It’s about the future.
Strategy is about the future. Uncertain, risky, unknown. And at the same time, to bring you to an advantage. Strategy is an idea and approach to a goal, that leads to, with the most impactful effort, a position of advantage. While data can help you frame it, it can’t be what drives it. It’s about what could be. It’s about what could the future hold for your customers.
Creating a future
Friend-of-the-list, fellow emailer and data scientist Genevieve Hayes came back to “Past and… future?” with this response (and she knows a thing or two about data-driven things) —shared with permission, bold mine: “Data-driven approaches are like your dive computer. They’re very good at determining the optimal course of action assuming everything continues the way it has in the past. However, they can’t cope with unfamiliar situations. You need humans for that.Or to put it another way: a…
Past and… future?
Decision-making advice for business tends to be “your strategy needs to be driven by data”. But data is built in the past. It’s certain. It’s factual. Forecasts, trends, models. They all take data and build a projection into the future with a certain sense of reliability, confidence, or pure imagination. They’re informed by, but not driven by data. Based in the past. Strategy, it’s about the future. Uncertain. Non-factual.
Thought leadership
So, you’re a thought-leader. Says who? You’re a trusted advisor. Says who? If it’s not your customers who say that, there’s a gap to fill. Leadership and trust don’t come from within, they come from the outside. If they’re not the ones saying it, you need more work to do. 🙂
Clarity in the articulation
Ghostwriters, copywriters, marketers, content marketers, brand strategists… Other people can’t write “thought-leadership” for you. Neither will they turn you into a “thought-leader”. It’s not magic. And definitely not a linear, easy-to-reach process. Leadership comes from the outside. Thought-leadership comes from your market: rivals, business environment, customers. Thoughts come from you. To get there, others can help you. Yet the articulation (and the struggle to get there) needs to come…
How much does it cost?
A cost is not a price. Talking about price makes you think in different terms. When you see “Cost”, it usually makes you consider something a bit more, like if it’s more painful. On what you’re giving away. When you see “Price”, the focus shifts onto what’s the thing on the other side of this pain. It helps your customers see the potential. To assess the value of what they consider worth it. It changes the dynamics in a sales conversation and negotiations. It clears the air.
An invitation
If you’ve thought “how the hell do i productize my offerings?”, friend of the list and founder of Metahelm, Guillaume Wiatr, is running his monthly complimentary workshopProductized Services: A Shortcut to Authentic and Valuable Solutions on Thursday. His way of approaching consulting, selling, and showing up as you are, are top. Maybe that’s the tiny dip in the water to get you started. I know, if you take it, you’ll leave with something for your business.
Don’t give your price ahead.
“Once I’ve convinced them, I’ll give them the price.” “I’ll save the price for the last stage.” That’s common advice. If you talk ahead about price, you’ll look greedy. You’ll lose the deal. They’ll run for the hills. And that might be true… if it doesn’t have a context. BUT if you think of it this way: talking price early. Will clear the air and put up a filter from the start. Will let both you and your customer see if there’s a financial fit. Will make things straight to see if there’s an…
Call their bluff
When a prospect comes to you and tries to negotiate down on your price with the classic “Other vendors offered me a 20% discount. What’s yours?” Call them on their bluff. Way 1: And why are we still talking? They seem like the obvious choice, if price is what determines who you choose. Way 2: That’s awesome. Send me their official quote with the discount? Then I could consider thinking of something. Way 3: That’s the discounted price. If you come back in a few months, I’m sure the price will…
Reaching the 10% of the market
Look, you don’t need to “reach the 10% of the market/segment”. We can all play the numbers game. Basic math ain’t that hard. To get to that “10%” is not rocket science. You know what’s hard? Taking a stand for something and sticking to it. Knowing that —sometimes— this “something” is not the way to go, let go and take a new approach (and a new something). Finding the ones who actually care about that something. And forget about your solutions —and your brand. If you can help them get what…