Interestingly, there is considerable tolerance, even understanding among consuming individuals, families, corporations and public sector entities. 

Substantiation and justification for such increments tend to be because of rising supply costs, distribution expenses, trimmed margins and falling net profits.  No substantive arguments there. 

Early indications of increases in inflation suggest these practices and policies will be extended and broadened. 

Strikingly apparent is the absence of competitive forces. 

Consumers, clients and businesses are not living in bubbles. They are generally aware, informed, discerning and price-sensitive. The latter factor is a key driver in determining when purchases are made.  Expectations are that specials, deals and discounts will inevitably be offered. Therefore the timing of purchases is fundamental. 

VALUE PRICING 

The fundamental issue in pricing policies are, or should be, value-driven. Comparative measures about cost, margins, profits and sustainable economic viability are secondary considerations. 

Indeed, astutely packaged value-pricing is incomparable. It is also satisfying and fulfilling for the purchasers. Those initiatives marginalise, if not make redundant, price-points. Comparative pricing rapidly becomes worthless within a marketing context. 

When the dimension of time is introduced to the equation, the value, worth and length of relationships are enhanced. 

Several leading global motor vehicle manufacturers have introduced through their national and global dealer networks fixed price service and maintenance costs for set periods of time. Very satisfying. Reassuring. No surprises. Typically affordable. And above all, “budget -able”. 

That lead should and could be taken up by countless other entities. 

BE HOSPITABLE 

Much has been written, said and visually projected about the trials and tribulations being experienced by trading entities in the tourism and hospitality sectors. 

Considerable empathy exists throughout society. 

People, governments (all three levels) and commerce at large are going to great pains to support local, adversely affected operations which are dependent on tourism-based demand and revenues. 

That support is tempered somewhat, when products and services are withdrawn forthwith by businesses, often to comply with government legislation and regulations. Exacerbating the disappointment, frustration, inconvenience and personal cost experienced by unsuspecting and non-determining customers are the practices of denying credits and reimbursements or by extending compensating payments over months, or offering time-limited, inappropriate alternatives to the products and services that were withdrawn after contracts, agreements and deals have been concluded and payments made. What deal? 

Such actions come with a price – reputations, loyalty and repeat business. 

PRICELESS ACTIONS 

By necessity, business models are being refined or totally reconstructed as a consequence of the ravages of the global pandemic. 

Resilience is a forlorn hope. Bouncing back to what was may be well-intended. However in most cases it will be misplaced, irrelevant and disadvantageous. 

Foremost among the recalibrations will, or should be, pricing policies. 

There is no single catch-all answer. Value is typically situational and personal. 

Value-pricing has two components: 

                        Price is what is paid.

                        Value is what customers get.

                         (and enjoy) 

The computations and permutations possible for those variables seem endless. Creativity among business owners, managers and team-members is figuratively boundless. 

It’s time to get together, retain an external facilitator and catalyst, and get serious about winning, retaining and sustaining business and marketplace presence based on value-pricing. 

Barry Urquhart

Workshop Facilitator

Marketing Focus

M:        041 983 5555

E:        urquhart@marketingfocus.net.au

W:       www.marketingfocus.net.au

BEYOND PERSONAL SERVICE

Consumers consider service personal. 

It’s how they experience it, and, accordingly, how they value it. 

Therefore, service can’t be sold. Experience and reflecting on those interactions and consequences, is the paradigm through which the value-package is qualified by those who consume and pay. 

That is just one challenge for business entities and service providers. Another is establishing, embracing, projecting, supporting, complementing and celebrating universal service. 

That’s right. For commerce, unqualified understanding of, commitment to and consistent delivery of service excellence by all is non-negotiable for those truly subscribing to the ideals. In some instances, service is personalised, to the benefit, advantage and benefit of customers and clients. Fundamental is that its delivery is universal. Always. 

UNREAD WALL POSTERS 

Many front-line service providers believe their service endeavours are compromised by a lack of delegated authority, inconsistent management policies and emphases on, and biases to immediate profit imperatives. 

