The Marketing Message Blog

Are internal politics preventing a sale?

If you're having trouble reaching the right person to sell to, check out my column "Using Mindmanager 7 to deal with internal politics preventing a sale"  in the May issue of the Mindjet.com newsletter

Success in 2008- Mindjet Webinar

Too busy to update your business strategy for 2008? Now is the time of year that everyone should be reviewing their strategy and making changes.  But, now is also the time that customer promotions and networking events are is full swing.

You need an easy way to quickly create a "big picture" plan for your business.  So, come to the free Mindjet Webinar called "How MindManager Enables You to Make 2008 Successful" on December 11 at 2pm EST; 11am PST.  I'll show how to use a MindManager map to look at the past years' goals, objectives and tactics.

I can help you build out a successful 2008 strategy by preparing the plan now and picking it up in the new year.  Don't miss it, sign up here.

Small Business Owners: The Key to Success is Timing

There's an interesting guest column by Ray Kurzweil in Inc. Magazine's Feb. 2007 issue called How to Predict the Future.  Kurzweil could stop working now and he would arguably be considered the heir apparent to Edison.  His most notable invention to date is the development of the Kurzweil Reading Machine to assist the blind. 

He belives that a good sense of timing is the key to success and he's certainly proved that.  But he doesn't possess psychic abilities. The method he uses is a good one for small business owners who live or die by their business projections.  He believes that "an inclination to project the current rate of change into the future is hard-wired in us."   So what can you do to make meaningful predictions?

I think two midset changes are critical: 1) Internet tools change so fast that you need to understand that a 3 yr. prediction will miss new technology developments.  Did you forsee your business blog driving traffic 2 years ago?; 2) The problems that you worry about today may be solved more quickly than you expect.  The best way to guide your small online business is to make short plans that get re-evaluated often.

Have you considered simplicity?

You'll find interesting comments from Sergey Brin and Eric Schmidt in the Dec, 2006 issue of Business 2.0 The issue focuses on "How to Succeed in 2007."These co-founders of Google, talk about succeeding with simplicity.  They say it's 'an important trend we are focused on.'   This should alert you to an eternal truth that made their fortune and can perhaps make yours, too.  People chose Google because it was EASY TO USE.  Can you say the same about your product, service, website?  I'm betting the answer is no. 

It appears that when people want to demonstrate their skill, they do so by presenting something really complex.  My favorite thought about simplicity comes from the great Jazz bassist, Charlie Mingus who said, "Making the simple complicated is commonplace; making the complicated simple, awesomely simple, that's creativity."

Five Ecomerce Trends to Watch

In the current issue of etailer, Sherry Chiger reports on a speech given by Jay Herratti, the SVP of Strategic Planning for IAC/InterActiveCorp at the 2006 eTail Converence.  His picks for the top five e-commerce trends to watch are:  1) Video that sells; 2)Convergence (digital television with 2-way interactivity); 3) User-generated content; 4) Shopping intermediaries and comparison sites; 5) Online marketing science—analyzing metrics for everything online.

Obviously video is now exploding with the interest in YouTube.  Yet, I am most interested in his comments about user-generated content.  Specifically, he talks about customer product reviews.  He says many etailers are afraid that negative comments  will discourage sales.  But the key to effectively managing that content is not to DELETE IT!  It is to use it to TAKE ACTION.  Feeback like that is priceless.  If your customers tell you what they don't like and you act on that information, you are getting feedback that even focus groups and surveys often miss. 

Make sure your blogs allow for comments and a useful dialogue.  The only way to succeed is to give the customer what they want!  Using Web 2.0 tools makes that easy.

Time for a Joint Venture?

Business Week's Small Business Fall 2006, has an interesting article on partnering with a company larger than your own.  What I find particularly interesting is the chart they display showing 6 different ways of structuring that partnership.  They include joint ventures, joint R&D, licensing, marketing, distribution and sales.

Many small business owners seem to dismiss this idea because they think it has to include a very large company.  It doesn't.  A company larger than your own could be anyone whose gross revenues are larger than yours, or who have more employees.  In fact, it should include anyone who has a complimentary product or service.  The good thing about an arrangement like this is that it can be time limited and restricted to a test.  If the test succeeds, you can go further.  If it doesn't, you haven't committed a great deal. 

Think about who you can approach.  Widen your thinking beyond your own product category.  You might hit on something that takes you to unexpected places.

Your Competition is Moving Faster!

Robert D. Hof has written a timely article for BusinessWeek called How to Hit a Moving Target .  He outlines 6 things companies need to do to stay ahead of the competition. 

The key takeaway here is that if you think you have a great competitive strategy you could be wrong.  The strategy itself might be good, but your willingness to change and adapt it might be holding you back.  He recommends that you 'experiment fearlessly.'  Web 2.0 has leveled the playing field.  Every company can create a dialogue with its customers to their advantage.  Take a look at your competitive strategy today and try something new.

Technorati tags: competition web+2.0 strategy online+strategy marketing

What Would Geoffrey Moore Do?

"If you allocate your resources based on your revenue makers or margin makers, you're driving in the rearview mirror" —Geoffrey Moore as reported in "Innovations 2006" an editorial supplement to CIO Insight (See also "Dealing with Darwin" in reading list.)

This concept is crucial for small business owners.  You are small and nimble enough to respond to shifts in the marketplace.  But what direction should you choose? 

Typically you pour all your time and resources into making money today.  This strategy will only support you today and if you're lucky, a year from today.  You need to prepare for the next new product or service that will drive your customers in the future.  If you believe that you can wait until that product is in the marketplace and adapt it, you are missing the boat. 

Innovation is something that needs to lead to real products and services.  Part of your time and money should be spent on figuring out how your products will evolve.  This does not mean chasing the 'next big thing.'  It means carefully analyzing your strategy and developing your business plan to serve you in the future.

Technorati tags: innovation Geoffrey+Moore online+business online+marketing business+strategy