No risk, no reward - innovation is critical, not an option
Challenges that we face today, are the making of us tomorrow. How we cope under extreme pressure and instability, really acts only as an indicator of how well we can weather a storm.
No business in the world has smooth sailing every day. It may look like some do, but they don't - I can assure you of that.
I am in a privileged position these days, as I work 'on' the business and not 'in' the business. I have changed from being a business owner from 25 years of age to 30, then an entrepreneur from 30 to 41 years of age, and now I am definitely an innovator. Our direction is ahead of the curve, and at the forefront of marketing globally. We don't look at our own backyard as our competitive landscape, but instead a global market that continually changes and with that, we need to adapt and forge ahead with new ways in which to do business.
No business in the world has smooth sailing every day. It may look like some do, but they don't - I can assure you of that.
I am in a privileged position these days, as I work 'on' the business and not 'in' the business. I have changed from being a business owner from 25 years of age to 30, then an entrepreneur from 30 to 41 years of age, and now I am definitely an innovator. Our direction is ahead of the curve, and at the forefront of marketing globally. We don't look at our own backyard as our competitive landscape, but instead a global market that continually changes and with that, we need to adapt and forge ahead with new ways in which to do business.
Ultimately we are only here to help businesses grow by providing them with marketing and lead generation, that powers their sales teams ability to sell and ultimately the businesses ability to be successful.
Marketing and lead generation
What we do in marketing and lead generation has to be not only very in tune with target audiences, but adaptive to new technologies, social media platforms, internet algorithms and expectations.
Sitting still is not an option. Those marketing companies that failed to innovate or at the very least change with the times at a pace that doesn't leave them totally behind, have died or are dying.
I have read in marketing and advertising editorials how a couple of businesses have changed their 'direction' to be an 'entrepreneurs' marketing company. How old-school. Do they not realise that marketing companies have existed doing this for decades? Furthermore, have the writers nothing else to write about. It seems so old news and not new or innovative at all. We know that we have been focused on entrepreneurs for 18 years, and we were definitely not the first. Watch those companies continue to struggle to compete with companies that have not only been doing it for a long time, but are innovating and providing new ways to market, and teach their teams to be more up-to-date with what is actually going on globally. Companies sprouting to be 'entrepreneurs' marketing companies of late are laughable, and probably will never crunch consulting hours more than $5 million or thereabouts.
Marketers need to be innovators
Marketers need to be innovators not followers and screaming from the top of their lungs that they are followers is just plain stupid. Furthermore, journalists writing crap, are just plain lazy. Don't you too want to be on top of your game, not writing stuff that is so old-school? Don't get me wrong, I love journalists - a lot. I love the fact that most of them can write a hell of a lot better than I ever can, but with day-to-day workloads, it's easy in any job to get lazy.
As leaders, we have to ensure that we empower our people not to do this. I don't want my marketing team to be telling a client that they should be doing what was done years ago, that is now so obsolete, that it would be a waste of time and effort. Everyone needs to take that principal onboard. We are nearing 2017, and the world is changing. Our industry has evolved faster than anyone ever expected. People are inventing things that tomorrow we won't be able to afford to not know and use.
Step it up marketers and journalists. We all can do better. I know we can and we will. There is no excuses to be not looking ahead at the future.
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Karen
29 Sep 2016Innovation makes the world go round (and showed us the the earth isn't flat).
ReplyBeing inspired by the Richard Bransons and Melissa Smiths of the world, I am so glad that I took the risk of changing careers in my 30s.
If only we were all bicycle riding cows!