Company-wide campaigns, like “Customer First”, “Consumer Obsession” and “Service Above Sell” are typically dismissed as lacking meaning, belief and conviction by C-suites (read: ‘senior management’). 

Attractive wall posters espousing virtues count for little and are seldom read by team-members, customers and clients. 

Jeff Bezos, founder of Amazon, highlighted his commitment to personal and personalised service by being prepared to, and actually booking a loss exceeding US$2 billion over a period of less than two years, to improve service standards and to fulfil the promise of service/product delivery within as little as one hour. Service costs. 

Above all else, service is multi-dimensional, delivered on omni-channels and its cost is, or should be integral to retail prices. 

Since 2015 Amazon has made noticeable investments in bricks ’n’ mortar businesses and premises. It acquired the US national Whole Food chain, purchased many vacated Toys R Us premises and is about to establish its own national network of pharmacies. A progressive program of constructing localised fulfilment centres is underway, to facilitate immediate deliveries and collections. Jeff Bezos too, has concluded that on-line, digital and social media and channels should complement, not replace the human quotient. 

He is now a believer. Neil Diamond wrote the song “I’m A Believer” in 1966. Micky Dolenz of the Monkees sang it. What took so long? Some essentials simply never change. Awareness and adherence are important. Harmony demands it. 

DEPENDENCE OVER INDEPENDENCE 

The economic, competitive and general well-being of participants and members of marketing or buying co-operative and franchise networks is enhanced by all providing continuity and consistency in service delivery. Dependence has its virtues. 

Independence is compromising to varying degrees. However, the compensating benefits of mutual dependence, in the short, intermediate and longer term are substantial. 

SERVICE IS TIMELESS 

A genuine service culture knows no bounds. It includes all team-members, departments, locations, operations, seasons and campaigns. 

Service should be all embracing. Therefore, specific promotional campaigns seem misplaced and inappropriate. 

Short-term heightened service standards are incompatible with service excellence ideals of consistency and continuity. Variability in standards and emphasis is likely to be, confusing and contradictory. 

Service excellence can be, and often is, hard to achieve and to maintain. It takes an uncompromising belief by all. Service cultures have no limits, particularly in terms of time and timeliness. 

The construction sector, of new homes in particular, is an essential foundation of the broader Australian economy and lifestyle. 

A significant percentage of Australians own, are paying off or aspire to own their own residence. 

The industry is structured on subcontracting. Key elements and aspects of residential, commercial and industrial premises involve multiple subcontractors, including individual “tradies”, who operate under supervision, but can exercise considerable independence and self-determination on service standards. 

That makes coordination and adherence to service standards difficult, if not impossible to achieve. 

Interactions with expectant new home owners are rare, often limited by building company policies which deny access to sites during construction. Therefore, bonding and commitment to owners is distant, if it exists at all. 

None of these policies, practices or characteristics foster close, positive personal customer service scenarios. 

In many instances, relationships between subcontractors and the building company are limited to brief, periodic visits by supervisors and the accounts department. Thus, the customer and consumer of the services provided are focused on the intermediary building company people. 

Recent collapses and enforced vacating of multi-story residential projects profile and highlight the deficiencies and consequences of a whole sector. 

PERSONALISED BUILT-IN  

In stark contrast, JahRock, which specialises in custom-built furniture, often featuring the Western Australian hardwood Jarrah, personalises each piece of furniture. 

Stories are detailed about the base product, like dining room table legs being from the historic Bunbury jetty. Each chair in the set is personally signed by the crafts person who moulded and assembled it.

The strikingly attractive settings become conversation pieces. Now that is personal and personalised service. 

It doesn’t take much to introduce a little retail or commercial theatre and personalised customer service into the buying process. 

NO EXCUSES 

Compromised phrases and attitudes like, “that’ll be good enough” have consequences. Brand damage is inevitable. Comparative competitiveness falters too. “Employer of Choice status” is invariably lost. 

Internally, morale, cohesion, job satisfaction and staff turnover rates are negatively impacted. 

Regrettably, the words good enough have a negative connotation. 

It takes effort to excel and attain excellence. Just ask elite sports people, arts practitioners, scientists and those in medicine. 

