Business Development Tip - What can businesses learn from 'Pippa Middleton bashing'?

Poor old Pippa Middleton has taken some serious stick over her column in the Waitrose kitchen magazine, (Pippa's Friday Night Feasts). To be fair to the press, I've had a read for myself, and I'm not impressed with her foodie ideas. However, the new phenomenon of pippa bashing is not just down to the fact that her content is a bit weak.

I don't blame her for taking advantage of the offer to write a column for an organisation like Waitrose and I understand that she's probably keen to step out of her sister's shadow, so she is seen as Pippa Middleton, rather than Kate Middleton's sister. But what both Pippa Middleton and Waitrose have failed to grasp is that we, the British public won't tolerate a lack of credibility.

If we are going to listen to what someone says and allow ourselves to be influenced in some way, credibility is everything.

Where are Pippa's credentials for writing the column?

Does she have any right to impart her knowledge, other than being good looking and the sister of someone who married into the royal family?

It's because we regard Pippa as a chancer, that we won't take her seriously and for her column to be successful, her writing would have had to be out of this world, breaking boundaries and superlative, before we took her seriously...it would probably have helped her cause if she had some Cordon Bleu training behind her.

So what's this got to do with business?

Authenticity - Credibility - Believability - they are EVERYTHING when it comes to generating success in business. Therefore:

1) Focus on what you do well and do more of it. Spend your time perfecting it and creating a catchy brand to go with it.

2) Identify which bits of your business offering are not of the highest order and either ditch it completely or go back to the beginning and start again.

3) Find the balance between offering variety, whilst cornering a niche and working it!

4) Ensure your services and products really do live up to your marketing hype.

Personal example:

In the early years of my training business, I wrote close to 20 different workshops, but I've since narrowed my offering down to 6 core sessions.

Clockwise - 5 great time management principles
The Mole Hill Approach - 4 great resilience principles
Mission Possible - How to sell when your buyers aren't buying 
Leadership Toolbox 2013 - How to lead when times are tough 
Mind Games - Taking the stress out of stress management  
Going The Extra Miles - Cultural awareness and success overseas

Because I streamlined my products and worked on the ones I decided to keep, it's no surprise that my clients have experienced better results, whilst I've experienced more business!

Thanks for reading

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