Even though many businesses are jumping on the Twitter and Facebook bandwagon…they are finding they are on the outside of the bulk of conversations and not having the so-called instant success many of the Social Media gurus are promising. That is partly due to the fact businesses still think Social Media is just another form of advertising!! So how do they typically approach this? Well for the most part, they are still using the ‘old advertising model’ of shouting at people to get attention and conducting one way conversations about themselves, their brand, their great deal, and blah, blah, blah.

That is completely opposite of the way real live humans (consumers) converse and this certainly applies when it comes to social media. Conversations between people are two way. That is if you are really interested in connecting with people instead of just selling ‘at them’.

Marketers, businesses, and brands that are still pushing themselves on folks are being completely ignored and grouped with all the other annoying cyber noise class. Talking at your potential customer is OUT! It takes two way engagement to even get in the conversation game in the social media realm let alone influence someone to buy from you. Far too many believe they can just show up and Facebook friends will be eating out of your hands or Twitter broadcasts will ensure the masses come running. This is so far from the truth it’s sad.

Anyone selling you on the idea you can use cutesy or clever ads, quotes of the day, last minute deals or any other midway type of shenanigans to incite the masses to word of mouth you along like the greatest new ice cream flavor ever is just flat out lying to you.

People are talking! There is no doubt about that and this is what you want them to do about you. In my opinion, the social media platform is one of the greatest things that could ever have happened to businesses today if you understand what it really is, how to use it, and respect the people using it.

A perfect example of the incredible opportunities made available via social media is just this week Mashable.com reported on Facebook’s 500 million member milestone! That’s just amazing. One online application has managed to attack a cyber hangout of 500 million members and growing!!

Facebook 500 million

When it comes to Twitter, it’s also a powerhouse as well! Courtesy of Huffingtonpost stats as of the end of April this year check these few facts out…

• Twitter now has 105,779,710 registered users.
• New users are signing up at the rate of 300,000 per day.
• 180 million unique visitors come to the site every month.
• Of Twitter’s active users, 37 percent use their phone to tweet.
• More than 40% of all tweets start with @, which means they are directed at someone.
• 85% of Tweets are original and not re-tweets of other messages.

If you are in business, you MUST be in the social media space if you want to be taken serious and compete in this new business era. However…there is a right way to do it that can put you on the path to long term success. I’m telling you up front though, it’s not a quick BAM here I am kinda marketing thing. Expect it to take lots of smart work! And be clear here, Social Marketing Is Not For the Lazy, the Greedy, or the Arrogant. It not only takes smart and hard work to be successful in this sphere, but it also takes the RIGHT strategy, planning and execution. See more on this “Useless Social Media Plans” from my colleague Jay Deragon over at Relationship Economy.

Want Social Media Marketing to work for you?

Well you better get in tune with the right information flows that give it to you straight and truthful. Really take the time to identify who you want to have as customers and start talking to them. The best place a business can start the transformation they must embark upon in order for any of this to make sense or even work for them is to consider your motives and intentions for being in the social sphere in the first place. Yes, I get it…you are in business to sell, to make a profit. That is understood and expected by even your customer. But what worked in the past does not work now. This is really an age of connectedness like never before and people don’t want to be connected to fakes, wanna-be’s, get rich quick quakes, ‘get more eyeballs’ types, or the socially irresponsible and so on. They want and demand to be connected to the real deal. And when they read your mail (in the conversations you have socially) and see you are the real deal…they will gladly share you with their sphere of influence and on, and on. Powerful, but it can be unsettling if one of your business values is not integrity. Integrity is at the core of meaningful conversations and relationships online and off. Always had been…always will be.

Wow! What a sad situation our country is facing as we prepare to celebrate and enjoy the freedoms that have been purchased and ransomed for us today on the backs of many a fine American. I thought to myself, “Is this our story for 2010 and on?”

The article went on to say “even though we’ve gained about 600,000 private sector jobs back, we’ve got nearly 8 million jobs to go,” said Lakshman Achuthan, managing director of Economic Cycle Research Institute.

The article went on to point out; it would take the creation of 10.6 million jobs immediately for the same percentage of the population to be working as was the case three years ago. Many of the workers who have lost jobs were in industries that are not likely to recover their former strength. They are predicting that as many as half of the people who lost their jobs will have to find something else to do.

This is very disturbing news. Millions of folks who have lost their jobs are not going to be able to find jobs in their line of work so they better figure something else out, right?

Ok, well I ask myself… what can be done about this? Are we just going to throw up our hands and except this? How are we going to turn this mess around? Are we going to wait for the government or big business to “bail us out”…again? Whatever good that did!

I THINK NOT!!

While I don’t pretend to have all the answers I do know a thing or two about entrepreneurship, small business and this New Business Era we have been sucked into!

