Are we experiencing a recession? A lot of people are convinced that we are. Those businesses that believe in this concept will "batten down the hatches" and wait for these economic storms to pass. When that happens, they will continue where they left off; changing very little about how they conduct business. In SEO terms, this would be called "flux"… rankings that are bouncing up and down, but we continue what we are doing because we know it works.
But what if this is not flux? What if the economic climate is a more permanent correction? Are we seeing an a algorithmic change to the global economy – similar to what we in the search marketing world experience when Google decides to change the rules?
There are many business leaders who believe just this. That the economy has been "re-calibrated" – and it is time to reconsider how your business participates in the new world order.
For example, Tom Peters (known for his shock and awe approach) wrote the following in a recent blog on his site:
If you think of it as a recalibration, you will be motivated to focus on what you have to do differently, since everything is different now.
- The way your business generates results is different, now.
- Your customers think differently, now.
- Your customers care about different things, now.
- Your customers act differently, now.
- Your customers may actually be different people, now.
- Customers aren’t disposable anymore; more than ever, you have to create sustainable customer relationships.
Everything is different now.
Susan Reid over at Small Business Trends wrote a blog yesterday on the "Top 10 Resolutions for a More Profitable 2009". One of the resolutions was very close to our core beliefs that we have held dear for some time here at Vertical Leap:
2. Be transparent and honest in your dealings.
2008 turned out to be the year of artifice and subterfuge. People have been hurt and don’t know whom to trust or what to believe.
Make 2009 the year when you do your part to help people believe and trust again. Be honest in your dealings with people. Be transparent in your business operations. This year, honesty will matter. Being a good person will matter. Being authentic will matter. Consumers, employees, and the world will be looking for integrity and eager to embrace individuals and businesses that strive to earn their trust.
Honesty, integrity, transparency and trust are major components of our core values; but it also ties in with what Tom Peters is saying.. "Your customers think differently, now".
Of course I believe that the economic slow down is part of a cycle that will begin to trend upwards again in the not so distant future.. but is it more than that? Is this more that a cycle? More than "flux"? Or is it an "algorithmic change" that may require you / your business to reconsider your service, your products, and your approach more thoroughly?
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