Reaching for the light

There is a tree that stands next to the extension we built at the farm.  I am sure originally it was upright, reaching to the sky, but with the new building, it now bends away so it can still capture the light and continue to grow.

It makes me think of what we have to do to stay relevant in our business – lean towards the light, listen to what the market is saying it wants.  The tree’s roots are strong, so it is not in danger of falling over and if you have built your business on a strong foundation, your company won’t be pushed over either.

But the key is to stay flexible; to stay current and nimble enough to adapt and change to what the new marketplace wants and needs.  So often we get stuck in our ways. “We’ve always done it this way.  People have always loved this program.”  Well, maybe yes, but as the song goes ‘times are a changing’ and to stay alive, you may find you have to change your offering too.

I find that when we are insistent in offering what we want to offer, rather than what our customers want, we really run the risk of getting it wrong.  Keeping our ear to the ground, listening to what people are saying (and not saying), helps us to stay on track.

Changing it up, making it fun is one way to keep your clients happy.  Truth is, the same old, same old – is just that, and personally I find that boring.   I am always looking for new light, and like the tree I am willing to bend to find it.