COMMON CHALLENGES TO GROWTH
Every organization has challenges to growth, no matter how successful and no matter what stage they’re in. Before you can find solutions, you must first diagnose and understand the problem(s). Below are just some of the most common challenges that our clients face.
Problem:
CLARITY AND FOCUS
Simplify, simplify.
–Henry David Thoreau
Symptom #1:
All Things to All People
When organizations pursue every opportunity in a quest to satisfy as many possible customer segments, they spread themselves too thin and end up accomplishing very little.
Symptom #2:
Forgetting Your North Star
In the day-to-day battle of business, it’s easy to bury the big picture and lose your identity. If you ask employees, customers, or partners what the company is and what they do, and you get vague or different answers, you can bet you’ve lost your way.
Problem:
PRODUCT-MARKET STRATEGY
Life is too short to build something nobody wants.
Symptom #1:
Lack of Problem-Solution Fit
The company fails to find a problem worth solving. Potential customers don’t feel enough pain or see enough potential gain, so the company’s offering is viewed as a vitamin instead of a painkiller.
Symptom #2:
Lack of Product-Market Fit
The company built something that doesn’t address the real needs of customers, or it addresses the wrong market or role. The company may be in love with their solution/technology without taking into account whether it actually delivers strong, concrete value propositions to their target audience.
Symptom #3:
THE COMFY COZY CONFLICT
Successful companies can get too comfortable with their success and end up playing defense, with little or no offense. Before they know it, their top-of-market position has become middle-of-the-road.
Symptom #4:
UGLY EXECUTION
Even when companies know their customer and build the right solution, their execution may be dysfunctional and the resulting product is not what customers expected.
Problem:
IDENTITY
Know thyself.
– Socrates
Symptom #1:
copycatting
The keystone of any brand message is differentiation. Customers, investors, business partners and others all want to know why and how you are different from your competitors; why should they choose you over the other guy? Simply parroting your competitors is not a compelling answer to that question.
Problem:
product marketing
Speak eloquently. Through a bullhorn.
– Andrew Bank
Symptom #1:
BROKEN SYSTEM, OR NO SYSTEM AT ALL
The greatest product in the world is all for naught if the right people don’t know about it when the need arises. And the greatest marketing campaign in the world is for naught if you’re not measuring outcomes, learning what works, and improving with each new activity. If your sales team is spending time digging for leads, or your pipeline is full of unqualified leads, or you don’t know if your marketing activities are actually generating sales, then your marketing machine needs a tune-up.
Symptom #2:
buzzword bullshit
That’s right, we swore on our web site! All your strategy and product efforts are wasted if you aren’t communicating your value propositions in a way that your customers understand. Speak to their needs, in their language, and make it clear and concise (funny is ok too). Cut the buzzwords, cut the bullshit!
Problem:
customer delight
The holy grail.
Symptom #1:
indifferent or unhappy customers
Simply put, are you repeatedly making customers happy? If you’re not, then it’s time for reflection and tuning.
No matter what challenge you’re facing…
Our team has been there, done that. We’ve been in the trenches at start-ups, big corporations, and not-for-profits, and we’ve endured sleepless nights, investor pressure, and family stress. Most important, we fought our way out. Today, we use our deep experience, good judgment, and keen listening to pinpoint your greatest challenges and develop sustainable solutions that help you achieve your goals.
READY TO TALK ABOUT YOUR CHALLENGES
(and how to solve them)?