Pinnacle of success path requires different thinking.
If you are emotional, trustworthy, niche and possess an iphone – then you’re on the starting block to be a potential winner in the brave new business world over the next three years. This is the message from the world’s biggest chief executives’ organisation Vistage International which is hosting a series of UK events for its members who include MDs and CEOs of small and medium sized enterprises. I was bowled over with the energy and passion of inspirational author Peter Fisk whose call to action was to rethink our markets, be integrous and the best (not the biggest), collaborate, engage and build global social networks through a series of new media tools to create competitive advantage and be profitable. With people-to-people selling creating 70 millionaires a year, the ability to adapt and get inside our customers’ minds has never been more crucial. Knowing what and why your customers are demanding is a must – as is giving them energisers (something small which will excite them), enablers (things that will help them to achieve what they couldn’t do otherwise) and essentials (their basic needs and expectations of your business). This potent combination will strengthen the emotional bonds – which in turn will create your competitive advantage. So let’s all maximising the opportunities of the new landscape, be inspirational – and delivering experiences as opposed to flogging products and services. So let’s take off the blinkers, hang on tight and enjoy the rollercoaster ride ahead – and have one helluva party and hangover to celebrate being among the success stories of 2012.
