"In a world buffeted by megatrends, short-term financial results are an inadequate guide to strategy." strategy& "How to Seize the Opportunities When Megatrends Collide"
The recent article by strategy& (formerly Booze) talks explores the complexity of market environments facing today's companies. It suggests changes in management skills and corporate strategy. Essentially the article acknowledges the daunting nature of colliding megatrends, but also highlights the opportunity they represent for foresightful management teams.
A gentle collision - digital marketing & global sales growth
The article discusses a number of interesting, big trends including:
- demographics
- globalization
- urbanization
- climate change
- technological breakthroughs
There's nothing shocking in that list - you've already recognized those trends. But the way strategy& assembles them certainly provokes thought. After all, that's precisely the goal of the strategic consulting services that they offer.
Those are trends which they see accelerating - they don't spend much time on megatrends which have already collided. But there's a recent collision which is often overlooked - and key to SMB revenue growth.
Digital marketing opens up global sales growth opportunities in ways very few companies, or even consultants, recognize. And yet it's within easy grasp of nearly every company today.
Export needn't be extra
Too many companies have been conditioned by standard industry approaches to see export as a large and daunting additional, parallel process to their normal business development. And it used to be. It used to take a lot of research to select a target market; a protracted engagement and large commitment of resources; and a long runway to profitability.
It tended to wear companies out when they were accustomed to thinking of 6 month sell cycles. And myths around complexity and risk abound. Taken together it was intimidating, and so companies reconciled themselves to contentedness with a large domestic market.
Digital marketing is more than twitter and a website
Similarly, many companies consign themselves to mediocre digital marketing results because of assumptions about what's possible and what's required.
Many enthusiastic internet marketing initiatives have fallen flat after poorly coordinated tactical activities failed to produce strategic results.
More of one and less of another
So the amazing opportunity many companies miss lies at the nexus of the two. If they can fret less about export specifics and concentrate on diverse, profitable growth...AND...really sweat the big and small stuff of digital marketing, relying on strategic consulting services with B2B marketing experience, they'll excel.
Growth will occur globally - in other words domestically and internationally. They'll see simultaneous results. Revenue will increase along with global diversification, and they'll accrue a host of other benefits associated with increased export sales.
Sometimes it takes a bit of 3rd party perspective in the form of strategic consulting services to recognize how the opportunities fit together.
Wondering what's involved in getting your digital marketing on track to support this? And what the payoff might be? Check out our new guide on the finance of content marketing for more information.