We may not aspire to mix with or match those. But, rest assured, most want to be serviced by those with such values and capabilities. 

PREMIUM SERVICE 

A common characteristic of entities that enjoy desirable brand images centred on personal service is the noticeable additional, if not premium allocation of resources to strive for, attain and sustain service excellence. 

There are more than 29 definitions of the word premium. In some, premium is an impost, a penalty or cost. Insurance is a good example. Payment of premiums in such instances is why the service is widely regarded as a grudge purchase. 

Service can mean above the norm. Advantage service provider. Particularly if the cost is included and not distinguishable in the price. 

In business, thought processes and beliefs are the cornerstones of success, malleability, innovation and creativity. Those measures and attributes are accelerated when premium is applied in the best manner. 

So go on. Go beyond. 

Barry Urquhart

Conference Keynote Speaker

Marketing Focus

M:        041 983 5555

E:        urquhart@marketingfocus.net.au

W:       www.marketingfocus.net.au

AN INFLATED FUTURE

Be aware. 

The dormant forces of inflation are stirring. Consequences will be strategic, structural and deep-reaching. 

Globally, the signs are indisputable. Annual inflation in USA increased by 5% in the period to May, 2021. That is the fastest rate since 1982. 

In recent times the European Central Bank has revised and scaled up its projections for inflation. (Around 3.5%). 

Cost structures for living, business and supply chains per se will progressively and sustainably increase. Incomes for the populace at large and for many small businesses in particular, will remain relatively static for the immediate foreseeable future. 

Therefore, the real cost-of-living will become apparent and will be reflected in confidence levels, expenditure patterns and ultimately in house prices. 

BEYOND GOVERNMENT 

The lead in increases for mortgages, loans and credit will emanate from the trading banks. 

Those trends are already evolving and are being implemented. Moreover, the trend-line is not one way. Some savings and investment rates have been trimmed. More refinements are expected. 

Both the Federal Government and the Reserve Bank have indicated they will not be prime movers or catalysts. However, the latter will readily accept the changes and their consequences as forces for good. 

GLOBAL AND UNIVERSAL 

Global shipping freight rates are increasing. Container availability is declining. Insurance premiums are on the incline and coverage is being selectively reigned in. 

Compounding those challenges, an increasing number of global suppliers are now invoking minimum container-full orders, longer production lead times and greater time allowances for transport. Each is, and will put, pressure on margins, profits and prices. 

Increments in prices are evolving in wholesale, distribution and all retail. 

Anecdotal evidence suggests that consumer awareness of, and sensitivity to price increasing is broadening. There are few signs of widespread pushback – at this time. 

CONSEQUENCES 

A strong measure of tolerance exists among consumers and corporate clients. That should not be confused with understanding. At some point in time, possibly in the near future, there will be an awakening, a sense of deprivation and calls for fairness and equity. 

At the forefront will be mortgage stress, which will be highlighted and reinforced by increases in periodic repayments. Fixed term interest rates will be a short-term cushion or buffer. However, those terms have been progressively curtailed, particularly since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic. 

Consumers who live mortgage-free will be contaminated by the infectious nature of attitudes, perceptions and subjective value of judgments. It is difficult for lenders, all lenders, to argue for, substantiate and justify increases during a period of inflation, when income levels are static. 

SCENARIO ANALYSIS 

The vagaries of the current economy, make long-term and intermediate-term planning complex, difficult and in many instances misguided and ineffective. 

Unknown unknowns and known unknowns tend to dismantle facts into suppositions and guesses. 

Structured, disciplined and documented strategic plans have been replaced, in the main, by contingency, in its many forms. 

Malleability and responsiveness have become valued and virtuous characteristics. 

Thinning ranks, extended working hours and complex (often conflicting) demands make the scheduling for and conduct of group meetings difficult, if not out of reach. 

However, for the committed, those deliberations are energising, confidence building and directional. Margins-of-error and miss-steps are accepted as givens. 

Accepting, learning from, and moving on from, errors are essential features of life and commerce in these times. 

Believe me, facilitating those events are educational, reassuring and, often, life changing. 