I know they are right when the Foreman says these” jobs are going boy and they ain’t coming back”.  Those dinosaur industries and companies are falling like flies and more are to come. Much more judging by the way they are not willing to enter in to this new digital age and 21^st century marketing!

I know the golden egg for economic recovery and stability in this country is in the rise and well being of entrepreneurs and small business.

I know there are incredible opportunities for ANYONE to be in business for themselves doing what they love doing like never before! The internet and social media has knocked the feet out from under the gatekeepers. You can go in there and get yours now!

I know if we (the average everyday American) would support and commit ourselves to conduct the majority of our business transactions with entrepreneurs and small businesses across this country we would not only start money flowing into our communities again but we would see lots of jobs being created.

I know the internet and social media can and will facilitate the needed handshake where we tell one another about small businesses in our circle and community that are providing great products, services and customer appreciation and we recommend them to our friends and family to support them.

I know entrepreneurs and small business can beat out the big boys hands down, every time, on quality, price, creativity and service to make us want to transact with you…so Do It.

I know we all (both those of us in business and those of us the customer) care deeply about this and want to do our part.

I know we can and will support buying Local!

I know we are still the GREATEST country in the world and we have not lost who we are because we are innovators, creative, hard workers, good hearted, resilient, and we love to help each other out when we are in a jam. And folks, we are in a JAM!

I know when we make supporting our entrepreneurs and small businesses a priority like we have for causes like ‘Green living’, ‘Recycling’, Relief for Haiti, Tsunamis and countless other good things we do without a second thought…we can get behind entrepreneurs and small businesses who are committed to earning our business and support them so we can get back on the path to financial stability in this country.

I know this Fourth of July, 2010 we can also commemorate the adoption of…

BUY AND SUPPORT AMERICAN ENTREPRENEURS AND SMALL BUSINESSES.

I know anyone can make it in this great country and they don’t have to be left at the mercy of companies who care more about their bottom-line and shareholder than they ever will for you!

I know you can say loudly to those companies that sent our jobs abroad to increase their profitability, who managed poorly, who didn’t give a heck about the customer, our communities or our country, who over built, over indulged, and just passed their wows on to the employees…
Take this job and shove it! I ain’t working here no more”!!!! I’m starting my own business!

I know I am going to do my part and practice what I preach. Will you join me?

HAPPY FOURTH of JULY EVERYBODY!

Independence Day

During the American Revolution, the legal separation of the American colonies from Great Britain occurred on July 2, 1776, when the Second Continental Congress voted to approve a resolution of independence that had been proposed in June by Richard Henry Lee of Virginia.^[4][5] After voting for independence, Congress turned its attention to the Declaration of Independence, a statement explaining this decision, which had been prepared by a Committee of Five, with Thomas Jefferson as its principal author. Congress debated and revised the Declaration, finally approving it on July 4. A day earlier, John Adams had written to his wife Abigail:

Adams’ prediction was off by two days. From the outset, Americans celebrated independence on July 4, the date shown on the much-publicized Declaration of Independence, rather than on July 2, the date the resolution of independence was approved in a closed session of Congress.

Wikipedia

This was the poll question…Do you care about Cannes?

Here is what the results were at noon (CST) on June 23rd…

Click to enlarge

I’m sure I’m going to hear it over this but to me this is a prime example of how out of touch many advertising, marketing, PR agencies and departments are concerning today’s new business era. Close to 80% participating in this poll are indicating this event is no longer relevant in the world of 21st century marketing. What do you think?

Recently I took a road trip from Nashville, TN to Little Rock, Arkansas twice within a two week period! Is there some sort of an award for that? (LOL)

Of course one of the activities that go hand-in-hand with a road trip is making food stops. Even though I knew this would be a fairly long drive, I really had no plans on where to eat on this double trek trip except I did plan on getting some killer BBQ in Memphis which turned out to be a HUGE disappointment! But that’s another story.

I really ended up relying on roadside billboards and state highway signs to help me choose my eating stops.

[Sidenote] Speaking of these important influencers, as a marketer, I believe so many of the eating and dining places that rely on highway traffic are missing out on an incredible opportunity to capture hungry travelers by not using exciting creativity and strategy to ensure those signs really reach out and grab travelers emotions and imaginations to make them WANT to slam on the brakes and come on in. Those billboards are like their own personal roadside theaters! If they would only spend the time and money on them this could bring them a great big fat return on their investment.

Back to my story…
Working with the guides (highway signs) I had to help me make my decision on where and what to eat I found I had to decide on either fast food; and you know that is not going to be very exciting and in most cases very unhealthy for you or I had the option of a ‘toss of the coin type of experience’ pulling into a roadside dive…or lastly a chain restaurant; which is a bit safer of all the choices but takes more time and can certainly be more expensive than my other choices.

