As many business owners are thinking about their sales and marketing plans for 2012, I looked back at a post I made at this time 2 years ago (see Do you have a sustainable model to generate new business?) and wondered whether I should just re-post it.

Back then, looking at the tough market conditions facing service companies, I asked the question "Is this just a passing phase... or is this "business as usual" for the next few years?"

Anyone who's been watching the slow-mo train wreck of the Eurozone will surely now be thinking it's the latter.

Chatting with a client yesterday who runs a consulting firm, he summed the mood up by saying that it's going to take at least another 3 years before things get better.

Well, he is an optimist after all :-)

With analysts saying that Europe's facing a lost decade of growth you could be forgiven for thinking that it's all over, but let's not confuse macroeconomics with your own business.

You see, to me, even if there's no growth at a GDP level that doesn't mean there has to be no growth for your business. In fact, revenue growth for your business really has little to do with GDP growth and more to do with how you run your own sales and marketing efforts.

Sure, the current market conditions are tough for many but, and this is my point, you'd just better get used to it.

Back in 2008 when we were all thinking it would be a short sharp recession, cutting back and putting things on hold was a sensible approach. Then when it all bounces back you can put your foot back on the pedal, right?

But, for many business owners today, there is no more room to cut back. Cut back and you don't have a business anymore. In fact, do nothing and you won't have a business anymore.

You need to stake your claim and find a way to grow.

And I mean grow... not just survive.

Of course, you need to be realistic, which is why I say you need an austerity plan for growth.

Which may sound contradictory but what I mean is you need a plan to grow your business during these times of austerity. But there is still business out there. Sure, it's tougher to win and you need to do more for less, etc. Those things haven't changed, in fact they've just become baked in.

But, let me repeat, there's still business there.

And now's the time to find a way of winning it.

Beat your competition, innovate your marketing. Be creative, because it's at this time that the strongest businesses will grow.

As a final passing thought, here's 2 books I'd recommend reading at this time:

Fortune at the Bottom of the Pyramid and Blue Ocean Strategy

Re-thinking your business model, partnering with clients (and suppliers) in new, sustainable ways and re-shaping your proposition are all ways to see a huge potential for growth in the current crisis.

Labels: b2b marketing, business development, new business development, strategy

It was interesting to read in the latest Profit Track 100 report that, in the wake of the credit crunch, strategic alliances are being seen as a strong route to profitable growth.

With the days of cheap debt behind us, companies are looking at alliances and joint-ventures as alternative strategies for rapid expansion.

There are a number examples in the report, including the Virgin credit card, an alliance between Virgin and Bank of America.

Certainly, strategic alliances are a good way of leveraging growth potential. In the case of the Virgin credit card, it now accounts for 5% of all new credit card business in the UK, just 5 years after it's launch.

As the report high-lights, with M&A transactions significantly down on last year and a third of the list having improved their earnings through acquisitions, "next year's tenth anniversary Profit Track 100 may well have a different complexion"

Labels: business development, funding, strategy

Following on from my last post on "Live R&D", I was reading Alpha Leadership (Deering, Russell & Dilts), and found an analogy which pretty much captures the concept of "Live R&D".

In terms of modern warfare, there was a time when a marksman would ready himself, take aim, and then fire. If he missed, he would calibrate the result he got and then run the same procedure. The phrase "Ready, Aim, Fire" is so natural to us that you may still think it's the title of this blog - read it again ;-)

Whilst guns worked well with stationary targets, problems arise where the target is mobile, or an accurate position cannot be established before firing.

In the age of precision guided munitions, you fire first...then you take aim. This allows "smart" weapons to adapt themselves to changing circumstances and intelligence in-flight.

This strategy of "Ready-Aim-Fire" is the reality facing all entrepreneurs and organisations in fast changing markets. If you spend too much time on "Ready, Aim" (strategy and market calibration) before you try something you will waste valuable time and opportunities.

One of the values we provide our clients, large and small, is the necessary agility to rapidily take a proposition to the market, adjust "in-flight" based on live feedback and intelligence, and hit the target.

Once a process has been developed, our clients are able to scale-up with by sales outsourcing, building an internal resource, or a hybrid of both models.

Labels: sales, strategy

The first time I heard the term "Live R&D" I thought, "this is something I understand".

I've know many companies who spend hundreds of thousands in designing and perfecting their technology and then realise that it's not what the market wants. Sure, you've got to have the vision and gut feel to get started but, as soon as possible, you need to test the market.

"Everyone really likes it" or "everyone thinks it is a great idea" are two of the most common phrases I hear...often followed by "but we haven't sold any yet".

Why? Well, once you ask someone to put some money down you begin to get real market feedback. It's where the "rubber meets the road", as they say ;-)

Now, this is where our lead generation and sales outsourcing services are the ultimate in "Live R&D" for startups or companies developing new products or services.

We take your product or service and test it in the real market. We develop and refine your value proposition, give you feedback on what the market thinks (and is prepared to pay) as well as providing valuable insights on the competition.

Plus we're developing a sales process for you; one which you can quickly scale up to really acellerate your growth, which is a very important factor if you have a headstart in the market.

Labels: sales, start-ups, strategy

I've been re-reading "Go To Market Strategy" by Lawrence G. Friedman and I'd forgotten what an excellent book it is.

It really is one of those "the title says it all" books and to my mind is essential for anyone launching a new product or service.

The section on "the ten commandments of going to market" is a classic. The book sets out the concept of "channels" really clearly and, re-reading it again, gave me additional thought on the value of sales outsourcing.

So much so, it's inspired me to write a report explaining how sales outsourcing can be used effectively as a go to market strategy for startups and growth businesses.

Watch this space.

Labels: sales outsourcing, strategy