How to Check Your Business Relevance

Even if you’re on the right track, you’ll get run over if you just sit there ~Will Rogers

In the 13 years that The Sponge has been in business, I have spent a LOT of time sitting on the track. For me that meant long stints of being very busy working in the business, putting my head up infrequently only to notice there had been huge leaps ahead in the calendar!

How fast does time fly? 1 year goes past in a blink, 5 years, even 10 years feels like a blur. Does it not?

In the last 5 years how many things have changed? Mobile phones are now the first screen for most people, and more frequently the only screen. What impact has Facebook, Amazon, Apple & Google have had on consumption of data and consumption of everything else for that matter?

The Sponge - Danger Zone

So much disruption happened and is still happening to what had seemed stable industries. Airbnb for the hotel industry, Uber with Taxis, and of course Apple to music. What about Netflix with Blockbuster, and now the disruption of pay TV and free to air television as we know it?

I must say that with Netflix being my go to for TV and Movie content now, I am happy not to be arguing with the garbage being spouted through television commercials that polluted the shows on rare occasions I did chose to tune in for.

The world has become an on demand market. Leaders must adapt their offerings to meet the demand of the market where it is (or create the demand). If not, they fail to connect with buyers and get run over by those that do. It is all about being relevant.

10 quick questions for your business about the last 5 years:

  1. Has your product or service changed?
  2. Have your competitors changed?
  3. Has your industry changed?
  4. Have your buyers changed?
  5. Has the way they find you changed?
  6. Has the way you sell changed?
  7. Has the way you deliver your product/service changed?
  8. Has your customer service changed?
  9. Has your marketing changed?
  10. Has your website changed?

While you have likely addressed many of these out of necessity. In that 5 years have you stopped to do a comprehensive brand analysis to check that your brand story is relevant to your best buyers? I am referring to a complete brand asset review, all your collateral marketing material, from design elements to messaging. If you haven’t measured, how do you know that your brand and your brand story is relevant?

Many business owners I have spoken to have been too busy working in the business (like I was) and have not done this critical realignment either. It’s OK, there is always now. I will show you how.

Luke Faccini Realigning Brand Stories

On Thursday I hosted my first free online workshop. It was a highly interactive and value packed webinar. My attendees and I had a blast. I shared a lot and there were great questions (thank you!). The feedback I received was so overwhelmingly positive about what they learned that I have already scheduled my next workshop for Thursday the 23rd July at 8am (Sydney time) and already spaces are being filled.

I would love you to join me, wherever you are in the world, whatever your business. I share my heart out in this hour long workshop, with the goal to give you what I know to help your business get and stay relevant. And of course make it fun.

Here is the link: http://bit.ly/SBP040715

I look forward to seeing you on the webinar.

Have an awesome day and week!

Luke

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Humbling Words From Awesome People

  • The Sponge is enabling small business to focus on essential elements of marketing/strategy. I used to go in circles and best guess engagement with customers; I didn’t understand my target market. The Sponge gave me a real wake-up call: To realise how much time and money I was throwing away for no return. The learning was interesting and interactive. Now, I feel in control and focused.

    Sue Lea Timely Business Solutions
  • We were in the middle of re-branding and wanted to know how better to market our product including how better to tell our story. This webinar provided practical marketing techniques, and rationale to explain the benefit of this strategy. The 'light bulb' moment for me was making the connection between the power of storytelling and marketing our brand.

    Susan Perry CEO CommunityGro
  • Branding is a familiar concept to comms & marketing professionals like myself. But it’s often a mystery to other staff, and for brand to be authentic, unique and indispensable they all need to be on board. This training helped me clarify branding to everyone in our organisation. Now they’re all part of the brand redevelopment crew, identifying and sharing stories that resonate with our values and purpose. Thanks, Luke, for launching our journey to uncover the brand that ‘comes from within’.

    Avril Janks Communications and Marketing Coordinator
  • The Sponge’s perceptive sensibility guarantees a perfect match between your business and its presentation to the world. They makes your values, ethics, goals, and the 'feel' of your business shine through every aspect of your brand.

    Geoff Walker Sydney Massage Time Pty Ltd
  • I recommend The Sponge’s services to new and established organizations who are looking to differentiate themselves from the “ordinary” and stand out from the crowd.

    Annette Wright InfoGenesis Pty Limited
  • One of Luke’s talents is his ability to move people and organizations from the creative to the innovative, commercializing ideas and inventions.

    Rodney Marks Hoax Speaker
  • I have had The Sponge involved in several IT based projects over my years working as a Software Developer. Each project has seen results that have exceeded expectations and I highly recommend them.

    Shane Wisniewski Wesfarmers Industrial and Safety
  • I usually don’t believe in one stop shops, because of the inability to be great across many areas, but The Sponge truly are the one stop shop for brand creation, innovation and lead generation.

    Mark Capelin Tribe Social Fitness
  • Luke and the crew at the Sponge helped set up our Corporate image as it stands today. They were extremely helpful and patient. They took the time to understand our business and brainstormed with us some of the essential elements and came up with various images until we were happy with the final one. Can't recommend Luke and his team enough. Thanks again Luke.

    Kim Lie Jom Complete Health Chiropractic
  • The Sponge team are great to work with. They translate your ideas and vision into something real and tangible and they truly want to make an impact to your business strategy with their valuable insights. We have been using them for over 10 years and would highly recommend their expertise.

    M Levonian William, Thyme & Prophet / Report Factory
  • A great vibe and energy brought to every project that The Sponge have led for me. Easy to work with, quick on the uptake of direction and prompt service. Will definitely be using The Sponge again and highly recommend.

    Lucette King NSW Department of Education
  • High level strategic thinking and their creativity makes them stand out. Quick turn around time and reasonable price make them the winner every single time.

    Syed Mujtuba Crescent Wealth
  • Awesome company with awesome creativity. After working with them over 2 years, The Sponge has successfully turned me from a happy customer into a raving fan!

    Jeremy Chen Claytan Australia
  • Great creative proactive company. Could not be happier with the works they both provided and suggested. Now our go to company for branding.

    Ross Thompson JHA Engineers
  • Awesome design. Easy to work with. Jobs are completed quickly. Highly recommended.

    Alexander Bont BONT
  • Luke and the team at the Sponge are truly artisans of their craft. They're AWARE, they DARE and DELIVER.

    Claude Di Ciano Richardson & Wrench Willoughby
  • Love their vision, love their work and mostly love the team!

    C. S. Chen Claytan Australia
  • The Sponge truly immersed themselves into our business, our team and our culture to develop a brand that not only captured our essence but more importantly; expressed it to the world.

    Mende Seljanovski Enth° Projects
  • The Sponge have been outstanding to work with. Their expertise, dedication and outstanding quality of work is second to none. I am grateful for their input into the design of our brand and website.

    Matt Malouf The Fortune Institute
  • Our brand looks better than we could have dreamed and The Sponge team managed to squeeze so much meaning into it that our prospects really get a sense of how we can help them.

    Darren Vardy Insolvency Options

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