Marketing Communications Blog

What you think and what is reality

Was talking with another consulting firm the other day about a current project that they were working on. The consultants were asking me to help them on the project with their marketing plans, etc - but, they first needed to put together the business plan for their client (a start-up with less then a $1M financial backing). 

We discussed the market, as they see it, and where the product that the company makes will be sold.

Surprisingly, they stated that all companies in this field have to do A, then B, and then, C will happen (where C is the purchase of the company and everyone goes home a millionaire).

I asked them why they had to do A, when going to B would be shorter and quicker time to market. They stated, "no, this is how it is done".

We then continued to speak about their target market, which was youth - 21 - 26 years old, primarily men.

I brought up a couple of points about how to get to B so they could skip A, and they said "Yes, thought about that, but, again, the right way is to go the way we have planned".

I can't tell you the details (you know, confidentiality, etc.), but, the point that I want to make is the following:

• Don't think that you have to do what the others do in the market (i.e. you don't always have to follow the same path as everyone else)
• Feel free to explore more then one path when approaching the market - yes, there may be a "best" way to do it, but, at times, the "other" ways may pay off and be the real "yellow brick road"
• Be IMAGINITIVE - CREATIVE - OPEN MINDED when looking at new or even existing markets. Don't be pigeon-holed or held-up that you have to do it a certain way

I guess, the last bullet above, is what always makes my previous employers and clients say that I am argumentative at times - because I want them to look at the whole picture, at the other pieces of the pie (and how it affects us) - so much time, effort, and money is lost because people don't use vision - they don't look ahead to what will be in 3, 5, 10 years (see other postings on this subject).

Good luck, and don't look at the ground, look up and see what's coming.