Roy's Blog: Leadership
July 31, 2023
What is The Storm and why is it deadly for marketers?
Source: Unsplash
What is The Storm and why is it deadly for marketers?
The Sea: rogue waves - heaving tumultuous water - howling winds - black menacing clouds - deafening thunder - crackling lightning - violent and frightening.
Competition: burgeoning - hungry - desperate.
The environment: random - unpredictable - uncertain - anxious - chaotic - hysterical – angry.
Customers: fickle – demanding - intelligent – powerful - vocal, who speak their truth about how organizations serve them - socially connected - environmentally concerned - socially responsible - technology-savvy - opinionated - price conscious - value-driven.
Welcome to The Storm; the landscape facing entrepreneurs and business people today.
What’s the path to succeed and survive The Storm?
There is no simple answer, but there are some navigation buoys to observe in the maelstrom:
✔️ Stay close to your customers. Open yourself to them. “Attach” yourself to them as they experience a fast moving and uncertain world.
Move with them. Respond to how they deal with their reality. It’s like riding a bucking bronco. Hang on. Go with the forces that drive you.
✔️ Pick a course of action based on the best information you have available to you at the time. ‘Head West’.
✔️ Move from that course FAST, when things change.
Stay focused. Be nimble.
The Storm dictates that customer-obsessed MARKETING is vital to the success and survival of any business these days.
If you can’t market in The Storm you’re either dead or soon will be.
The Storm dictates that traditional marketing practices, on their way to irrelevance, must change.
It’s over. The old marketing pedagogy that guided marketers is done.
The Tipping Point signaling its demise is in the rear view mirror.
Not enough marketers are waking up to The Storm.
And the business schools aren’t doing students any favors in terms of preparing them for it.
They are not actively facilitating the move away from the old marketing ways to the marketing tools that will give organizations a shot at weathering The Storm.
Business students don’t learn Storm Marketing competencies so how can they contribute to business survival when they get out in the real world?
Much marketing these days is BORING in my view.
It’s lazy. It’s forgettable. It’s unimaginative. It’s unremarkable. It’s deadly in The Storm.
Today it seems to be all about pushing products and services with a features and benefits bent.
It’s all about price.
It’s “communications to the masses” approach invades one’s privacy; it’s obtrusive.
It’s about copying what others are doing; infatuation with Best in Class and Best of Breed.
And there is confusion.
▪️Some talk about marketing but what they really mean is sales.
▪️Some talk about marketing but what they really mean is advertising and communications.
▪️Some talk about marketing but what they really mean is brand management.
Hell, even same-old marketing is misunderstood.
What a challenge to start a conversation about morphing to Storm Marketing.
Cheers,
Roy
My 50+ Podcast Shows that will change your life.
Check out my BE DiFFERENT or be dead Book Series
‘Audacious’ is my latest…
- Posted 7.31.23 at 05:28 am by Roy Osing
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July 17, 2023
What are the top 3 challenges in business today?
Source: Unsplash
What are the top 3 challenges in business today?
The truth is that virtually all organizations have access to the same products, the same technology, the same recruiting tools, the same strategic planning algorithms, the same CRM platforms and the same EVERYTHING.
So, the main challenges business faces today aren’t about these things.
These things represent the means to your end, not your end themselves.
You may NEED a specific technology to deliver your customer solutions, but they represent the HOW you acquire and retain them.
They don’t define that strategy behind why customers decide to do business with you and not your competitors.
It is in this area the true challenges present themselves for most businesses.
In my experience, these are the top 3 mountains most organizations must climb if they are to achieve audacious results.
#1. DIFFERENTIATE! — Answer the question “Why should someone do business with ME as opposed to my competitors?”.
If you can’t answer the question “How are you different?”, you’re DONE.
#2. DIFFERENTIATE! — STOP! copying best practices and looking for unique one-of-a-kind approaches to separate your business from others.
Put the textbook down and try to create methods and solutions that work for you and establish YOU as the benchmark for others to copy.
#3. DIFFERENTIATE! — Cast off the narcissism. It’s not about YOU.
Differentiation is not about what you think of your business, the value you provide and what separates your business from the crowd around you.
It’s what OTHERS think of your business.
“We provide the best customer service.” is undifferentiation in full bloom along with other statements that use CLAPTRAP words and expressions like ‘better’, #1, ‘market leader’, ‘the first’, ‘premium’, ‘great tasting’, ‘most reliable’ and ‘lowest cost’.