I chose fast food most of time out of necessity and what I got was just that…it was the usual experience…nothing special…just some grub. However, I did opt to have a good hot breakfast every time I had the chance on those two trips. To me a good breakfast just adds that bit of excitement one needs to endure those long tedious hours you spend in the car trying to get from point A to point B ya know?

My choice for all four times I stopped to eat breakfast was the Cracker Barrel chain restaurants. I ate twice in Tennessee and twice in Arkansas. Oh, I also made one stop for dinner too to get a hot bowl of soup on a cold night!

I love their breakfasts and I feel no one on the road does it better than Cracker Barrel. Truth be told I really love the Cracker Barrel concept, good ole home style cooking, yum yum!

With all that said though, I was somewhat disappointed with all 5 of my visit experiences for several reasons which led me down the path to ponder while I continued driving down the road…what I would do if I were the one in charge of marketing for Cracker Barrel restaurants.

Let me state my disappointments came not from the food, although I did have two separate incidences with my food preparation. No, it came from what I call the ‘Ditto Effect’ and from the lack of vision to reach the ‘21^st century connected economy’.

So the first thing I would address would be the ‘Ditto Effect’.

Consistency and uniformity are important factors for chains of any size to ensure the customer gets that same ‘chain experience’ no matter what location they patronize.

The best darn example I have seen of this is the chain In-N-Out Burger (please come to Tennessee!) in California. They are the best chain experience hands down in that no matter what location you go to, you get everything exactly the same as the last place and it is always over the top in quality and service.

However, in some cases the Ditto Effect’ is not a good strategy. It really depends on your customer and your type of business model. When it comes to Cracker Barrel Restaurants …yes I like the fact I can get the same wild blueberry pancakes in Arkansas I got while in Tennessee and that goes for the rest of their menu.

What I am disappointed in is the fact is there is so much ‘SAMENESS’ it really does not intrigue me to stop in as often as they should want me to or think about my local Barrel as an eating out option when I’m not traveling.

Their country store is in the same boat. I see almost ditto what I see in one store and the next. This makes for boring shopping in my books.

If I were in charge of the marketing for Cracker Barrel Restaurants one of the first things I would change is eliminate the ‘Ditto Effect’ by changing every store into a Cracker Barrel Presents production where each store is master story teller of their area, region and state it is located in. These could be stories of the history of early settlers and folks of the area, local legends, points of interests, the local famous from the area, local progress, challenges, and contributions, geography, the children and much more would be incorporated in creative entertaining ways as well as a special insert menu featuring local culinary delights. Special events would be scheduled throughout the year such as store tastings of products carried, live entertainment events in the back parking lot (which I have never seen full) guest appearances of entertainers, chefs, and so on.

Bottom-line I would seek to transform this chain into an organization that understood the value of creating customer experiences and emotional moments through story telling theater experiences and delivering dining entertainment and shopping. No longer just a chain where you can expect a good meal and a quaint country store to shop at.

Another major positioning move I would make if I were in charge of the marketing for Cracker Barrel restaurants would be to ensure Cracker Barrel will thrive within all generational cohorts instead of possibly being a long lost memory with the upcoming generations. If you visit any Cracker Barrel you will find the ‘mature’ crowd (baby boomer generations) are the main customer demographics… not many young people or young families are there. Nothing wrong with that except you need to insure you are getting your entire possible market share in this 21^st century economy and to me the younger crowd needs to be wooed into the Cracker Barrel experience so they will take their rightful place in enjoying a unique rural dining and shopping experience.

In order for this to happen I would…

• Start with creating marketing campaigns that would be geared directly to the younger crowd
• Update the Cracker Barrel logo to be more relevant and brand dominate in the minds of their customers
• Create mouth dropping, clever roadside signage that shows “FUN” at Cracker Barrel and delicious food photos and exciting shopping (not ads like ‘Fireside Dining’ BORING!)
• Add family portion meal options (enough for a family of four) and expand kids menu (you know, putting the FAMILY back in your tagline of being a Family Restaurant)
• Create a Cracker Barrel  kids character and entertain and market to the young patron
• Transform the restrooms for the ladies and make them more lounge and pampering friendly and ensure they are super clean at all times (and put the hand lotions BACK please)
• Add a ‘this week’s sale’ insert on all tables featuring a few specials and some clearance (don’t forget the kids) from the store so customers interest can be peaked while dining.
• Setup digital kiosk with hotspots so folks can recharge their cell or use their laptops. This just encourages them to linger and spend more money.
• Create a fenced pet friendly station area outside to let pets stretch their legs and get refreshed. Also sell some unique pet goodies and supplies because lots of folks take their pets with them.
• Take Cracker Barrel to the digital masses by incorporating social marketing and networking into their strategies, creating mobile and GPS widgets, develop a killer website where you can continue on with the Cracker Barrel experience and also shop online year round (their current website is just horrible), email marketing campaigns, and much more digital.
• Believe me…I could go on and on but I won’t

