Are you happy that your business is surviving? Does the idea that your business may become obsolete even cross your mind? Have you considered what business will look like in two years? How about five years? Can you even consider how business will be done in 10 years?
The fact is, things are changing and you will either embrace what’s happening, or go the way of the dinosaur. And remember, dinosaurs are now extinct. If you have not considered how you will communicate with the new evolving market and how you will reach new buyers, you may want to start thinking about it.
Who is the buyer in the new market? He (or she) is a highly mobile, active 20-something adult whose primary digital device (PDD) keeps them fully connected 24/7. They are in constant contact with their circle of friends and family and the number of their acquaintances grows daily. Their home and office are also fully wireless and connected. Being “unplugged” isn’t in their reality and they have just as many personal relationships via their PDD as they do in face-to-face contact. Click here to learn more about the next generation, dubbed “Generation C” in a great article published recently in Strategy + Business Magazine.
I get the change. For a decade, I presented education sessions for trade shows on the Marketing Toolbox… all the tools you needed to build your business. Our distributor company won a PPAI Pyramid Award and the ASI Spirit Award for effectively executing this branding strategy. We built our business effectively this way and while some of the concepts may still work, I recognize it is not the strategy of the future. I accept that and look to those who are trendsetters in this industry to share their insights with our audience.
I’ve had the pleasure of interacting with many of the new leaders in our industry that are driving innovation and fresh thinking. People like Charley Johnson from SnugZ USA and Dana Zezzo from Pro Towels Etc. are doing it on the supplier side. Jason Black from Boundless Network and Mark Graham from RIGHTSLEEVE Promotional Marketing are doing it on the distributor side.
At last years PPAI National Leadership Conference there was an underlying buzz about social media. Some folks said too much attention was being paid to it and others were hungering to learn more. For those who want to catch up, Mark Graham has answered many common questions on this all-important topic. Those who are interested in social media basics will find this beneficial. Click here for the article.
Jason Black has prepared an article on this topic, noting: “Throughout history, there have been only a few times when entire generations follow a different path than their predecessors in business. In most cases the apple doesn’t fall too far from the tree—many approaches to business and sales strategies remained consistent over long periods of time. Right now is one of those rare moments.”
Click here for the rest of the commentary!
From my perspective, I don’t see our industry as a whole thinking about how business will be conducted in the future. We’re too engrossed in surviving the challenges we face today. Our industry will survive however, because our medium is a powerful brand-building and sales-generating tool that businesses and organizations need. But suppliers and distributors who can’t adapt to this new marketplace won’t survive… they will be the dinosaurs of our industry that became extinct.
Click here for a video rant on this topic.