If you’re not the ONLY one that does what you do, you’re DONE.
Businesses today do a mediocre job of separating themselves from the crowd.
If you can’t differentiate you will die…
Cheers,
Roy
My 50+ Podcast Shows that will change your life.
Check out my BE DiFFERENT or be dead Book Series
‘Audacious’ is my latest…
- Posted 7.17.23 at 05:14 am by Roy Osing
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July 10, 2023
From Startup to a Billion Dollars in Sales: My Audacious and Unheard of Ways
My thanks to Stephen Halasnik fro The Entrepreneur MBA Podcast for hosting me on his show and allowing me to unpack my latest book.
These are the great notes he made from our session.
Building a billion-dollar business is the dream of most entrepreneurs. However, it requires vision, perseverance, and strategic decision-making. While it may seem daunting, numerous success stories prove entrepreneurs can build great companies that stand out from the pack and have billions in revenue. You can create a thriving business with the right mindset and approach.
This article explores essential strategies and principles that can guide aspiring entrepreneurs on their path to building a billion-dollar company.
5 Tips for Building a Billion-Dollar Business
Building a thriving company with excellent performance entails going the extra mile and doing what is unheard of. You must spend most of your time working on your business, not in your business, if you want to reach your business goals. Below are the key strategies to consider while wanting to build a billion-dollar business:
#1. Strategic Planning — Strategic planning is crucial in building a billion-dollar business by identifying the right market segments, developing innovative products or services, entering new markets, and staying ahead of the curve. Strategic planning is setting long-term goals and determining the best method to achieve them.
You must analyze the market to identify opportunities and threats, define a clear vision and mission, and outline strategies to gain a competitive advantage. Effective strategic planning enables you to make informed decisions, allocate resources efficiently, and adapt to changing market conditions.
#2. Differentiation — You should strive to create a unique selling proposition (USP) that sets your business apart from competitors. In other words, you should aim to offer something distinctive and valuable that customers cannot easily find elsewhere.
You can achieve this through various means, including innovative product design, superior quality, exceptional customer service, or a unique business model.
By differentiating your company, you can attract a loyal customer base, command higher prices, and establish a strong market position. Successful differentiation requires understanding customer needs, conducting market research, and continually innovating to stay ahead of competitors.Building a business
#3. Hire the Right Employees — The composition of your teammates goes a long way in affecting your bottom line. Hire passionate, dedicated people who genuinely care about the company and its customers.
Genuine employees are not merely motivated by a pay-check but by a deep sense of purpose and a desire to make a positive impact. Hiring team members whose vision aligns with your business is crucial because they bring enthusiasm, creativity, and a customer-centric mindset to the company.
They provide exceptional customer experiences, foster a positive company culture, and contribute to the overall success and growth of the company. A workforce of passionate individuals can also attract other talented individuals and create a positive reputation in the industry.
#4. Create a Unique Customer Experience — Creating a unique customer experience involves delivering exceptional service and exceeding customers’ expectations at every touchpoint. And this includes interactions before, during, and after the purchase.
Billion-dollar businesses understand the importance of building strong customer relationships and strive to provide personalized, seamless, and memorable experiences.
You can achieve this through various means, such as offering personalized recommendations, providing fast and efficient support, leveraging technology to streamline processes, and continuously improving the customer journey.
When you create a unique customer experience, your business can foster customer loyalty, generate positive word-of-mouth, and differentiate itself from competitors.
#5. Be Unique — You must strive to stand out from the crowd by offering something distinct and not easily replicable. Your uniqueness can stem from various aspects of the business, including its products, services, brand identity, culture, or business model. Billion-dollar businesses strive to bring innovation and originality to their industry, challenging traditional norms and delivering new value propositions.
By being unique, your company can attract attention, create a strong brand identity, capture market share, and achieve long-term success. However, it requires a deep understanding of the market, consumer preferences, and a willingness to take calculated risks to disrupt the status quo.
There you have it. Tune in and listen to the full show and learn about other practical and proven ways you can grow your business to unimaginable heights.
Cheers,
Roy
My 55+ Podcast Shows that will change your business and your life.
Check out my BE DiFFERENT or be dead Book Series
‘Audacious’ is my latest…
- Posted 7.10.23 at 06:26 am by Roy Osing
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July 7, 2023
How my audacious unheard-of ways will get you A BILLION IN SALES
CHECK OUT MY 7th BOOK!
The Audacious ‘Unheard-of Ways’ I Took a Startup to A BILLION IN SALES.
