Before I get started I wanted to let you know that we just released a really great podcast featuring Alex McArthur, the Chief Marketing Officer at Purple. Drop in and hear the behind the scenes story about their business and their rapid rise to the top of the e-commerce segment. This guy is awesome, and you don’t want to miss his story so check that out HERE.
Things are really tough right now for some in the industry. There are legitimate competitive pressures out there making growth difficult so I feel for them when they say they are struggling.
My problem is I have a hard time being compassionate towards people that want to complain about business when they aren’t doing anything different to drive better results. If your partners aren’t supporting you or if they are not lined up with your best interest, get new ones. Not getting the traffic you used to? Then stop advertising the same way you always have. Closing rates dropping? Then move your people around for a better result. Not capturing any of the online business because your digital strategy isn’t what it should be? Start learning your way into that world because it’s not going away.
I realize that this is me hitting the easy button, but it’s time to get inspired and find your path. Do NOT follow the rest of the industry, carry the same products everyone else has, give away adjustable bases just because everyone else is. There is a big idea waiting for you if you just start opening more doors.
Not sure why it happens but sometimes we just get stuck. We are trapped in this place and just can’t seem to get any traction to improve on where we are. If you look back on your own life think about what happened in the past to get you…un-stuck. Was it an event that took place that rattled your cage? Was it a person that pushed on you to get you to see the light? Was it inspiration from an unlikely source?
There are people having record years in the same economy, with the same competitive pressures so there is no reason that can’t be you. Keep pushing, the answer is there waiting.
5 thoughts on “Stuck”
Yes, A tough year after 2 great years,
Not sure why,
Thanks for the good word Mark
Great thoughts! Research is now confirming what we’ve suspected for years which is “grit” is more important than competency when it comes to success. I just think of it as “Having a strong WHY”. Well done sir [tips cap]
No doubt Brandon, the WHY is such a difference maker if people can connect to it. The way things are right not for some, “grit” is going to be pretty dang important.
Some of the best mattress/furniture dealers I know in SoCal have freshened up their digital advertising, asking their sales team to start by asking question on health issues, rather than asking ‘what size mattress do you need’, making allies with interior designers, changing vendors that have a great story behind their product, adding new items to their floors, such as wall art, plants, lamps, decorative pieces throughout their store – all for sale, attending network events, belonging to their local chamber of commerce and getting involved on committees, following up with customers asking if their new purchase is providing the comfort and support they need, always providing over and above top notch service and follow through, asking customers for writing a positive remark on Yelp with five star ratings. Finally, contacting the customers asking if any of their friends or neighbors that might have a mattress need.
The ones that change with the times are successful as you mention Mark, the others just complain about lack of sales or traffic and barely hang on and/or eventually closing.
Great comments Paul. These are definitely things that the “A” players out there are doing. Not the typical approach to business and I love it. Thanks for reading as always!