One of the grave mistakes I’ve seen all too often is the belief that success is permanent.
After all, when things are good, why rock the boat?
Customers are loyal, and you’ve got a strong base of customers who aren’t going anywhere.
Right?
Too many companies are walking about blind and unprepared because things are going so well today.
Every day we need to be taking a good hard look and asking ourselves how do we stay relevant to our customers?
How do we inspire them and keep them excited about what’s to come?
How do we break down the walls that hold us back, and build new walls to protect what we’ve got?
At this very moment, there may be someone looking at your industry, your business, or even your clients, and devising away to take it all away.
No business, no matter how successful, is immune to unexpected changes in the marketplace and the unforeseen dangers of competition.
Since it’s nearing Halloween, let me suggest a few spooky thoughts.
Could there be an announcement of any kind tomorrow that would dramatically harm your current position in your industry?
What laws would have to change, or technology introduced, or new platforms created, or competitors entering your space, in order for your company to legitimately be in trouble?
Then, once you’ve given that some thought and it has given you a good scare, think about what you can today to prepare yourself to either avoid those things when they happen or mitigate them entirely.
I just finished working with a client that saw a substantial issue looming on the horizon about six months down the road. We took massive proactive action and were not only able to mitigate the issue long before it actually became an issue, but we were able to move them well ahead and in front of the pack in just over a month.
Lead. The moment you’re following, reacting, or playing catch up, then you’re in trouble.