How on earth do you build an organization from the early stages to a billion dollars in annual sales?
Well, in this book I am going to give you the 100% No B.S. TRUTH, broken down, move by move, so you can do what I did yourself, because I’m a big believer of passing on the torch to fellow business people and entrepreneurs, and secondly, I believe in not wasting anyone’s time.
The truth is, I discovered that it’s not one thing, it’s a number of deliberate moves that position you and your company in harmony with one another to produce flawless performance results and I’m going to walk you through them step by step. You will learn quickly in a way that cuts through the CRAP and allows you to Get it Done with little trouble.
Check out my more recent podcast shows (the full list of 85+ podcast shows are here) where I break down my Audacious Ways for many audiences.
***NEW! “Special guest Roy Osing shares very thought-provoking and audacious ideas to help you differentiate yourself from your competition, so you can achieve your goals sooner rather than later and maybe even exceed what you thought possible. This is a must listen to interview.”, The Accountability Podcast
***NEW! Audacious Leadership is all about breaking away from the normal way leaders practice their art. In this ‘Biz Gone Social’ show we explore the Moves I made to successfully grow a startup to A BILLION IN SALES! — Biz Gone Social Podcast
***NEW! “Roy discusses the importance of breaking out of the “sameness” that businesses have accepted as the norm and standing out to be the ONLY ONE doing……(fill in the blank). We discuss practical ways to make that happen and touch on some of the points from Roy’s many books.”, Customer First Podcast
***NEW! “This week I was lucky enough to interview a very cool and articulate guy named Roy Osing. One of the highlights of Roy’s illustrious career was driving a company to a BILLION in annual sales. Roy documented his journey in a book - not the ordinary how-to textbook type - but based on what he did differently to actually grow a business to a billion in annual sales.
Let’s fly all the way to Vancouver and explore Roy Osing’s ocean of thoughts through his book ‘Be Different or Be Dead’!”, The First Customer Podcast
***NEW! A Journey to A BILLION in Annual Sales. “Join me this week as I talk with Roy Osing, Author of “BE DiFFERENT or be dead,” about his journey to bring his company to $1 billion in annual sales. Roy and I talk about how he reached this milestone through learning on the run, “leadership by serving around” and building trust and consistency within his organization. Roy shares many tips that he has implemented throughout the years and encourages front line recognition and a strong culture to create a successful team.” The Positive Polarity Podcast
***NEW! From a Startup to a Billion Dollar Sales. “In this episode, host Michael Brooks dives deep into the world of business success with Roy Osing, a renowned business advisor with a remarkable journey. Roy takes us through the audacious strategies he employed to take a small data company and grow it into a billion dollar industry behemoth. If you’re an entrepreneur, business owner, or aspiring leader looking for practical, real-world strategies to scale your business, this episode is a goldmine of insights you can’t afford to miss!”. The Scaling Edge Podcast
This, my seventh book in the BE DiFFERENT or be dead Series, shows you how to do what I did to grow a company to a billion in sales and to give you confidence that if you follow my audacious and ‘unheard-of ways’ you will also not only grow your business to unimaginable levels, you will also have an unbelievable and incomparable career.
The essence of my work is based on what I learned from over three decades as a successful Entrepreneur, President, CEO and Business Leader.
I have found that consistent success comes from being unique and standing out from those around you, be it a hungry competitor looking to grow their share of the market at your expense, or another person coveting career opportunities identical to yours.
In this book you will learn how to find a way to carve out a unique position for yourself and/or your organization and stand out in the mob crowd and be The ONLY one that does what you do. In doing so, success follows you like a magnet with the riches you deserve.
On the inside of Audacious
My book lays out for you in simple how-to ways, the bold moves you need to take if you want to ‘kill it’ in business and have an amazing career with the financial rewards that go with it, no matter the stage of your business, career or company, including but not limited to:
▪️The organization’s business plan must be focussed on how to execute and must clearly define an unmatched competitive position.
▪️Customer Service must be memorable and designed to take the customer’s breath away.
▪️Leaders must be in the trenches with the frontline helping them execute.
▪️Your need to be hungry for a personally rewarding career while achieving the organization’s strategic imperatives as your end game, is imperative.
▪️Marketers must reject the masses and build stuff for the weirdos.
▪️’Un-Sales’ must be the norm and selling never the priority.
Thoughtful Remarks about Audacious
“BE DiFFERENT or be dead: The Audacious ‘Unheard-of Ways’ I Took a Startup to a Billion in Sales provides a roadmap for how to leverage Roy’s leadership methods to set a business up for success.
