It’s so easy for us to get stuck. Stuck in a job that is going nowhere, stuck in a routine that brings chaos instead of peace or stuck with a brand strategy for a business that is no longer serving its tribe of customers.   

As business owners and leaders, how do we manage what changes vs. what is foundational? How do we stay current with the trends and behavior changes without losing our core focus?

With both questions, action is required. Brian Tracy, an international motivational speaker, captures it best with this quote: “One of the marks of successful people is they are action oriented. One of the marks of average people is they are talk oriented.”

So let’s take action…here are a few practical ideas to get you, your business and your team open to change and moving in the right direction ::

• Communicate

Communicate your vision with your team. Seek to get their input (as appropriate to the topic). As much as possible, keep them informed so they are able to process and digest the upcoming changes. Your team may also have some valuable customer insight that could lead to new service offerings, messaging strategies or sales opportunities. The retailer, J.Crew launched a bridal line after learning from a customer service representatives that customers were buying quantities of 5-7 party dresses in multiple sizes.

• Create Your Brand story

If you have grown your business without a defined brand story – now is the time to make this significant change. A fantastic product is no longer enough to sustain business growth and consumers are weary of traditional advertising tactics. A brand story invokes the following actions:

• CONNECTS…and communicates on an emotional level.
• INFLUENCES…as we listen, we are impacted and subconsciously we start opening up to what is being communicated. Stories influence us and change our perspective.
• INVITES…a good story invites others to participate. It does not shout ‘Look at me”. We feel compelled to join because we see ourselves in the story.

 

• Listen to your customers:

In addition to seeking insight from your team, open a dialogue with your best customers to learn why they chose to work with you. This will provide valuable insight as you seek to grow.  Also, remember to learn from customers who were dissatisfied with your services. As humbling as it can be, it is a great opportunity to rework a broken process or product.

• Look at the data:  

Your customer database is a tremendous source of valuable information. Understanding buying patterns and trends can lead to new revenue opportunities.

• Make a plan and seek an outside perspective:  

The reality is that sometimes, whether personally or professionally, we need a fresh perspective to push us forward.

Change is a natural part of life. While we cannot always control or influence the change, our response to it is always within our control. 

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words by heather – chief operating officer