As I said before…I love Cracker Barrel Restaurants and want to see it flourish in the new digital business era we now live in. But they are like many of the ‘old model’ companies out there today that are responding to an entirely new marketplace and an entirely new type of consumer the way they have always done and/or the way their industry does it. That is just not going to get it anymore. Most of today’s upper management, leaders and shareholders don’t understand the new era we are in so they resist it or they feel threatened by it and threatened by those who do know how to transform old model to new models. What they need is to embrace fresh, creative, strategic entrepreneurial experienced (A degree in trench marketing which you can’t get in any of today’s schools, should be the prerequisite you look for) marketing professionals that know how to serve, lead, and appeal to today’s ‘connected society’ and yet still keep true to Dan Evins vision that started the Cracker Barrel Restaurants back in the 60′s.

Their mission is pleasing people and today’s customer really wants to experience that.  If I were in charge of the marketing for Cracker Barrel…

I see business sector after sector old standby models falling apart everywhere. New approaches are being developed; existing business systems are being redefined and challenged while others are completely collapsing. It’s as though someone took a giant stick and hit the business piñata and bam!!! We have an explosion of winners, losers, new kids on the block staking claim, giants falling, bewildered and confused executives and shareholders, fraud, fear, excitement, status quo and just as Elvis Presley said “A Whole Lotta Shaking Going On!”

The way I see it is we are in the midst of what I call ‘The Great Business Digital Divide.’ On one side of this gap we have two groups; the various companies, businesses, entrepreneurs, etc. who are not even aware of what is going on and/or they don’t realize we are in a brand new business era that looks and feels nothing like the past 100 years or so. Then there is those who know and sense things have changed but have no clue as to what they should be doing, what kind of people they need on their team and were to go to get the help they may need to successfully go through this transition.

On the other side of this gap are two more groups as well. One of these are those who have understood they needed to make some radical changes in the way they run their business because it is certain what they have relied on for years is no longer working. They have begun to institute some things that to an untrained eye give them the appearance they are plugged in and are 21st century business mavericks. Very much what Seth Godin described in his book Meatball Sundae.

The second group is those who have not only embraced the digital business revolution going on but they have had a hand in its birth and development. I’m not talking about techies here. I am referring to digital savvy, fresh thinking creative’s who have been on this journey for quite sometime…some longer than others. These are the ones who understand things like mission statements and status quo are DEAD and for those who hang on to this mentality, they are most likely on their last leg. This goes for the giants in business to the local auto repair shop. This is the group who are excelling and getting positioned for market share that will move them into dominance in their niche.

So what’s a business to do if they are not in the latter group?

I for one believe their doing should only happen after they have done the work of defining their unique and tactical strategy. Let me make myself perfectly clear here, this is not a one time activity I’m talking about, no; it must be an ongoing part of your marketing and business development!

One of the most frustrating things I see going on with many I come across in business today is they are in such a hurry to get out there they don’t invest the time, effort and money to develop killer strategy to ensure their success. The truth is, without well defined strategies in today’s new marketplace you are either going to fall into the category of a ‘me-too’er, a ‘clueless’ or a ‘that’s how it’s always been done in this business’ type. All of which will not cut it anymore.

Why? Mainly because the consumer is in charge not you…and today’s world is driven by technology. These have never really been factors of consideration most existing business models were designed around. Add to that, there is such competitor saturation in the marketplace many businesses are finding it very hard to stand out and get attention.

Clearly…if you want to be successful in this new marketplace one essential asset you must posses is you highly value and prioritize strategic thinking and planning when it comes to your business.

The dictionary defines strat⋅e⋅gy  as;
a plan, method, or series of maneuvers or stratagems for obtaining a specific goal or result: a strategy for getting ahead in the world.

Creating your strategy involves creative thinking, LOTS of research and feedback, planning, execution, experience, etc. to name a few. Marketing research is one of the fastest growing sectors in business today. Recently Inside Research recognized comScore as a leading market research industry publication and as the fastest-growing major global market research firm over the past five years. Why is that? Because understanding your target market and planning your strategic approach of action are more valuable and important than ever! Business is changing and evolving very, very fast and you do not have the luxury to lean on much trial and error or not being in the know. Knowledge is a key factor in creating strategy but so is creativity.

Maybe now is a good time to take a fresh look at who you have on your team? Any creative’s around? Any strategic thinking detailed people in your corner? Are you plugged in to research and feedback for your target market?

The New Business Era Currency…Got Strategy? If you don’t, I suggest you get busy to find those who can help you get it!

At this time, job losses from mass layoffs added up to 3.6 million, up 66 percent over the preceding 18 months.

