Speed Does Not Always Equal Quality!
Telexes gave way to faxes and still we couldn’t communicate fast enough. Then came mobile phones and email, so that no matter where we are or what we’re doing, we’re contactable, mostly instantly. And if we are caught up in a meeting or have our phones switched off, we’re still expected to be on tap because of course there’s message bank so – what’s our excuse? We live in a fast world!
But while the vehicles of instant communication have made it possible to deal with things quickly, it hasn’t necessarily facilitated the effectiveness or the quality of that communication!
I’ll explain. It’s one thing to take action and even better to take MASSIVE action. But what kind of RESULTS can you realistically expect if there is no STRATEGY behind the action? If you’ve forsaken research and preparation for speed, you’ll get the results you deserve!
I see it alarmingly often; companies having invested huge capital, not to mention precious time and effort in developing good product which is then assigned to poorly trained, badly prepared and unsupervised personnel in key positions, to sell to the market place. Huh?
What results would you expect? Spend all that money, commit all that time and energy to lose the sale at crunch time because the person entrusted with making the sale doesn’t know what they’re doing?
Do you have resources fully deployed, hurtling towards an unknown target?
What about your actual clients? Do you blindly seek and acquire clients without regard for how appropriately matched they are with the product they’ve bought?
And do you invest strategically in wowing them in order to retain them in the future?
I’ll give you an example of the very antithesis of strategic action. Unless you live in a rural area, you’ll have a Letter Box and so you’ll relate to this. Think about the last flyer or brochure you got in the mail.
What strategy was used in the brochure to actually move you to action; to buy whatever it is they’re selling? And if you were to ask the people who had the flyer or brochure dropped and ask them exactly what strategic objective they hoped to achieve with it, chances are you’ll be met with a blank stare.
So back to the Brochure.
Did the company sending the brochure or flyer to you MAKE YOU AN OFFER to entice you to buy what they’re selling or get you to come into their business?
Did they tell you what BENEFIT to you there would be in taking them up on their offer, thereby increasing the likelihood that you would buy? Did they include a testimonial from a satisfied customer to support what they are telling you about themselves, giving you even more reason to believe them and give them your custom?
In most cases I bet they did NONE of these things. They sent out a brochure because…. well … that’s what you do isn’t it? I mean everybody else does!
Think carefully about it. While it’s important not to procrastinate and to take action, it must be DIRECTED action! Without any direction, without strategy and planning, your business is simply a hit and miss affair!
Best regards
Mal