Timely action now, neutralises, if not deflates the inflated. Taking the wind out of inflation ensures it does not become an ongoing renewable energy force. 

Barry Urquhart

Marketplace Analyst

Marketing Focus

M:        041 983 5555

E:        Urquhart@marketingfocus.net.au

W:       www.marketingfocus.net.au

“GET REAL. AUSTRALIAN SERVICE STINKS”

Confronting. Effronting. Offensive. Challenging. Honest. Heartfelt. 

All of the above are themselves real. The word from consumers is that, in general, present Australian customer service standards fall well short of expectations and needs. Negative experiences are widespread, deep and repetitive. 

Opportunities for revenues and relationships are lost. So too are sources of referrals, repeat business and advocacy. 

The recognition and realities of concerns appear to be distant from those of business owners, managers and team-members. Chasms between the two broad perceptual bases represent a pitfall for brand management. Reputations and images are being crushed. For a majority of customers, clients and consumers the most common, recurring deficiencies are the lack of human service providers who can and will provide answers, solutions and satisfaction – now and locally. 

A lack of dealing with experienced, qualified people, who have the authority and drive to resolve issues without referrals to others, is another concern and frustration. 

Automated responses via technology, online, and AI (artificial intelligence) are judged to be impersonal, insensitive filters which do not engender sentiments of reassurance, understanding, care and value. 

Absences, continuity and lack of consistency, in follow-up and follow-through once the deal has been concluded, possession taken and use made of products, services and applications are registered by, and frowned upon by customers. 

WHAT’S NEW 

The stark reality is that consumers have changed. Expectations are rapidly evolving. Expressions of disappointment are more direct, personal and emotive than in the past. 

Front-line service providers are unsettled. Many feel inadequate. Morale is impacted. Mobility in employment is on the rise, productivity is lapsing, momentum is difficult to sustain. It is a cost being borne by commerce, employees, consumers and society at large. 

Clearly, many existing processes are failing. Initiatives to improve internal efficiencies are having profound, often negative, consequences for external effectiveness. 

Countless business development initiatives falter at the very first service delivery encounters. Their effectiveness is compromised because of poor and inappropriate attitudes, rather than because of inadequate aptitudes. 

In many instances, the need exists to develop greater sensitivity, appreciation and understanding of the dynamic context in which a service excellence outline must be formulated, documented and implemented. No-one is excluded in the key audience. Business owners, management and team-members need to be educated, extended, challenged, supported and where appropriate, applauded in pursuit of the immense potential to promise and deliver great value-based customer service. 

 Barry Urquhart

Keynote Speaker

Marketing Focus

M:        041 983 5555

E:        Urquhart@marketingfocus.net.au

W:       www.marketingfocus.net.au

LOOK FOR AND FIND “LOST” CUSTOMERS

Businesses burn customers. 

Often unintended. A considerable percentage are not recognised or registered. 

In all cases it is expensive and a cost of doing business. Lost customers, their revenues and contributions to profits need to be replaced – and fast. Demands on cash-flows dictate it. Aspirations for growth in overall numbers of customers, transactions, revenue, profits and the like have to overcome the contractions inflicted by customer attrition. 

Interestingly, few entities have formulated, documented and implemented strategies and tactics to address, neutralise and redress these realities. 

Truly, this is a drag on commerce, efforts and growth initiatives.

Customer attrition is typically not planned. Disturbingly, the presence and consequences are equally not addressed and redressed in a disciplined, planned manner. 

ACCELERATING REALITY 

COVID-19, the pandemic declaration, lockdowns and social distancing have, collectively, impacted society at large, lifestyles, buying patterns and commerce. It is reflected in many statistics. 

As a sweeping generality, many sensitive trading entities have long forecast and budgeted for a “churn-rate” (read client attrition) of around 20% per annum. The actual figures vary between sectors, entities, geographic localities. However, a doubling of traditionally accepted rates has not been uncommon during the pandemic. 

Some in business accept such as a reality – an inevitability. Their attendant focus tends to be client/customer “farming”, enticement, canvassing and development. 