Since many people who have not been able to find a job, we are seeing an unprecedented number of people choosing to go into business for themselves. Historically small business’ job creation will be key in our economic recovery.

The US Small Business Office of Advocacy states there are two kinds of small businesses: those without employees (or non-employer businesses), and those with paid employees (or employer businesses). In 2008 it was estimated there were 23.1 million non-employer and 6.1 million employer businesses in the US.

Small and Medium size business can very well bring a positive impact to our economy if we will all do our part and support them! When is the last time you hugged your local small business?

Let’s spend our money on their products and services so they can continue to help our country prosper again friends!

Although I this one is last, it can be just as damaging for a business as the other three I have already covered.

I call this Business Suicide Mentality #4: The “I Don’t Have Too; I Don’t Want Too, I Will Not Change!” Mindset.

Yep, Change…it’s a word we all know yet often we find we are naturally opposed to the meaning of this word.  We find change is disruptive and unsettling, so we resist it.

The dictionary defines change as…

Change

to make the form, nature, content, future course, etc., of (something) different from what it is or from what it would be if left alone: to change one’s name; to change one’s opinion; to change the course of history.

to transform or convert

to transfer from one (conveyance) to another:

When it comes to business, resisting change can be a deadly mindset, especially in today’s economy! I can pinpoint some of my worst business decisions and business problems from not embracing or anticipating change in my business.

Here’s something interesting I have observed in the past few years as a digital strategy business consultant and coach. I am realizing many businesses are not really interested in understanding the great change which is occurring in the marketplace today.  Rather, they are more interested in maintaining status quo or using what I call the ‘band-aid’ approach. Read Seth Godin’s book Meatball Sundae: Is Your Marketing out of Sync?

The band-aid approach boils down to businesses taking a “patch-it-up” approach rather than a ‘reinvent it’ approach to their business operations. This process usually involves incorporating a few things which make them appear they are with it, or they are cutting edge (whatever that means) such as a website, some new customer service technology, a Facebook presence, etc. but in reality, they are still the same old company using the same old model, same old mindsets, and same old same old…just still the same.

I find this happening among entrepreneurs and with large businesses as well. Anyone locked into the old way of doing things, the old way of looking at things, and resisting the change necessary to be relevant to today’s market…will find using a band-aid approaches will not work for very long and often will backfire.

Here’s my observation and strong belief on what’s going on with the marketplace. The world has changed. I mean it just up and changed…fast! Therefore business has changed, marketing has changed, the customer has changed so it makes sense…your business has to change if you want to be profitable and stay the course. Yet, in all my years in working with businesses of all sizes have I seen such a resistance to change and yes, even a fear to embrace this changing economy we are experiencing every day.

As I have said before, 21^st century businesses are going to be those who are of a different cut, a different DNA. It does not matter what kind of business you have, from the local cleaners to a top line retailer, you are being forced to change in many ways you have not had to deal with in the past.

Some will have to create and redefine new business models for themselves. Some will have to hire completely outside of their industries and set aside their old hiring model standards (like requiring degrees) to get the kind of talent that can help transform their business. Some will have to invest in professionals and experts that can help them get re-educated and reposition their businesses. Some will have to invest in research and statistics to re-chart their course. Some will have to seek out strategic alliances in marketing, services, events, etc. to add value for their customers. All will have to fall in love with their customers, vendors, suppliers, etc. again. Sadly, some will have to just close the doors.

Change.

It is happening, and has happened already!

We can’t control it or stop it. The best we can do is to embrace it. Even better though, is to anticipate it.  To not give this serious thought and consideration is sealing your doom as a business. You simply will not be around if you don’t understand what is really going on in the marketplace today and embrace it and in some cases radically change to transform yourself into a New Era business.

As a business coach and consultant whose specialty is in digital marketing strategy and positioning, I believe many businesses can get a jump start on coming up to speed on all this by connecting and securing the services of the right professionals who offer services to help guide you and coach you.

A word of caution on this though, everybody says they are a social media or internet marketing expert these days. I saw this happen in the web development industry. We have had a web development company for 13 years now and have accumulated lots of experience and skills sets under our belt to in fact claim we are experts in this field. But more and more we begin to see everyone and his High School son was a web designer and this industry became saturated. Of course, most businesses don’t really know how to select a web development professional that will really give them an online business solution. So they look at price and the ‘shiny’ stuff to make that determination in most cases when in fact there is so much more that is vital to web success that most designers or developers don’t know how to deliver like…the marketing strategy defined and built-in to the website, marketing metrics to determine if what you are doing is working, a clear understanding on how to emotionally connect with the user so they will take desired actions, and on and on. Don’t get me started:)

My point is, no…not everyone who says they are a marketer, coach, consultant, guru, etc. are. If you want to really excel in making changes to reposition your business and are looking for outside help (which you should) I suggest you focus on three key areas for assistance. The first is strategy, the second is emotion, and lastly is creativity. These three elements are in my opinion the driving forces of business transformation. They are the jump off points to rethink your business and determine your new roadmap for change.

