For anyone watching the Apprentice a few weeks ago, when both teams had to design and produce an outline for a new magazine, I suspect you will agree that the final offerings from both teams were beyond dreadful!
Neither group listened or connected with what their customers wanted. "Hip Replacement", the magazine for the over 60s, the cover of which, reminded me of my mum's knitting patterns from the 70s, was a complete shocker, and the sassy "Covered", the lads mag, which really progressed no further than the dire collection of mens mags such as FHM and Loaded, showed how narrow minded and limited the project manager for that task, Natasha Scribbins, really is.
Her comment that "porn sells", during the task was one that greatly amused me, but it also got me thinking. What is it that really sells in 2011?
Regardless of product, marketing or intended customers, the key is INTEGRITY. Increasingly, in an age of improved communication, and social media, people really do talk... around the world and in massive groups of numbers. If any part of your product, behaviour, marketing doesn't stack up, then people know - people talk - and people judge!
It isn't surprising that increasingly, businesses need to demonstrate their social and environmental conscience and back up their claims and mission statements with action, and it isn't surprising that people really do look closely at what they have been promised and what has been delivered.
What is your marketing message? What do you promise on your website and in your brochures? How do you liaise with your customers? What language do you use with them? How do you approach them? What do you promise them, even when it comes to the smaller matters like when you'll return their call? How do you deal with your colleagues?
Is there any part of your business which doesn't completely stack up when it comes to integrity? If so, you need to address it, deal with it and improve it. No amount of sales talk, discounts, extra marketing or excuses can make up for a lack of integrity.
If you can identify parts of your business that don't stack up - are there any customers who you need to make it up to?
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