Entrepreneur, Leaders or just someone with a wish to make a change?

I haven’t met too many real entrepreneurs in my time: and if I’m honest not too many effective business leaders.

But I have had the pleasure of working for some clients that are very switched on and are committed to making progress with their businesses.

Not many of my clients have an MBA, a diploma in marketing or have been on a really effective sales training programme.

So if you have an idea, an intention to make a difference or just want to attract more clients I would recommend you get started without delay.

I find that most of my business owner’s clients are not into titles, personal publicity, all they want is to do a good job for their clients and make a reasonable return.

But how does marketing products and services fit into all this?

Its one thing to have an idea, a thirst for change or merely a desire to survive. It’s quite another to develop a plan of action that will guide the business to achieve the agreed objectives.

So get planning. If you don’t know how, you probably know by now a man that can help you!

WHY?

Did you know that one of the most positive and revealing words in the world is the word WHY.

I.e.:

-Why do you say that?

-Why are we meeting to day?

-Why are you asking me that?

-Why do you think that way?

-Why change?

-Why grow? Etc

That’s a lot of WHY’s!

Currently, most of our clients have as their main strategy, ‘how can we survive the recession’?

It’s probably fair to say that most firms in the construction industry have suffered a reduction in turnover and profits, have had to make people redundant and have lost some key clients.

But some are actually now in a better position to survive; and if required get back to where they were prior to the onslaught of the recession.

However, some firms don’t want to get back. They are happy being smaller, more profitable and more able to take control of their own destinies.

Regardless, we all need to know WHY we are in business,

Asking WHY often leads to an answer.

Strategy-do you need one and are all your team members on board?

I am presently staying at golf resort hotel in Spain this weekend.

Yes, a couple of rounds of golf might be involved, but the main reason for being here is to help a medium size firm of building surveyors to develop a strategic  for their practice.

By accident the resorts ongoing development programme has come to a ‘screeching’ halt due to the collapse of the Spanish property market. I am surrounded by empty apartment blocks, half completed commercial buildings and the structural frame/shell of a ten storey building that once going to be a five star hotel. Not a very positive backcloth!

However, we turn our backs on all that and get down to the very serious business of addressing all the challenges involved with the intention of producing an effective strategy.

No sooner had we settled down to our task one of the team decided to unload on us!

He made us aware of his real feelings and believes regarding business planning and those who believed it could change outcomes. He told us:

             1.  Planning is no more than guessing at best and fantasy at worst

 2.  Plans never get realised

             3.  The moment they are agreed they are out of date

             4.  Most people don’t really pay attention to them

             5.  Blindly following out dated plans are doomed to failure

Well not a very positive start to the meeting!

However, following a wide ranging discussion about what had been said and why our colleague had felt the need for an outburst, we recovered and started to make some progress.

Whilst there was some validity in what had been said, the rest of the team reasoned that:

           1.  Without a ‘plan’ we were merely a ship without a rudder or in other words we would become victims rather than masters of our own destiny.   

           2.  A plan was necessary if we were to take control, determine a way forward and develop a team approach.

           3.  We also agreed that we would only address  those issues that were within our control

           4.  We would review our plan(s) regularly, at least monthly, to ensure that any changes could be evaluated; and we would be willing to amend the plan if necessary.

At the end of a very productive two days we had produced and agreed Strategic Plan. We also became a fully aligned team. Everyone is now pointing in the same direction, holds the same standards, values and principals’.

It’s a pity not more firms/teams are so far sighted and committed.

Evolution

Presently I am sitting in the departure lounge at Manchester International Airport.

Whilst it’s not the biggest airport in the world, it is an impressive and massive facility, and has changed beyond all recognition since I first visited it as a boy.

At that time it was merely known as ‘Ringway’ airport. Infact at that time I can distinctly remember the ear deafening sound of an Air France Caravel jet taking off.

The airport has grown tremendously over the past few decades and is now almost unrecognisable. Hundreds if not billions of pounds have been invested to transform it into a state of the art transport hub. The insatiable demand for air transportation, both passenger and cargo, seems never ending.

So things have developed and changed massively.

Manchester International Airport is a massive success story. Its growth must have had a significant economic impact on the whole of the North West and probably beyond.

But what defines an airport? Is it the runways, taxiways, terminals and cargo buildings or is it the nature and extent of the infrastructure that must be conceived, designed and constructed?

But what part do we mere marketeers play in all this?  How do we help our firms gain access to these strategic developments?  What influence can we bring to bear?

Well for those marketeers who work for firms that are already onboard with the airport authorities, their task is fairly straight forward. All they have to do is to ensure that the powers that be at the airport never forget that that their firm have provided helpful service to date, have added value and are willing and capable of continuing to provide ongoing support. Easy!

However, for those that have chosen to attempt to get on board, their task is a lot more difficult, time consuming and expensive. So what options are available to us?

·         Decide that the mission is both desirable and achievable.

·         Can be delivered within a reasonable time frame and budget.

·         Do sufficient research into how much resource needs to be invested.

·         Find out who are the key players on the client side

·         What is the competition and how well are they embedded and what are their strengths and weaknesses.

·         Who do we know who could be of assistance e.g?  Who can effect an introduction?

·         What is the best way to bring our firm and its services to the attention of decision makers and influencers?

·         Decide on your approach, message and benefits

If you happen to be facing this or similar challenges, you now know who to ring!

Terry O’Mahony

Marketing and the CIA

The recent American military mission into Pakistan to kill Bin Laden has dominated the news over recent days. Each day more is revealed about what happened and who was involved.

Strangely, this daring mission reminded me of some of the issues related to marketing:

INTELIGENCE-the CIA must have spent months prior to the mission gathering information in order to plan the mission, we to need to adequately research existing and potential markets in order to ensure that marketing resources a invested to maximum effect.

AUDACIOUS-it was audacious in its scope and intent; sometimes we marketers also need to go outside of our comfort zones in order to differentiate ourselves, our services and products from those of competitors.

METICULOUSE-it’s execution must have been meticulously planned, as arguably should our marketing and sales plans, how can we achieve required market penetration if our marketing strategies and plans are not fully thought through?

VEHICLES-they used helicopters to maximum effect, when we try to get our various marketing messages delivered to prospective clients we need to choose the most appropriate vehicles e.g. websites, eshots, EBooks, social media, telesales, advertising, PR etc.

HEROES-the people involved were US Navy Seals, as construction marketers we should also consider ourselves as an elite force, because if we don’t carry out our mission the whole firm will suffer.

Terry O’Mahony

12/05/2011

Why I'm your man

In today's construction industry, there has never been a more real reason to enhance your marketing strategy.


I specialise in working with companies associated with the construction industry big or small in looking at innovative and cost effective methods, which can help achieve the business progress they desire.


With more years in the construction arena then I care to admit, I now work as a business coach and marketing sales consultant, public speaker, Sir Winston Churchill and Queen Elizabeth II scholar.  


All Clients are different, as are their needs, therefore each marketing strategy will vary depending on their objectives and end goals.  


Contact:  Terry O'Mahony
Mobile:  0773 641 7464