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Tag Archives: Strategy

Are You Going To Be A Victim Of Banana Marketing?

  By Fred H. Schlegel | January 27, 2009 - 8:45 am |
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How focused is your marketing.  Like a laser?  Only running with what has worked in the past? Has your creative started to look more like a banana than a bouquet? Sure everyone knows it’s you – but is that good? Have you defined your product category so well that you’re about to be swamped by a game changing event? A lack of diversity in marketing or product development can create an ecosystem that leaves you at serious risk. Consider the poor banana…. The Cavenagh is by every business measure the most successful banana in the world. Where bananas are shipped and not grown, it has held a monopoly since replacing it’s ill fated predecessor the Gros Micheal. And every Cavenagh you eat today is genetically identical to the one you ate yesterday.  There is no bio-diversity. There are many types of bananas in the world, but the Cavenagh was elected … Continue reading →

Are You Managing From The Monkey Bridge?

  By LaVonn Schlegel | November 11, 2007 - 6:25 pm | ,
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Can you answer yes to any of the following questions? 1.  Does your company tends to write a plan every year but mostly it is put in a binder to gather dust?  Maybe you don’t even do planning because “what’s the point?” 2.  Do you spend too much of your time fighting fires, eliminating emergencies and chasing “what if’s”? 3.  Can you quickly explain your current business strategy and how it fits with your company’s vision?  Your 3-yr strategy?  Your marketplace position? 4.  Can you show your current program performance measures and make the appropriate mid-stream corrections? 5.  Do you have to go through more than one layer of management to get a decision made about any program – even one that has already been given a green light? 6.  How many times each year do you have to justify your budget? More than during the annual budgeting process?  Do … Continue reading →

No No No

  By Fred H. Schlegel | April 16, 2007 - 2:58 pm |
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Methods of saying ‘no’ to your boss or co-worker — Business Fables “Learn the Art of Saying No.” provides ten. ‘No’ seems to be the most difficult word to use in a business relationship, maybe any relationship. ‘No’ carries with it disappointment from every angle. The receiver didn’t get what they wanted, the giver couldn’t make the receiver happy….probably the only thing worse than saying no is saying yes when you shouldn’t. For example: “Yes, we’ll do that.” — but you don’t. “Sure, I’ll rush that.” — but now ten other folks get their stuff late. “I would love to speak at your meeting.” — but you wouldn’t and your attitude shows. “Lets move forward on all these projects.” — and each one gets too little funding to be done well. “We’ll add that feature right now.” — even though it adds more complexity than benefit and destroys lead times. ‘No’ is … Continue reading →

It’s The End Of The First Quarter — Do You Know Where Your Plan Is?

  By LaVonn Schlegel | March 23, 2007 - 8:43 am |
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Have you pulled out this year’s marketing plan to see if you are still in the right ballpark and still in the game? Next week is the last week of the first quarter. Set some time aside to pull your performance reports together (especially if this isn’t done automatically) for your programs and overall performance. Gather your team together and ask yourself the following questions: Did we do what we set out to do? If no, why not? Did we perform the way we expected? If no, why not? What worked and didn’t from a program perspctive? Why? Have there been any changes internally or in the marketplace that means your plans for the next quarter need to change? If so, what & why? Do all involved teams know your plans and expected performance for 2Q07? Do you have good communications flow internally and externally to build toward maximum effectiveness? … Continue reading →

Doing More With Less

  By LaVonn Schlegel | January 11, 2007 - 8:30 am |
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The mantra of senior management across all industries, across all disciplines has become “do more with less.”  Budgets and personnel continue to be cut while the need for increased revenue and margin continues to grow. You can continue to successfully perform in the market using this mantra if you are thoughtful in how you approach your marketing resources and your management’s expectations.  Here are “10 Ways To Do More With Less.”   1. Plan. Plan. Plan. Solid performance in general comes from a good plan that serves as a guidepost for what you are doing in market.  When times get tough, you must revisit your plan and decide if your strategies are still appropriate or if they need adjusting.  This will provide your team with a beacon they can use to make decisions, set direction and apply resources.   2. Re-Evaluate Where You Are Spending It is time to go … Continue reading →