Seasoned and hardened professionals accept the intensive and extensive investment required to “win” and to establish positive relationships and the maintenance of new customers and clients. 

At the turn of the millennium (the year 2000) and at the time of the release of my two books on service excellence, “Serves You Right! and Service Please!”, detailed research established that it was some six times easier, cheaper and faster to retain clients than it was to induce new customers onto the books. 

The vagaries of the coronavirus and the innate transactional nature of many online transactions have elevated that ratio to ten times or more. 

Estimates on the lifetime value and the duration of mutually rewarding ongoing relationships have changed significantly. In many instances interactions are appropriately measured transaction by transaction. 

Forlorn and low expectations of loyalty, referral and repeat business abound. 

DEFENCE STRATEGIES 

Notwithstanding the high velocity and volume of client attrition, it is evident from consumer (individual and corporate) feedback, behaviour, perceptions and expressions, that many service providers lack disciplined, structured and supported follow-up and follow-through initiatives. 

Many business leaders readily accept the loss of customers as a reality of doing business. Few conduct exit interviews to identify key causal factors and to isolate the scope and opportunities for formatting, documenting and implementing remedial and recovery campaigns. 

The presence and power of the known unknown is facilitated and accentuated by a lack of investigation, analysis and counter-business development initiatives.

Ignorance is not a virtue. It is expensive. And, above all, unnecessary and should be avoided. Initiating personal contacts is a sound first step. 

RE-ACQUAINTANCE 

A concerted effort to reacquaint with past clients who have been “lost” during the past 12, 24 and 36 months can be fulfilling, rewarding and financially beneficial. 

It is usually a rich pool of “new” demand, revenue and profits. Many past acquaintances have been exposed to poor, lesser and unsatisfactory experiences. Their assessment of relevant values and service standards can be in one’s favour. 

Encouragingly, that suggests buying cycles are shortened. Responses are quicker and more definitive. Hence cash-flows are accelerated. 

As a further interesting aside and insight, there is the rapid obsolescence of client lists and data bases. People do change addresses, mobile numbers, employment, and life circumstances. Within 9 months active client lists and data bases can be reduced by as much as 60%. 

Hence, be sensitive and responsive to the attrition of company records and information. Aging occurs to accounts, Big Data and general information. 

EMOTIONAL RESPONSES 

Like past clients, a significant percentage of market research respondents are flattered to be asked about their opinions, values, beliefs, perceptions and intentions. They are emotional responses, and foster self-belief of personal importance and relevance. 

That can be a pure subliminal force, which fosters and encourages conversations. Indeed, word of mouth can, and should be a deliberate strategy. 

Regularly talking to, and interacting with existing, prospective and past clients, do that. Marketing is, after all, founded on opportunism, communication and satisfying needs. 

Customers need to be valued, respected and listened to. 

PLANNED ACTIONS 

Strategies, tactics and actions that seek to address and redress high and increasing customer attrition rates need to be planned, monitored, analysed, refined, extended and supported. 

Moreover, they should ideally be scheduled, reviewed and measured for efficiency and effectiveness. 

Customer attrition is a cost of doing business, with little or no returns. Remedial actions can be resource-intense and relatively expensive. However, the returns are typically substantial and ongoing. It’s called cost/benefit equation. 

All strategic plans need to be reviewed, to ensure that these essential elements have been considered, documented, integrated and implemented. It is invariably a rewarding experience. However, those initiatives can’t afford to be random, casual and considered time-fillers during downtime periods. 

DRAW YOUR OWN CONCLUSION 

Client attrition should never be assigned to being an attribution circumstance. That is, being part of the nature of doing business.  “Churn-rates” represent opportunities and scope for retraining, broadening and extending customer bases. Indeed, given the cost/benefit ratios addressed earlier in this text, they can reasonably be deemed to be an attractive primary target audience. History and countless case studies have established that, retrieved “lost” customers can typically and readily be converted to be strong advocates and ambassadors. 

On sporting arenas, coaches are inclined to loudly and repeatedly recite “the game is not lost until the final siren is sounded”. 

Play on. 

