Analyzing Opportunities...

"We're willing to place some bets because the world can not
avoid needing sustainability in the long run."
~ Robert B. Shapiro

When we think of analyzing a situation or an entity or what,
what would be the prerequisite? Information. And what for?
To determine risks and opportunities. To grow your business
and to enhance competitiveness.

In this case, marketing opportunities in any industry or market
segment are many. We can make use of them to the fullest for
purposes of market growth, leadership, and survival. We only
need to promptly identify new market opportunities for our
products, markets, and respective businesses so we can best
gather timely and accurate information about customers,
competitors, distributors and dealers, suppliers and other forces
in the business jungle. All these are important to improve our
position or standing in the minds of our target end-users and
in the industry.

"The successful economies of the future will excel at generating
and disseminating knowledge, and commercially exploiting it."
~ Tony Blair

Hence, we need to develop more responsive marketing techniques
in the light of keen competition. Certainly, being proactive is also
being responsive as we do not completely expect a "perfect"
future and this responsiveness would prove crucial during
adverse situations that might hinder us from achieving desired
results.

Consequently, we would need such information to test or validate
the effectiveness of our marketing tools. More than ever, we
need timely information to favorably develop a high level of
confidence in many of our major initiatives, both in the short
term and future goals, as we plunge into a series of calculated
risks toward aggressively implementing a well-balanced
marketing program.

As Leaders, we are the head marketers of our organizations.
We, therefore, need to intelligently and creatively propel our
businesses to greater heights of success. And to ably meet the
challenge, we must carefully design and install a marketing
research and marketing information system to solidly back up
marketing decisions critically vital and urgent as called for by
the need of the times.

Information is power.

Remember, the company that is able to crystallize information
into meaningful outputs, in a normal or crisis atmosphere,
undoubtedly are several steps ahead of competition...
more powerful and on firm ground.

The business environment never sleeps. There is always a
threat. And it is in this regard that we should go out of our
way to transform all these seemingly endless obstacles into
opportunities, or at least minimize threats and optimize
available resources; to continually search for new ideas or
ways of doing things right at the first opportunity if possible...
anytime and all the time.

Take note...
"Economic activity should not only be efficient in its use of
resources but should also be socially just and environmentally
and ecologically sustainable." - Warren Bennis

Reality Check... Part III

For most, the reality they are in now is because of the plans
and actions that they did yesterday. Why only most? Well,
for some, it may have been for some "uncontrollable" events
that had greatly affected their today. Still, this is not to excuse
them but after all, it's reality that we want and listening plays
a role. Nevertheless, for the few who understands that things
evolve not just because of himself but because everyone
weaved as well, thereby, coming up with a giant colorful fabric.

"In the future, the optimal form of industrial organization will
be neither small companies nor large ones but network
structures that share the advantages of both."
~ Francis Fukuyama

See, the future that we are looking at 5-10 years from now is
already here. It has already happened! Have you responded
to the challenges?

Shape the company's business brands, services, and messages
toward achieving desired objectives, goals, strategies and
measures.

Advertise truthfully. Do not present messages and information
in a way that is exaggerated, untruthful, and misleading in your
brand performance.

"Most organizations are not designed, they grow."
~ Charles Handy

Come out with marketing strategies that are well-researched.
A marketing strategy should not be based on sales power.
It should be a strategy that responds to the buyers' clamor for
different styles, features, and other attributes. Work on
improving the use of branding, product positioning and
differentiating, advertising and sales promotions.

Realize that growth comes naturally just like the human body
yet not all that comes with it is positive, therefore, growth does
not always lead a business to build on success. There are
instances where it would just turn a good company into a
run-of-the-mill kind of organization.

However, reality is that if enthusiasm holds up, ideas just come
pouring in and the success you wished for -- becomes a reality.

Take note...
"A company's ability to innovate is rapidly becoming the primary
source of competitive success." - Christopher A. Bartlett