P.S. The most fearful and resistant business types I have come across regarding the drastic changes occurring in this crazy, evolving, marketplace are small business owners. Especially the baby boomer crowd (OUCH). It’s true though. And sadly, they are the major holders of small business ownership in the U.S. I’m not trying to make this a generational thing as I (and I say this with pride) am a baby boomer as well. But I fear this group has the most at stake here but offers the most resistance. I’m sure I will get some comments on this and I really welcome them!

So far I have covered two of the four mindsets I believe are deadly in today’s new marketplace.

The first was the Status Quo Mindset and the second was the Arrogance Mentality Mindset.

Today I will cover the third mindset I find very noted for the season we are currently in.

It is the Business Suicide Mentality #3: The “Hunker Down” Mindset.

The reference to hunker down means two things: One is preparation for some type of pressure you’re anticipating. The other relates to hiding.

With the jobless rates soaring, consumer spending way down and the incredible shifts occurring in new millennium business across the board today, it’s no wonder hunkering down would be a serious consideration for you if you are in business. The worst thing a business can do during this time is to hunker down and hide.

Hunkering down is not the same as being prudent or making more calculated decisions. There is nothing wrong in tightening the belt and paying close attention to your overhead and operating expenses. This should be a normal part of your everyday business processes.

The problem with hunkering down is it is mostly an action driven by fear rather than confidence. When you are making decisions based on fear for your business, you are positioning yourself to be moved into a negative mindset that fosters protection instead of retooling or repositioning. It dampens creativity and change and without these in today’s marketplace you are pretty much just going through the motions until there are no more motions left to go through!

In my line of business (digital marketing consulting and digital media development) we have seen a huge slow down of business as well in this tough economy. We have seen both large and small projects scheduled for production being postponed or pulled altogether. The story in each of these cases is just about the same. “We have to trim our spending, jobs are getting cut, or we don’t think we have the budget for this right now”.

Here is the sad truth about those kinds of decisions though. First, when you are faced with tough times no doubt you need to make some changes. But…don’t operate with a status quo mindset and purposefully resist change because of fear and because you are out of your comfort zone!

Rather, understand this is a remarkable time for you to redesign, retool, reposition, rethink your business. After all, we are in a new business age. If you are not aware of this then I would have to say you have some serious catching up to do. But for those who are aware of this but not sure what to do about it…I would like to offer some suggestions you may want to consider.

First, come to grips with we are in The Change Era. The world has changed. Business has changed. Marketing has changed. Your Client has changed.

Probably the biggest change any of us will see in our lifetimes is the amazing magnitude of change on modern society the Internet (and the World Wide Web in particular) has delivered. As it continues to morph and expand and reinvent itself something more deep-seated is going on as a result. A movement of sorts is being termed as the rise of the “New” customer as technology empowers consumers like never before.

Understand this is not merely a shift in new forms of technology use but it’s a shift in doing business in accepting the mindset of partnering and engaging with your customer on their terms…not yours. That’s a huge shift for many of us in business today!

Second, we are never going to see ‘business as usual’ again. This is not a temporary departure from business as usual…it’s a structural transformation, a lasting change.

• The old business models used for the past 60 years or so are going to be replaced with new ways of doing business that look nothing like we have seen so far because this no ordinary shift. It is a once-in-a-lifetime shift challenging the very foundations of the all economic order.

• 20th century business practices will not work for 21st century economics. Yesterday’s businesses were built for a world of over consumption, artificially cheap production, mass sales. Industrial-era dinosaurs are going to bite the dust hard if they don’t redefine and transform. This is true for both small and large business.  (Read the amazing Umair Haque)

Thirdly, strategy and creativity rules! They matter more now than maybe ever before in today’s marketplace.

I remember my days in corporate America and if you were strategic and creative, that was almost a liability for you if you wanted to be taken serious and be moved up in a company. But today, you need these working for you in just about everything you do in your business. From your marketing positioning to your niche, to your employees, etc., even right down to your logo!

Not just any old strategy and creative approach will work either. That is what is a bit tricky here. It must be totally in the know of this new business era we are in. It must understand the new consumer; it must embrace the digital world and know how to emotionally connect with your specific target markets.

There’s not a shortage of business to be had in this tough economy… there’s a shortage of knowing the rules have changed in business and marketing and what it is you going to do about it. Now is the time to reconsider how you are responding to a living, breathing, evolving and changed marketplace.

As I have said, fear has gripped many people in business today and to make matters worse, the course of action most are taking to deal with a soft marketplace is to ride it out by hunkering down and pulling back!  Believe me…being paralyzed by fear and hunkering down is NOT the answer.

