Jane Crofts’ Post

Dear Business Leader, Remember that long meeting you had? The one that took hours to figure out next steps? Your clients probably don’t. That extra staff you hired? The months spent training them? Your team likely didn’t notice. But they do remember: • The deadlines you missed • The late nights you worked • The weekends you sacrificed Efficiency isn’t measured by how many people you hire. It’s measured by how much time you save. Don’t trade your time for processes that could be automated. Your biggest asset is focus. Make sure you’re investing it wisely. Scale your business. But don’t lose your time doing it. Learn how AI and the gig economy can cut your overhead and boost efficiency by 20% in 90 days. Read more here ↓ https://lnkd.in/dheuyXuW

Thinking vs. Doing...     In their search for outside expertise, business leaders are seeking one of two things:   1 Thinking – a respected point of view, knowledge, advice, and guidance to help solve a specific business problem.   2 Doing – skill making and managing things, production expertise, done for you services.   Number 2 is a commodity category.   In most professional service categories, buyers have plenty of supply to get things done and providers are easily replaced.   This is especially true for marketing. PR, advertising, and design agencies.   If you’re in the doing side of one of those professional service businesses, you’re already freaked out by the downward pressure of fees and profitability.   Buyers wanting more for less. AI platforms “comin to git cha” are an added threat to your future.   It’s quite likely whatever you’re doing now, may soon no longer be needed.   The only antidote to that bleak future is to move your business into the thinking category.   You do this by being the go-to expert known for specialized expertise to solve a specific high value business problem for a specific type of client.   This takes courage and a bit of time to transform a run of the mill "doing" business into an influential "thinking" business.   Start now. #whitehotcenter #professionalservices #competitiveadvantage

Running a business means navigating a sea of decisions daily. That also means reaching decision blocks quite frequently… I rely on a simple yet powerful strategy: gut! Look at data but trust your instinct. That has developed a basis of experience, research, customer feedback, and financial analysis – which are the bedrock of informed choices. But numbers alone don't reveal the whole picture. That's where experience comes into play. Over two decades in the marketing business have taught me invaluable lessons. I've witnessed trends come and go, weathered storms, and celebrated victories, and this knowledge is my compass. Sometimes, intuition provides insights that data can't capture. Combining these elements helps me make decisions that are both strategic and authentic. It's not just about making choices; it's about making choices that resonate with our brand's essence and drive us forward. In decision-making, knowledge is power. Next time you hit a decision block, trust your instincts as much as you trust data. The results will be rewarding.

𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗲𝘁𝗶𝘁𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗹𝘆𝘀𝗶𝘀? 🤔 We've all been there. We're not snooping around, we're simply 'researching'! 🕵️♂️ 𝗜𝘁'𝘀 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗹𝗼𝗰𝗸 𝗛𝗼𝗹𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱. With a magnifying glass in one hand and the business profile in the other, we embark on a thrilling adventure. 𝗔 𝘀𝗲𝗰𝗿𝗲𝘁 𝗺𝗶𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝘂𝗻𝗰𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 ,𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁’, ,𝗵𝗼𝘄’ 𝗮𝗻𝗱 ,𝘄𝗵𝘆’ 𝗯𝗲𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗲𝘁𝗶𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘀' 𝘀𝘂𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀. 🚀 Don't get it twisted, it's not about copying. It's about learning, adapting, and innovating. Here's a tip: Stop focusing solely on their product. Look at their marketing strategy, customer service, and even their company culture. You'll be surprised by what you can learn. 📚 𝗥𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿, competitor analysis isn't a one-and-done deal. It's a continuous process, a never-ending game of business chess. 🎯 So, put on your detective hat, grab your magnifying glass, and let the 'research' begin! 🕵️♀️🔍 𝗔𝗻𝗱 𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿, in this game of business, everyone's trying to checkmate. But only those who know their opponents' strategy inside out will be the last ones standing. So, keep your friends close, and your competitors closer! 😉👊

The tangibles are getting automated— stuff that’s easy to track & predict like data analytics, virtual assistants, accounting systems, etc. That’s why technology cannot be your moat. Even the highest quality tech is as good as the insights it’s built upon. In an increasingly digital world, it’s easy to forget this. It’s by design that the intangibles become (or remain) a competitive advantage. The feeling a brand evokes, the sense of community, the love for a product; this stuff demands that *we* assign tangible values to it to track progress. Therein lies your competitive advantage: the ability to define what these intangibles mean for *your* business. Building a community? You’re likely tracking engagement. But does engagement mean the number of likes & comments on posts? Unless you’re building some form of a social media platform, this is likely not a great measure for you. Building a business? You're likely tracking growth. But does growth equate to growing revenue and hitting targets? Unless you're looking at these numbers over a long period, you're robbing yourself of context and missing crucial insights on a micro level. While these are decent #metrics, the behaviour that best moves your users closer to your mission will inform the most important metric you need to be tracking frequently. Identifying it is 100% easier said than done. But then again, that's the art that becomes your #competitiveadvantage.

