There’s a quiet revolution happening…
It’s been going on for some time.
If you’re in business you’re either part of it
or a victim of it!
Hi I’m Ray Whittaker, author of the 7 Deadly Online Sins.
Here in the UK we’ve recently seen some big name companies go to the wall. Names like HMV, Comet and Blockbuster have all gone into administration. Of course, these big names tend to get bought by bigger, leaner, fitter companies. But for those of us with smaller businesses, sole traders or consultants, there will be nobody to bail us out when we suffer from current market forces. We have to adapt or go under!
We are facing a new revolution that has seen some of the biggest companies flounder. A couple of hundred years ago we had the industrial revolution. Around 25 years ago we started to feel the effects of the Internet revolution. Today, we’re in the grip of a consumer revolution. If you don’t know about it, or don’t really understand it, you are (or will be) a victim of it.
The effects of the consumer revolution are a direct result of the Internet revolution for the most part. The big name companies I mentioned above blamed their demise on competition from online sources. In fact, I would say that the consumer revolution is a direct result of ecommerce and online technologies. But these companies were online themselves. The problem isn’t simply competition from online sources. The problem comes from not understanding, and adapting to, the consumer revolution.
So what is this revolution? Well consumers are turning to the Internet more and more to get the things they want and need. Okay, so far I haven’t told you anything you don’t already know. But what many people don’t realise is the effect this has had on customer relationships.
People are finding they have a lot more choice and better service. Competition in every field is stiff and there is little to differentiate one product from another or one service from another. Consumer focus has shifted from the product to the provider. In other words, people are less concerned about the product their buying (as long as it serves the intended purpose) than they are about the person their buying from. As business people we need to respond to that shift in consumer focus. We need to stop focusing so much on products and start promoting our brand.
Product branding is all about positioning a product in people’s minds. Think of any of the really big name products and you’ll see what I mean. But those of us in smaller businesses are not identified with our products. Our companies carry our brand identities. Identity branding is about positioning you, or your company, at the forefront of people’s minds. If it’s done the right way it gives our potential customers the opportunity to connect with us on a personal level. And that can make all the difference between success and failure in today’s marketplace. You need to be in people’s minds when they’re ready to buy, not just when you’re ready to sell.
If you keep trying to sell using the old fashioned, outdated methods to market your business you are going to suffer. Learn to adapt to the consumer revolution and learn new ways to engage with your customers and you can sit back and watch your competition suffer instead. The consumer revolution is happening today. You can be a part of it or a victim of it.
If you want to talk about how to protect and improve your business by presenting the right image, contact me for a FREE consultation.
Whatever you do I wish you every success and remember, it costs nothing to get in touch.
PS. My contact details are on the contact page or call me for free using Skype at r-whittaker.
