HSCS-006 – Controlling Chaos
February 23, 2009 by Roland Reinhart · Comments Off
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Are you offering your customers too many choices? The effort to please a few may damage your relationship with the majority you do business with. Simplify your offerings, to reduce chaos and ultimately become more profitable. Plus, Lucile in the U.K. asks how to make business contacts in new markets.
Controlling Chaos
Don’t make everything and specialize in nothing. Cut down the menu. It’s a classic K.I.S.S. strategy (Keep It Simple Stupid).
Reduce your core offerings. That can help cut down ordering time. Thereby reduces chances of mistakes.
An abundance of information can result in a scarcity of attention. In a retail setting, offering too much not only adds confusion for customer, it can cause chaos in the kitchen. It may also be less profitable. Do you find that you are giving too much away for free? (Comping) Perhaps if you solve another problem, their would be less waste, unhappy customers and hence the need to compensate.
Get rid of clumsy mechanisms and processes. Clear out the clutter. Get rid of things/people/vendors that prevent you from running your business properly. If something doesn’t work, vent out alternatives. Don’t just keep doing business as usual if it makes you angry.
Simplify everything and do it well. Keep it simple. Control the chaos.
Listener question: How to make business contacts in new markets?
Lucile from Grain Media in London, U.K. asked a great question. Grain Media produces a diverse range of programming from ethically minded documentaries and action sports films/series through to promos and music videos.
“Now we would like to expand and find places where we can pitch ideas or where we can get commissioned to make mobile content, more web content, advertising, etc… Would you have any ideas of ways I should go to be on pitching lists and make us known more around the industry?”
My thoughts…
- Post the question on Q&A boards for professionals, such as:
- Linkedin Answers (http://www.linkedin.com/answers/)
- MarketingProfs Know-How Exchange (http://www.marketingprofs.com/ea/index.asp)
- SitePoint Multimedia Forum (http://www.sitepoint.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=243)
- Contact the PR and marketing departments at various wireless/mobile carriers. Find out the process for pitching your capabilities to produce media content.
- Know anyone in Hollywood? (A screenwriter, grip, PA, foley artist, etc.) Check your Linkedin and Facebook contacts if anyone might be able to introduce you to someone or point you in the right direction.
- Find the industry/professional online boards for your specialty and be active contributing in those social networks. You never know how you might make a strategic alliance just from being an active participant and demonstrating your subject matter expertise.
Thanks for listening/reading!
