Game changers are marketing strategies and concepts that help transform the outcome for an organization.
Most leaders view marketing as a process of researching and selling to their target market and therefore their target audience. And while that is certainly part of it, it’s certainly nowhere near being revolutionary for their organization.
Here are four (4) categories of game changing ‘people’ strategies for you to consider as you look to shake things up:
- Narrow Your Audience. The fastest way to get results is to focus on a different market. There are many tactics and tools to accomplish this but one of the simplest methods is to narrow your focus. This seems counter-intuitive for those who want to increase revenue, but by narrowing your efforts to a more specific buyer you’re better able to tailor your offering(s), add more value, and generate more demand. A web development company I know of focused their services specifically on North America wineries; they became so successful they were bought out within three years for a very good return.
- Fire the Wrong Customers. Every business has customers that consume a greater share of mental energy and resources and whom are not profitable. Most of the time, these customers have been around for a number of years and even though the organization has changed, these customers haven’t. These customers need to go. An executive coach I’ve worked with took a risk and fired half his clients that didn’t fit his newly defined client criteria. He then focused on the higher paying, less hassle clients and guess what? His business doubled in six months. He was able to give his better clients more positive attention and they referred more of the right type of client.
- Hiring Game Changers. Not every marketing strategy is about your customer. Your brand is highly dependent on the quality of your employees. It’s always a good idea to evaluate whether your company attracts the best people. When it comes to your hiring practices, do your employees bring the kind of knowledge, experience, personality, contacts, skills, and reputation that can influence results? Game changing leaders can dramatically influence the direction and health of an organization. Dare I say it… investing in your human capital may be a strategy worth pursuing over yet another marketing one. Sports teams pay big dollars for superstars to improve their performance but they also do it to increase ticket sales, viewership, sell more jerseys, and all that. Universities do the same thing! They employ celebrity authors as a way to create a positive brand experience, almost a halo effect.
- Become a Game Changer Yourself. It’s not an easy question to ask but it needs to be addressed: Are you a game changer? Candidly, I believe everyone can be a game changer in their area of influence if they are intentional about making meaningful contributions, growing their network, and expanding their skill and knowledge base to an expert level. You can’t be a generalist and a game changer at the same time.
Increasing the human element of both your marketing efforts and your team development will likely have a dramatic effect on brand and your bottom line. Take some time this week to evaluate each part (your audience, your staff, and yourself) to see if there is a hidden gem worth mining.
Have a great day!
– Braden