Changing what’s normal - Business Building in the 21st century Part 2

Much has changed in my two decades in business as a catalyst for changing what’s normal.

I have a thriving business today because I have embraced 9 massive changes to business building strategies and tactics that have occurred over my time in business for myself; spin to story, what to why, interruption marketing to permission based marketing, media to mass media, expert to thought leader, generalist to niche, provider to partner, service to experience, and complicated strategy to simplified strategy.

See my 25th October blog for my thoughts on spin to story, and what to why. Today I am exploring the next three.

3) interruption marketing to permission based marketing (my thanks to Seth Godin)

In the early days of my business I had to cold call. The biggest hurdle I had to overcome was the fact that people saw my call as an interruption to their work. Advertising of cause is the biggest way we interrupt people which is why many of us mute the ads when we are watching television. Today if we are seen as interrupting people it is unlikely that they will hear our message.

In what ways do you have permission to communicate your message to people. Do you have an electronic newsletter for example that people have opted-in to receive? Do you have numerous ways to collect people’s details and do they know what will happen on a frequent basis once you have their details?

4) media to mass media

When I first started my business, phone books, newspapers, magazines, radio and television were the media available to me, and most were inaccessible as I didn’t know anyone in the media, and I didn’t have a lot of funds to spend. Today we can use a multitude of media channels to add value and attract customers/clients, for free!

Are you blogging? Are you on YouTube? Are you using Facebook, LinkedIn or other social media sites to build relationships. Today one of the big questions we must ask and answer thoroughly is - What is our strategy for using social media to build our business?

5) expert to thought leader

I could easily validate my expertise when I first started my business. Today being a expert or being seen as having a quality product or service is a given. In order to thrive we must be seen as leaders in our fields of expertise or leaders in our product/s or service/s otherwise we get ignored. How are you perceived in your markets? Are you seen as a leader or just one of many? In all your business building activities are you positioning yourself as a stand out? And do you prove your standing in all your transactions and interactions with people?

Be the difference you want to see in the world
Ian
Founder Differencemakers Community
Catalyst for changing what’s normal for the good of people, our planet, and for profit

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