If lockdown has taught us anything it’s that nothing is set in stone and that very little stays the same for long.
Years ago you could leave things the way they’ve been for donkey’s years and you’d be OK. But now your donkey needs rockets and lasers … and maybe some of those snazzy LED lights?
Today, you’ve got to stay focused on being up-to-date and competitive. Being stuck in your ways could leave you stuck in the mud and that’s no way to run a company.

Here are five trigger phrases to listen out for that show you’re in need of an upgrade in your thinking.

“But we’ve always done it that way!”
That was OK. Now though, in 2020 and beyond, things move on quickly.
Even before that, staying stale and not upgrading your systems, your processes, tech, equipment or team wasn’t a great strategy. The best and most successful companies in the world constantly innovate.
We’re sick to the back teeth of ‘gooroos’ telling us to “PIVOT” throughout lockdown but they definitely had a point.
The businesses who couldn’t work in their existing structure or industry and managed to change it up are the ones who survived.

Move on, invent, experiment, and upgrade your bad self.

“Training costs money”
And we’ll also add “I’ll just work it out myself”.
Look, we’re sure that when you’re starting out that bootstrapping was a good strategy and most likely the only choice you had, thanks to a short-sighted bank manager (thanks for nothing, Clive!). But now you’re on the road to business success you should be looking to invest and bring in some experts to support you.
Many coaches will tell you that mentors and training are a good investment. Why walk the mountain alone when you can hire a Sherpa for a while?
Training costs money, but untrained staff cost more!
Get up to speed and pay someone who’s walked the walk already. It’s a fast track to your next level.

“We need to do it because our competitors are doing it”
Ok, look. Your competition might well be doing well. They might well look great from the outside. But a bit like the proverbial swan on a lake with no ripples, there’s a tonne of work you don’t see that’s giving them that success and it’s not always that swanky website or their meticulous Pinterest board.

And anyway, why would you copy them? You’re joining a race halfway through. No, don’t do that. Be original and take the lead. Make a different move.
Build a new product or service, or create something that’s never been seen before in your industry. Heck, it doesn’t even need to be that innovative; just not a carbon copy of what ‘they’ are doing already. Got it?

“The person that signs the cheques is not here today”
No, no, no. Your business is from this day forward banned from phrases like “We’ll post the letter on Monday”, “David in accounts will send you the invoice when he’s next in the office” and please stop talking about cheques.
Cash is on its way out and you’re still on cheques? Did you hear that they now have colour TV?

Ever heard about the modern way of doing business? It’s faster, leaner, and more competitive.
Put the fax machine in a museum and get comfortable with the cloud and Internet of Things.

It’s scary at first, but so was that first LinkedIn post you ever sent. You do use LinkedIn right?

“We need to list everything we do on our website”
It’s a website for your business, not Wikipedia for a country. So no, you don’t need to list EVERYTHING.
A good website needs to offer a taste of what you do. It’s the trailer for the greatest movie that your potential client will have ever seen.
Get the popcorn ready, and work on the core features and services that you offer.

The main aim of your website is to gain leads and enquiries, show you’re a legit company and of course drop a few truth bombs on your blog like this if you wish.
Keep the longform ‘War and Peace’ for your book writing.

“If you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll get what you’ve always got.”
Businesses need fresh thinking all the time but that darn virus thing and the following lockdown has been a test to even the most innovative of companies.
Get online, get up-to-date, and look for the positives and the opportunities here and in the future.

Sticking with the stable, trusted, and old-fashioned ways might make a crusty old MD happy, but it won’t put a smile on your potential clients’ faces.
Pivot if you must, but we’d rather just call it being forward-thinking.

Need help staying ahead of the competition or need some ideas on how your website and online systems can catapult you into the current decade?
Drop us an email.
Oh OK, fine, call us: 020 3319 7857.
What? No, we don’t have a fax number.

 
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