What are you doing to position your businesses the rest of 2009?

Here in part two, I will address The Arrogance Mentality Mindset. This mentality is not as easy to put your finger on at first glance. Rather, it has the ability to rear its ugly head in many disguised forms.

For instance, I had the unpleasant encounter with this mentality during a business cold call activity I was engaged in recently. I had emailed the business owner (whose business I frequent) because I felt for sure I could help him increase his website marketing results. I introduced myself and let him know I would like to take him for coffee and get to know him a bit better and talk to him about some possible ways I could help them increase their business revenue. After a few days I got no response which is not an uncommon thing since anything could have happened to the email from SPAM filters to him actually deleting it.

I strategically took note of their least busy time during the day and paid him a visit. When he came out, he had this unfriendly look on his face but I proceeded to introduce myself and refer to my email, etc., but before I could finish my sentence he abruptly told me he was not interested and had no time to talk to me then turn and walked away from me! Needless to say, he not only was rude to me, he also talked very loud so others around could hear us and he embarrassed me.

Now, if you have ever done a cold call of any sorts you know they are not very fun in the first place and they are not for the faint at heart. With that said though, I find there is no reason to be ugly to people trying to connect with you.

Do you think I am going to spend my money there again? You think I am not going to tell my circle of friends about my experience? You bet I will. I certainly see his business in a whole different light after that incident.

As I said previously this is only one example of how arrogance can show itself to your customers, vendors, potential strategic partners, service providers, etc. It does not matter how arrogance is displayed…it’s a deadly mindset for a business to practice in today’s marketplace.

Why?

Well for starters, your brand does not belong to you. You have to get this if you want to participate in the new business era we are in.

Your brand (that is not just a logo, it’s everything that identifies your business, you product, your service) is now subject like never before to the conversations. Conversations that are going on everyday about your business…by someone.

Those conversations are being conducted by the people that interact with you and your business at many levels. From the board room, to the guy ordering at your drive-thru. And with the FREE and easy tools social media has given us all…those conversations can reach further and faster than ever thought and it can pick up passengers along the way that can and will be persuaded by the conversations concerning your brand even though they may have not had any firsthand experience with your brand. Crazy huh?

This is so powerful it must not be ignored. So powerful that you’re misbehaving, your lack of integrity, your “I don’t care about you” attitude and behavior can have deadly consequences for your business.

The dictionary describes arrogance as…

ar⋅ro⋅gance
-noun
offensive display of superiority or self-importance; overbearing pride.

With all the competition in the marketplace both online and offline, the social empowered new consumer, and the demand for integrity and transparency in business today…surely it’s clear why The Arrogance Mentality is such a bad business practice and mindset to have.

You never know who it is you’re dealing with these days you know. It could be a nationally syndicated blogger in your shop, or she may be the president of the company you have wanted to sell your widget too, or the son of your son’s boss.

Comon people, if you’re in business its an unspoken rule you never treat people rudely or unfriendly. What happened to professionalism and courtesy? Heck we should not be treating people badly anyway…period. But for businesses to engage in this practice…it’s flat out unacceptable.

One last thing…If you have employees doing this…fire them! If the leadership practices this…fire them! If it’s you…get a complacency check or fire yourself. If you don’t, your customers will do it for you eventually.

Stay tuned for Business Suicide Mentality #3: The Opposition Mentality.

]]> http://www.strategicbusinessdesigner.com/2009/06/business-suicide-mindsets-to-avoid-in-2009-part-2/feed/ 9 http://www.strategicbusinessdesigner.com/2009/06/business-suicide-mindsets-to-avoid-in-2009-part-1/ http://www.strategicbusinessdesigner.com/2009/06/business-suicide-mindsets-to-avoid-in-2009-part-1/#comments Thu, 11 Jun 2009 19:13:38 +0000 Hazel http://www.strategicbusinessdesigner.com/?p=365 Well…here we are about halfway through what has so far been an incredibly challenging and difficult year for many of us in business, from the giants like GM to the local auto detail shop.

Some have survived, and sadly some have not. Some have reinvented themselves and some are still doing the same things they have always done…resistant to any changes.

So what does the rest of 2009 hold for the marketplace here in the U.S.?

It depends on who you are listening to and what your mindset is. It really does not matter…

Well…here we are about halfway through what has so far been an incredibly challenging and difficult year for many of us in business, from the giants like GM to the local auto detail shop.

Some have survived, and sadly some have not. Some have reinvented themselves and some are still doing the same things they have always done…resistant to any changes.

So what does the rest of 2009 hold for the marketplace here in the U.S.?

