Here we go with the advice again. I can’t help it. I got a lot of good advice growing up and it stuck and helped me through a great many scrapes that my headstrong impulsiveness got me into. Anyway one of the trusted maxims that my Sabbath School Teacher always doled out besides that Jesus wanted me for a sunbeam was: “People are like fruit, you don’t know what they’re really like until they get squeezed“. Meaning that, an apple could look shiny and amazing (I’m looking right at you Red Delicious, oh temptress of apples) but when squeezed, the juice would tell how sweet it really was.
Now, this is true in personal life and very relevant. However, in business (some would say the line between personal and professional no longer exists but that’s niether here nor there) it’s doubly important, as it speaks to your personal character and your business prowess. What if you’re not sweet enough to survive this? Companies don’t reach irrelvancy in one day, it happens over time. And it takes tough times to really strain out the seeds (okay I am done with fruit, I promise).
For example, if you don’t provide actual VALUE and SERVE your clients, they will quickly cut you out of the budget. Not because you’re not a really nice person and great to work with but because they can’t afford you. It’s a simple business choice. Now if you are an essential service (and I believe with the right market share and the right level of service you can make any service/product essential to the client) then this should not happen. And if it does, you have a rock solid plan in place to generate new customers.
Currently, there are thousands of people looking for work. They are very nervous and seeking out any possible service or advice that can help them find a job, hold on to that job, make more money or start a business. And what are two of the biggest job boards doing? Sending them SPAM. That’s missing out on a huge opportunity at a time when they could be reinventing themselves and proving their value.
I will add my voice to all the others screaming it: Adding value and creating a niche and being successful are not about doing the same things that you dide before. This video, courtesy of Dennis Smith (another innovator) proves that. We’re training kids for jobs that do not yet exist. If your company is only repeating an old winning formula you will lose. Try these idea creation ideas.
Businesses doing things the NEW way:
GoGalavanting.com- Recently became the first travel site to livestream in real time from location in Colmar, France.
Jason Falls- Here he dicusses the sponsored post which could be relevant even more as magazines and likely online content providers, start shedding ads.
Get Lost- These women quit their jobs and are traveling the world, and making headlines.
Free Info- Chris Brogan uses his social media know how to explain how to find work.
Getting to Know You- Always popular, barcamps and podcamps are attracting those in niche areas who are finding that our marketing tactics are more alike than we thought. Also, they are usually free-ish.
Good idea much? Cool services , like @luckystartups that have given others a “leg up” will find they are even more valuable and sought after no
Nice post Maren, always a valuable message, but especially now. Being, doing, acting different is always a good way to stand out and to find unique ways to add value…but for most of us it does not common naturally. It is much easier to go with the flow, blend in with the crowd…so we all need reminders.
I like it Maren, one talk I was at stands out here. Carol Mahoney spoke at a conference I was at once and she spoke about Yahoo’s idea of a Purple Squirrel.. always something that stands out I’d think.
Definitely something only certain people will be able to do, it is so much easier and moderately successful just to go with the same old.. the chances of making mistakes are so much higher if you are going out on your own path… but hey the bigger the risk the bigger the return (that’s right yes?
)
But hey if you’re not making mistakes… you aren’t trying hard enough.
The whole time I was reading this, I kept hearing things I read just a month ago in Seth Godin’s book Ideavirus (which you can pick up for free at ideavirus.com, btw).
Great post, Maren!
- Chris
Great post. I like the fruit quote “People are like fruit, you don’t know what they’re really like until they get squeezed.” I think I’ll have to quote you on that in the near future (i.e. my next blog post).
Thnx.
-D.Rey
http://www.BeyondBanner.com
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