After the events of 2016, there is no question that we enter 2017 with a degree of economic (and political) uncertainty. Many people are trying to forecast how this unpredictability may affect their business during the year. The short answer: We don’t know!
Be Unique
In my view, there is little point in getting embroiled in things over which you have no control. It can be both frustrating and distracting. Much better is to concentrate on the elements where you do have influence. These may be less globally significant and more parochial but they can still make a big impact for you! In business, this means one thing above all else. Have a strong and unique selling proposition – USP. Whatever your business does, make sure you deliver real value to your customers and make sure you do it better than anyone else.
Clear Strategy
You are best positioned to survive and thrive in uncertain economic times if you have a clear, well- researched business strategy as a platform to communicate your USP effectively to your marketplace! So what should you do in light of this? Ask yourself 3 questions?
- Do I know why my customers buy from me
- Do I know what makes my offering stand out from my competitors
- At a party, If someone asked you “what do you do?” would your answer keep their interest?
If your answer to any of these was no, then maybe you should take some time out to think about your offering and how to differentiate this in the market. If you can answer yes to all these then the next thing to think about is how to communicate this to your marketplace. Now ask yourself 3 more questions
- Do I know who my customers are and do I have the relevant information to communicate with them?
- Can I define my wider marketplace?
- Do I have an effective and measurable mechanism to communicate with these individuals?
If you can’t answer yes all of these, then you need to take some time out to consider your marketing communications process. BSA delivers Real Marketing, clear and relevant planning alongside sustainable implementation. We help you set your plans and make them happen. Call me for a chat