What an inspiring story, Franck BEBEY FEZE,EMBA! Your experience illustrates the transformative impact of leveraging unique strengths for exponential growth and achieving market leadership in data-driven industries. Using advanced predictive models can set you apart and deliver great value to clients. Your approach also highlights the importance of analyzing operational data and market trends. This approach is pivotal for organizations aiming to harness their strengths and drive sustained growth. Your success with the tech company is a compelling case study of how strategic data analysis can pave the way for long-term success and industry recognition. #DataScienceExcellence #PredictiveAnalytics #StrategicInsights 

In my early days of business, I struggled to understand what the numbers in my reports really meant. I thought they were just 'there,' but I learned the hard way how critical they are for growth. I made the mistake of raising my prices too soon, guided by emotional advice to 'charge my worth' without data to back it up. The result? I lost over half my clientele—a tough but valuable lesson. Today, I know numbers tell the real story. They show when it’s time for a price increase, when to add or cut back days, and how to scale sustainably. Now, I get to teach my team these tools, empowering them to work smarter, not harder. It’s incredibly rewarding to see them succeed by using data to make informed decisions. What’s a career lesson you’ve learned the hard way? Let’s start a conversation.

𝐇𝐎𝐖 𝐓𝐎 𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐃𝐔𝐂𝐓 𝐄𝐅𝐅𝐄𝐂𝐓𝐈𝐕𝐄 𝐌𝐀𝐑𝐊𝐄𝐓 𝐑𝐄𝐒𝐄𝐀𝐑𝐂𝐇 𝐅𝐎𝐑 𝐘𝐎𝐔𝐑 𝐁𝐔𝐒𝐈𝐍𝐄𝐒𝐒 Understanding and conducting effective market research is crucial for small and medium-sized businesses aiming to thrive in today's competitive landscape. What Is Market Research? Market research involves gathering and analyzing information about your industry, target customers, and competitors to make informed business decisions. Benefits of Market Research: 1/ Identify Customer Needs: Understand what your customers want to tailor your products or services accordingly. 2/ Spot Market Opportunities: Discover emerging trends to stay ahead of the competition. 3/ Mitigate Risks: Make data-driven decisions to reduce business uncertainties. Steps to Conduct Effective Market Research: 1/ Define Your Goals: Clearly outline what you want to learn—be it customer preferences, market size, or competitor strategies. 2/ Gather Secondary Data: Utilize existing resources like industry reports, online articles, and government publications to collect relevant information. • Collect Primary Data: Engage directly with your target audience through: • Surveys: Distribute questionnaires to gather quantitative data. • Interviews: Conduct one-on-one discussions for in-depth insights. • Focus Groups: Facilitate group discussions to explore customer perceptions. 3/ Analyze Competitors: Examine your competitors' offerings, pricing, and customer feedback to identify your unique selling proposition. 4/ Interpret the Data: Analyze the collected information to identify patterns and insights that can inform your business strategies. 5/ Implement Findings: Apply the insights to improve your products, marketing efforts, and customer service. 6/ Implement Findings: Apply the insights to improve your products, marketing efforts, and customer service. Remember, market research isn't a one-time task; it's an ongoing process that evolves with your business. Stay curious, keep asking questions, and let your customers guide your growth. Follow me for more valuable content to help your business thrive!

“The success of an organization is exactly proportional to its ability to do what others cannot.” A few years ago, I had the opportunity to collaborate with a promising technology company as a strategy consultant. This company, specialized in developing data management software, faced fierce competition in a saturated market. During a strategic meeting, the founder shared an insight that would become our guiding principle: “In the real world, far from economic theories, the success of an organization is exactly proportional to its ability to do what others cannot.” These words resonated deeply with us. Together, we set out to discover what made this company unique. Very quickly, we identified a key competence: the team’s ability to integrate advanced predictive statistical models, now widespread in artificial intelligence, into their software. This allowed for unprecedented personalization and precision in predictions. As a consultant, I helped the team refocus their entire strategy around this unique competence. By emphasizing these statistical models and developing features that competitors could not offer, we created an unparalleled value proposition. Clients quickly recognized the difference, and the company experienced exponential growth. Today, this company has become a leader in its sector. It perfectly illustrates that focusing on distinctive strengths is the path to success. “In the real world, far from economic theories, the success of an organization is exactly proportional to its ability to do what others cannot.” #BusinessStrategy #Innovation #Success #UniqueSkills