It depends on who you are listening to and what your mindset is. It really does not matter if you are looking to the media; research firms, the government, or whomever for this information because it changes like a moving target. Staying tune with what is being reported may give you some insight on what the latest flavor of news is for sure. However, what really will determine what the rest of 2009 will look like for your business is your mindset.

Your thinking dictates your actions therefore taking regular assessments of your mindsets to ensure you are not sabotaging your chances for future success in this tough economy is a smart move for anyone in business today.

I am writing this series on the 4 mindsets that are sure to kill off a business in this new ‘social consumer powered’ era we have entered. Check to see if any of these are lurking around to hamper your success.

Business Suicide Mentality #1: The Status Quo Mindset

This mindset is really easy to recognize because it reeks of “just do what I have to and no more” and “don’t fix it if it isn’t broken”. This mindset is deadly because it gives the permission to stay the same, to resist change, to discourage innovation and creativity, to foster ‘lip service’ rather than genuine customer care. In addition, it breeds lame company cultures where employees don’t really care about the job… it’s nothing more than just a paycheck and they can’t wait until they are off the clock.

Businesses that operated with this particular mindset were able to get away with it and still stay in business at one time in our society. However, I strongly believe this type of business will be put out to the curb like yesterdays trash very soon. People (customers) are sick of lip service, lies, half efforts, poor customer service and being sold a bunch of blah, blah. Customers now have the power to not only be more selective but demand your business delivers on the level it should deliver. In fact…they want even more than that now. They want an experience…not just a transaction. They can get that anywhere both online and offline!

What is status quo? The dictionary defines status quo as…
Status quo
n. The existing condition or state of affairs
The existing order of things; present customs, practices, and power relations:

The sad reality is there are soooooooo many existing businesses suffering with this mentality. Why right here where I live I see it all the time!

Just last night a couple of my dear friends pried me away from my computer (I tend to get stuck in front of my monitor more than I like too admit) to take me out to dinner at a fairly new restaurant close to the Nissan Alley in East Franklin, TN.

It was a really nice place we had not ate at yet. Excitement filled the air as we were shown to our seats. Our waitress appeared in seconds with menus in hand but her demeanor was noticeably very unfriendly. Hey maybe she was just having a bad day, maybe this will get better right? Nope, actually it got worse!

As one of my friends was ordering, she proceeded to down talk him about the menu questions he asked and the way he was placing his order. I was stunned. Her cold and unfriendly manner to us was making us very uncomfortable. Instead of us having fun filled conversation we ended up discussing our disappointment and astonishment of the way we were being waited upon. As we waited for our food (over 45 minutes!) the evening slid downhill as far as our customer experience went. Finally we had enough. We called the waitress over and told her to cancel our order the wait was too long for our food, the service was crummy, just bring us our check for our drinks please.

The waitress seemed unconcerned we were very unhappy and ready to leave. To top that, even though it was very clear to the staff things were not going well at our table, and we were leaving, no attempt was made to turn this situation around, not even the manager came out to rescue our customer experience.

You think we will go back? Not a chance!

You think we will tell our circle of friends? You bet.

You think we could get on Twitter and other social media outlets and call them out by name? Happens every day!

This business has a bad case of Status Quo Mindset! There are hundreds of places we can go spend our money for a meal in this town. Maybe they don’t care. But one thing is for sure! If your business is in the habit of Status Quo Mindset, your  ’whatever’ approach to customer service will eventually catch-up with you and some customer savvy business will open up across the street and steal the hearts of a customer by modeling a “we are here because of you” business approach.

The point is, any business that does not recognize the fact 21^st century business walks to the beat of a different drum is out of touch with what is going on in the marketplace today. This is a new business era people. One that is driven by the consumer not your products, services, or what you think the customer wants. This is a marketplace where people are voicing their opinions and conversing about the things important to them and we must place these conversations on a priority level and make adjustments to the way we conduct business so that we are in sync with our customer’s desires, standards, and motivation factors.

For a long time proven business models were the roadmaps for many industries and every one in that particular industry pretty much followed that roadmap. Today’s new marketplace is birthing new 21^st century minded businesses that are actually listening and engaging with the customer and who understand status quo is dead!

This new business age calls for businesses to use a rich mixture of numerous models, concepts and ideas from the many different sectors all the while keeping the focus on what the fast paced and ever changing new customer feels, thinks and says about your business.

Scary, huh? Well…truthfully, yes, it can be because if you have not already begun to sense the shift occurring out there it’s only going to become even more clearer you are no longer in control. The music industry found this out the hard way. And guess what? There are still businesses in the music industry not excepting this reality and they are conducting their business with the Status Quo Mentality! How long do you think they are going to stay in business?

Status Quo Mentality keeps a business chained to doom if a business is not interested in change and doing their very best to please and serve their customers. They will put themselves out of business eventually.

Stay tuned for Business Suicide Mentality #2: The Arrogance Mentality.

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