Another Consonant, Carol... Cs, Ps and USPs!

Copyright @ jeffreychew.net

I found myself driven to write about this following a course I delivered to some start-ups on Market Research.  To contextualise the training, it was a prescribed course [and a valuable one, in fairness] for individuals about to set up a business.  What was my problem, then?  The jargon.

As I continued, with gusto, through the merits of Market Research – how it is a must for your business – on to the jargon of Cs, Ps and USPs, I found my head spinning involuntarily in a sea of pointless consonants. 

These motivated business people didn’t need to listen to the jargon... they wanted simple, clear advice and guidance on how they could de-risk their business idea.

What’s the point of this rant? To be precise; it’s the importance of understanding your market... who’s the competition and most importantly, who’s the customer [and that you have enough of them].  You don’t need Cs and Ps.  You need information, and market research.  Facts, detail and validation is key.  An understanding of why and how you can offer a better, more novel, or effective solution to the customer’s problem. 

More of the same? Check it out here.

In business - it's nice to be nice but it's more important to be professional...

Image - JackMalcolm.com

Definitely one of the defining learning curves for most colleagues, clients and friends in business - the importance of professionalism. Why? Well, let's be honest, as a nationality - we like to be liked. We don't readily warm to the notion of people in some way not thinking we're 'nice' or 'good fun' ...

Why does this pose a problem, I hear you ask? Well. Think, for a moment, of some of the individuals - famous or not - you admire. Ever wonder why they might be respected? Do you think it's because they tell a good joke in the pub or because they deliver a creative solution to a client problem?

Lacking professionalism in our approach to clients, our business, our colleagues - how we communicate, manage and interact - can damage our business's brand in an unimaginable way.

In todays' business climate, it is more important than ever before to ensure that professionalism is at the core of your operation. Reputation for delivery, customer service, attention to detail and attitude - amongst many other things - will decide whether your business will survive [just about] or sustain itself and grow.

Does your business have a reputation for professionalism?

Mini-Musing... Stay On-Target

Image copyright - ereleases.com

Sounds straightforward, doesn't it? Staying on-target. What does it mean to you? Keeping to budgets? Delivering on projects? Sticking to your business plan? Keeping the client relationship sweet?

Actually, it's all of these things and more. Staying on-target means keeping your business's trajectory to the front of your mind, and to the front of those at the centre of decision-making and leadership in your business. Losing sight of how your business is progressing can be catastrophic. Many casualties are resultant from visionary 'slides' which normally occur when a business is functioning successfully... the time during which it is felt that no time or energy is required in the direction of reviewing or adjusting the business model.

Be complacent at your peril, folks - if you don't keep your eye firmly on-target - you may well find yourself at a loss to your competition, or sorrowfully bemoaning the loss of client contracts...

Dignity at Work?

Image copyright: workforcecohesion.org

Suffice to say, it's been quite a while since I handed in my final year thesis on this subject.

The sad news is, since that fateful day [and thankfully a 1:1 - one of very few in my four years at uni!] - I seem to have heard ceaseless stories condemning the very essence of Dignity in the Workplace. I also experienced, first-hand, the impacts of bullying in a work environment.

All most of us want, in a work scenario, is to be treated fairly and provided with the tools [training, support etc] to conduct our job to the best of our ability. Obviously there are other factors, such as remuneration, career opportunities, which need to be considered - but in general, the issues which contribute to staff happiness relate to the environment in which they work.

Since the recession 'bit' in mid-2008, I have heard, first-hand, several stories which alarmed me hugely - from verbal abuse, to isolation / intimidation and, in most instances, overloading. The impact, on the individual is often catastrophic - though the experience may be confined to the working week - its effects are carried through to most areas of the person's life. Confidence, self-belief are damaged, whilst stress and anxiety levels are immediately driven upwards - and frequently, the individual considers that they are responsible, in some way for the behaviour which has been directed at them.

In my own experience, it was overburden and psychological manipulation [the only way I can describe it], which forced me to take stock and redefine my career. I must say that now, I would treat the behaviour I experienced differently, but then I was so ground-down by the daily misery, I simply didn't have the courage. The greatest irony of my experience - I worked in HR. In fact, on one occasion I remember delivering a presentation on Bullying & Harassment, and thinking afterwards, that I could never report such incidents as those I had experienced - no-one would believe me!

Undoubtedly, businesses [small and large] are suffering as a result of the times we find ourselves in, with budgets tightening and internal structures creaking under the weight of heavier workload and less headcount. However, this does not in any way mitigate the responsibility and duty of care required towards those in the employ of the company - if anything, it should point to a more focused policy and heightened awareness.

What Do You Do, Then?

Copyright: mylot.com

As small businesses and start-up companies, we're very attached [for that read, "often obsessed"] with our venture / organisation. Sometimes this level of entrenchment leads to a near-blindness to the realities of business... particularly our client 'message'.

Loving our company, our service or product as much as we do, can lead to a level of misdirected messaging - particularly in relation to the customer we wish to attract.

Reading a recent post by the fantastic Thomson Dawson, entitled "The Seed Of Better Outcomes In Your Business Development Conversations", I was reminded of the conversations I have had with clients again and again in the early [and growth stages] of their businesses. Fearful of cutting out potential leads or projects, they will frequently adopt the “all things to all people” approach... or worse still, struggle to define their actual offering. What this leads to, unfortunately, is a real lack of clarity for both the company itself and its prospective client.

Don’t let this happen to your business! Define your value proposition, products and delivery method... it’ll dictate whether you survive or thrive.

Recession = Regenerated Community?

Image care of puraliving.com

I promised myself I would avoid using the 'R' word in any 2012 blogs, as a rule - however - it's merely a reference in this case...

Noting, as I'm sure many others have, the bandying-about of the word 'community' in this past year or so - I found myself having to swallow a large chunk of my own cynicism of late.

Christmas, a time of togetherness, peace, celebration etc etc - has also developed, over time, a distinct whiff of commercialism [yikes] and can for some, be a time of sadness.

This year, wandering the streets of Dun Laoghaire, I was taken by the effort and thoughtfulness which appeared in celebration of the festive season. The town was illuminated with miniature cabins selling homemade goods, civic buildings ornate with Christmas lighting and new amenities popped up here and there for children and adults to enjoy.

Ah; I hear you say, that sounds like people got their act together and 'organised' - not that simple, methinks. Dun Laoghaire is yet another example of the fervour gripping Irish people - a new need to invent, create, develop, ways of making our town, county, or country - a better place to be. In short, a sense of 'community'.

Is it just possible that in the depths of economic turmoil, we Irish have started to rediscover one of our key attributes? Even my internal cynic hopes so.

Three-Step Business New Year Resolution

Image C/O integracore.com

Have you managed to count how many blog-posts / articles / references out there with

some spurious link to New Year Resolutions?

There are a lot. And just to throw my tuppence-worth at it, I have decided to indicate a few

small tips for your delectation, on how you can put yourself on track for 2012.

So, Christmas might have been a proper 'holiday' for you? Or at least a few well-earned days off

after a hectic year. In any case, the New Year provides great opportunity and timeliness to

reassess, rethink and restart.

What does this mean for the average business? Simply that you use the occasion of a new year to

review your progress [you may have done this before Christmas, if you're organised] and chart

this against your business objectives. It is key that you identify the gaps where plans / strategic

objectives fell flat or didn't reach their potential.

As a simple 1,2, 3 - think about it this way...

Purpose: What is our / my purpose in this pursuit?

Vision: What will 'great' look like? What will the business look like [e.g. clients / positioning]?

Plan: How am I going to achieve my / our purpose and vision?