Barry Urquhart

Business Strategist

Marketing Focus

M:        041 983 5555

E:        Urquhart@marketingfocus.net.au

W:       www.marketingfocus.net.au

EMBRACE THE CROWD

It’s getting very crowded. 

New products, processes, payment systems, delivery services, communication channels, competitors, substitutes and, yes, new purchase criteria are rapidly evolving, transitioning and fracturing. Pandemic-infected commerce is accelerating change. 

Clutter is apparent, albeit not recognised and addressed by all. Losses in enquiries, transactions, revenue, cash-flows, sales conversions, competitive rankings and advantages are mounting. 

Consequences can be immediate, expansive, expensive and ongoing. 

OUTSIDE THE HUB 

The coronavirus pandemic has been responsible for the widespread application of WFH (working from home), social distancing, hubs, Zoom conferencing and other isolating and alienating practices. 

Countless businesses, individuals, networks and clusters have lost touch, and with it empathy for and among, those whom they seek to be of service. 

Hubs have developed many characteristics of the mythical “clone of silence.”    Those inside become deaf to changes, innovations and the dynamics of a very fluid marketplace. Subtle variances and nuances are not being “heard”, recognised, addressed and redressed. 

Assessments of comparative and competitive advantage are often ill-founded and quickly become outdated, irrelevant and widely inaccurate or non-quantifiable. 

Reasserting a presence in the marketplace is becoming an imperative. 

BEHIND THE HEADLINES 

Repeated media references to economic surges, “bounce-backs” and the like are disconcerting to sectors, markets, entities and active individuals who are encountering inconsistent, indifferent and extremely price-sensitive circumstances. 

Increasing top-lines are not necessarily being reflected in bottom-lines, relationships, loyalty, repeat business, referrals and advocacy. 

Transactions are an essential nature of the current crowded marketplace. Everyone, it seems, has or is open to a deal. A significant percentage are, single interactions. 

Submissions, proposals and contacts offering deals are literally “just around the corner”. Shoe leather is being worn out, as it complements online social media communications. 

Individual human beings and entities are making their own headlines. Audience selection is seemingly non-discriminatory. After all, a sale is a sale. 

Rapier-sharp messages and targets appear to have elapsed in currency. “Shot-gun” approaches are more common, than in recent years. 

LANDING A PUNCH 

In the fight to win customers, business, relevance, profits and market-share, it is difficult to enjoy uncontested and advantageous presence in a crowded marketplace. 

Recent corporate failures suggest some entities, products, services, apps and segments are being subjected to “king hits”. Cascading and multiplying effects of failures of one stakeholder do have telling impacts on others in supply chains and networks. Hiccups being experienced by global fintechs are having profound and immediate impacts on associate mining groups, retailers, manufacturers, logistic operations and payment systems. 

Unexpected and unintended consequences can be, and are, difficult to address, redress and overcome. Sympathetic and deep-pocket governments are less conspicuous, receptive and generous. 

Collaboration is, and will remain, a key attribute in the operations and success, of an increasing number of businesses, small-to medium sized in particular. However, financial prudence and independence will remain core issues for Boards of Directors, senior management and business owners. 

During hard times, crowded settings can thin out rapidly. 

STARTING OVER 

Declarations about the new marketplace, new consumers and new realities need not imply the need for new strategies, new tactics, new objectives and new goals. 

Crowded circumstances reflect the absence of space, “blue oceans” for adherents of that strategic planning philosophy, and scope of independent positioning. 

Indeed the prevailing reality underscores the fact that opportunities have never been better to get close to existing, prospective, and past clients. Physical proximity, complemented with psychological and social closeness promotes and facilitates better understanding, satisfaction and fulfilment. 

Figurative and literal hugs can be so rewarding, uplifting and fulfilling. 

So, business prospects can be within ready reach in a crowded marketplace, if and when one is prepared to reconnect, re-engage, embrace customers and value their mutual life-time worth. 

Barry Urquhart

Conference Keynote Speaker

Marketing Focus

M:        041 983 5555

E:        urquhart@marketingfocus.net.au

W:       www.marketingfocus.net.au