One of the most useful things in business is to know where to play and how to win. It would be great if you could stake your claim and then settle in for a lifetime of success. Unfortunately, someone, somewhere is trying to steal your business. So, what to do? I typically ask four questions when I meet a new company:
Read MoreEventually, every successful company becomes a customer service company. As a company grows it goes through a number of step changes which require its CEO to think very differently. Take for example a manufacturing company. The first stage of growth is getting to product/market fit. And, often the term ‘minimum viable product’ is used to describe t...
Read MoreAlmost all our clients are running at maximum capacity at the moment. And likely you are too (if not – we must talk…). At times like these, the natural inclination is to keep your head down and try to keep up with demand. But maybe that’s not the best thing to do. Hear me out. We all know that the current business cycle is going to end when demand...
Read MoreWhen you enter a new market, the natural inclination is to figure out how the game is played there and then how you can play it better than the incumbents. This is a very poor way to enter a new market. A better way is to determine what the end users require and then start from a blank sheet to design your own way to serve the ‘best’ segment in tha...
Read MoreAs a business leader, you own your company’s strategy. But most of us get tied up in the day-to-day and, at best, are focusing on tactics that will see us through this quarter or this year. The next few years are guaranteed to be full of big changes and therefore will present equivalently large threats and opportunities.
Read MoreWhile many people are trying to 'get back to normal', I think many of us have realized that for a whole range of aspects of our existence - whether at home or in business - we are looking at a new or different normal - and exactly what that looks like, is still being defined. Times of uncertainty always provide great opportunity for those willing...
Read MoreHi everyone Andrew here. Previous blogs have answered: What is D2C? Why would I use D2C?; Is D2C Profitable? How hard is D2C to set up? Can I use D2C if I also use a 3rd Party Channel?. This blog puts it all together. How do I decide what to sell through D2C? It just makes sense to launch with a world beating product rather than a ‘me too’ product....
Read More“I have an established sales and distribution network. How would I ever be able to set up a direct to Customer sales approach? Great question. Many industries are locked into old ways of working and will find it hard to transition; the automotive industry is a great example. Manufacturers depend on a huge network of franchised dealers who promote...
Read MoreFor many new companies, selling direct to the customer is quite natural. However, if you run an established company, you might be asking yourself how difficult will it be to set up a direct to customer model. This is the fourth in a series of articles on D2C. In previous articles we’ve looked at the factors that make D2C possible, the non-cash be...
Read MoreThis is the third in a series on Direct to Customer (D2C). This one explores the financial implications. All of us in business are part of an end-2-end value chain that ends when the product or service is consumed. The ‘Direct to Customer’ model is one that skips some of the traditional steps that in the past would have been completed by an indirec...
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