Whether your business is a start-up, or amongst the Fortune 500, Roy’s audacity and expertise will help you drive innovation, build a customer-centric culture and fuel success within an increasingly competitive and dynamic landscape.”
— Darren Entwistle, President and CEO TELUS Corp. Vancouver Canada
“In The Audacious ‘Unheard-of Ways’ I took a Startup to a Billion in Sales Roy provides pivotal marketing secrets and tips that enabled him to achieve his audacious goals, and to make you hungry to do the same. Each one of his tips could be another book. Roy’s Audacious Book #7 will help you become different from the common breed.”
— Frank Palmer, Chairman, Palmer Stamnes DDB, Vancouver Canada
“I’m a student of Roy’s work, but ‘Audacious and Unheard-of Ways’ is a superlative piece of ‘how-to’ work that goes beyond the limits of providing useful advice to businesses and career professionals; it surpassed my wildest expectations. If you choose only one book to read to make a difference in your life, choose this one - give it to someone in Marketing, your organization will thank you.”
— Bradley Hale, Career Sales Entrepreneur, Toronto Canada
“Roy Osing revolutionized business with his concept and book, ’Be Different or Be Dead’. With this book, he turns textbook leadership on its head with creative, out-of-the-box solutions to the biggest problems in business: aligning strategy and execution, motivating employees, and selling in turbulent times.”
— Rick Spence, Business Writer and Speaker, Editor PROFIT Magazine, Toronto Canada
“Roy’s strategic vision and unrelenting focus on delivering results is a clear and powerful roadmap for success, in business and beyond. BE DiFFERENT or be dead: The Audacious ‘Unheard-of Ways’ I Took a Startup to a Billion in Sales is a must-read for anyone looking to advance their career or business.”
— Jill Schnarr, Chief Communications Officer, TELUS, Vancouver Canada
“In today’s fast moving business world, sage advice and wisdom can be hard to come by. We are all so busy and distracted that we find ourselves trying to solve the same problems over and over, with varying degrees of success. Once in a while the opportunity comes along to experience deep learning from someone who has actually achieved what we are attempting to do. This book is your opportunity.”
— Ron Cox, President Tailwind Consulting LLC, Tampa Florida
“This book is the best yet from Roy. He has kept true to the core principles set out in his first book BE DiFFERENT or be dead or Be Dead Your Business Survival Guide’ and his eBooks . Roy provides practical, invaluable insights and bold ways to leverage all functions of an organization to dazzle customers, truly stand out from and outperform the competition and produce amazing returns for an organization and its stakeholders. An amazing read with so many valuable lessons.”
— Egon de Haas, Industry Executive, Global Government & Public Services, PricewaterhouseCoopers International Limited, Amsterdam The Netherlands
“Roy tells it like it is. No esoteric prose, just plain, practical advice that can be immediately implemented. You deserve to be a great leader, have a great career, sell as much as you can and Roy lays out the path how to achieve this and more. Now is the time to bring the unique you to the forefront and Roy’s new book can help you on that journey”.
— John Golden, Chief Strategy & Marketing Officer, Pipelinersales Inc., Pacific Palisades California
“What I loved about the book is the absolute focus on the customer and the need to keep pace with their wants and desires during these unprecedented and turbulent times. Roy does an excellent job relating how customers are treated to growing a business.”
— Nerio Vakil, President Total Business Solutions, Mumbai India
“Every concept Roy touches on in ‘Audacious Unheard-of Ways’ can be used in small business. This is about a personal journey to success. Roy teaches you not just how to focus but where to focus, how to cut the CRAP, that there is greater value in looking ahead then behind, and how to build respect and get results with your staff in his Bear Pit sessions. And the list goes on. If you are a small business owner and you really want to differentiate yourself to achieve better results Roy tells you how. Ask yourself, do you want to be DIFFERENT or be dead?”
— Daniel Boisvert, A DiFFERENT Entrepreneur and Notary Public, Delta Canada
The ebook version was released Feb 1, 2022.
If you’re interested in more information please feel free to reach out to me.
Order your copy of ‘Audacious’ NOW at:
Amazon
Google Books
Barnes and Noble
Indigo.chapters.ca
Books-A-Million
Indie Bookstore
Bookshop.org
Cheers,
Roy
PS My 50+ Podcast Shows that will change your life.
- Posted 7.7.23 at 09:02 am by Roy Osing
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