If you take a look at the family picture album from just a few years ago, you may find it amusing to look at the hairstyles that people wore during that period. Not to mention how the styles in clothing have changed. Now think back a few years before cell phones. CB radios were all the rage, good buddy. Everybody either had to have one or wanted one. Today just about the only people you can find with CB radios are the professional truck drivers. And remember the first cell phone you owned and how big and clunky it was? Or think back five years about the movie and TV stars of the day that have long since faded from popularity. Have you ever watched the reruns of an old TV show that use to be one of your favorites and after watching it again wondered why?
Do you have a Blockbuster card in your wallet? Do you use it or does it just sit in your wallet? Blockbuster recently filed for bankruptcy. The company blazed onto the retail scene with movie rentals. At one time it was the place to be on weekends in search of that great movie to watch at home. Consumers flocked to Blockbuster for new film releases. But now the company with competitors such as Netflix and Redbox, who have improved upon Blockbusters movie rental concept and taken it more mainstream for consumers, is in real trouble and industry experts wonder if Blockbuster can survive. Blockbuster allowed the stores and their concept to get old or stale with customers. Changes in consumer demand and modern technology passed the movie chain by and before they realized it, it was too late and Blockbuster’s competitors are now in the lead. According to Redbox’s website they recently passed the one billion movie rental mark.
What about your business? Does it come across as an old and tired concept with the products and services offered? Do you day after day approach your business and your customers or clients, even your employees, as you always have? You may not realize it but as business people we need to constantly be updating our thinking and take a fresh approach to our business. Always analyzing if there is a newer, better and more appropriate way. Sometimes the smallest change in your business can have the biggest impact.
So take some time, sit back and think about how you are presenting your company, products and services so that as times change people will continue to prefer doing business with you rather than your competitor. If it’s the same old story people will tune you out and find alternative choices that suit their current needs better. And you certainly don’t want that to happen.
If you are not doing enough business these days it may not be just the economy that’s affecting you but perhaps your old tired story.