AMBIGUITY AND CHAOS
Over the last year, there has not been a single client of ours who hasn’t battled supply and materials shortages, inflated costs, labor, and shipping shortages. And we service a diverse platform of B2B and B2C industries. Thanks to Covid-19, supply issues, shipping delays, manufacturing setbacks due to labor shortages, and the Covid economy everyone is dealing with this. We live and work in chaotic, ambiguous times. Whether it’s climate change, logistics, labor shortages, shipping delays, the global economy, or the challenges of the pandemic it has all collided to form the perfect storm.
Many of our clients are ordering materials and supplies way ahead of the previous scope of work schedules and calendars to ensure on-time delivery of goods, products, and services. It’s not getting better. Some of the best industry experts believe this will continue well into 2022. Economists are already advising us to purchase Christmas gifts before Halloween due to supply shortages and costs. Let that sink in!
The New Normal
These disruptions are the new normal and the faster your company accepts and adapts to them the farther ahead of the competition you will be. The competitive edge has never been greater in manufacturing, industry, business, and services. Supply and demand are draining major supply chains to the traditional big box stores. Everyone is scrambling for their piece of the pie from multiple sources.
These issues have always been in existence. However, in today’s industry, they are more pronounced than ever. Dependence upon global supply chains has only exacerbated the preexisting challenge of supply chains and logistics.
Companies and businesses that embrace the chaos will fair far better than those that resist. If you fight it you are going to lose. Companies that plan ahead, do their research, explore emerging markets and new suppliers will survive. Lack of prior planning, serious research, and thinking ahead will be costly for many.
Sharks Survive
Business as usual will not survive. Sharks are predators. They are always looking for their next available food source. They stalk, probe, seek out new sources of food, and don’t waste time. Your business needs to adopt the shark mentality. Think strategically and creatively. Explore new supply and vendor relationships and resources. Loyalty to long-term partnerships is admirable, but if they can no longer deliver you’ve got to explore other waters and sources for supplies, goods, and materials.
Sharks are aggressive which is why they survive more than most of the ocean world. They adapt and change to survive. Is your company really adapting and changing to navigate these troubled waters?
Marketing is Everything
When the market, supply, and material prices are up there is a temptation to cut advertising and marketing efforts. Lowering your prices to adjust to the competition is suicide in business. Hold your value! Don’t compromise for offering premium products and services of value. Dropping prices for a temporary gain is like selling your home to the lowest offer. Maintain the value of your services and products. The same is true for digital marketing. When the competition is cutting back it’s time to press ahead. Explore the best SEO and pay-per-click advertising opportunities and invest in them. The goal is to expand your brand awareness and increase your digital reach and ranking.
Think of your digital marketing presence in terms of old-fashioned cold calling. It’s just math. The more people you engage the higher your ROI. If you cut your presence you are missing potential customers or clients. However, a strategic digital strategy based on solid SEO practices, keywords, tags, phrases, and valuable content can dramatically increase the odds of client engagement versus cold calls.
Increase Your Content
Google is the giant everyone is playing to in terms of digital marketing. The more content you have the greater your chances are of increasing your relevance and ranking. Many business owners think they want a clean, simple, one-page website, but the more content you have the greater chances you have for audience reach, engagement, and ranking with Google. Content wins in the digital marketing world. SEO loves content. Wise is the business owner and service provider who understands the value of Thought Leadership, blogs, and additional content that provides value from the subject matter expert. This content increases your reach across the broad strata of potential customers or clients.
Embrace Change!
Change is inevitable and it’s one of the most difficult things people, couples, families, businesses, and industry face every day. Our world is not static, it’s constantly changing, and those who adapt, survive, and thrive. Everyone is struggling with these challenges, but those who embrace them, adapt, change, and strategically plan will survive. Today more than ever your leadership team should be engaged in weekly whiteboard meetings dreaming, scheming, and planning for the future.
If you talk to a member of the Greatest Generation of Americans or those right behind, Super Senior Adults they will tell you that they have gone from radio broadcasts of WWII to television, LP albums, 8-tracks, cassettes, CD’s, DVD’s, cellphones, the Internet and social media. They have seen more technological changes than any other generation. And yet, they adapted, changed, learned, and embraced them.
Your company or business can no longer afford to be playing CDs in a digital world! Get ahead of the curve and think like a shark.
At WebSpeak Media we have been helping local, and small businesses for 20+ years with their digital marketing efforts by providing measurable results through cogent plans and design based upon their desired outcomes and key targets. We are a small, family-owned, niche digital marketing firm committed to building relationships with clients for long-term results based on mutually agreed-upon strategies and marketing plans.
Charles Carter, Partner
WebSpeak Media
Greer, SC 29651
Charles@webspeakmedia.com
864.363.8910
Images: Unsplash.com
