COVID-19 is dramatically changing consumer and business behaviors today. Undoubtedly, many of those behaviors will remain long after the diminishment and defeat of the virus. New behaviors become permanent the longer they are in place. And in this case, one of the primary human emotions, FEAR propels and engrains the behavior changes.
Fri, Jul 28, 2017 — In my last post I shared a process for companies to consider using when evaluating new products for new markets. The core idea is to test “customer readiness” before making significant investments in Marketing and Sales. And the vehicle for testing is to use a cross-functional Customer Development team to reach out to prospects to create and expedite learning moments. Uncover the facts, test your assumptions, and iterate on the product, if absolutely required, before executing the big launch. In this post, I’ll share an experience I’ve had when using this approach.
Tue, Jul 11, 2017 — Lessons from UPS, Campbell’s Soup, Amazon, and Others In today’s fast-paced world, it’s easy for CEOs and other executives to get mired in day-to-day fire-fighting, only to find that growth has stalled. Below are 7 things successful CEOs from companies big and small do to build momentum, create and keep a strong culture, and grow their business.
Tue, May 16, 2017 — If your company is not growing, it’s important to dig deep when looking at market changes. James Quincy, the new CEO of Coke is demonstrating the progressive thinking needed to turnaround his company, which is in decline. In a recent article on PYMNTS.com, Quincy talks about critical information that he is using to understand the declines and then respond to them.
Wed, Nov 9, 2016 — “If the dog doesn't like the dog food, everyone can go home.” This rather provocative statement came from my supervisor many years ago. Like most truths, I still remember it. It stuck. Even now, I know he was right. Dogs know! In fact, I would expand on his point-of-view and suggest that not only does the dog have to like the food, the dog needs to like it a whole lot better than the competitive alternatives. So much so that the company gets its desired ROI in the process.
