Tough times, quality times

In good economic times, mediocrity can survive. There's so much business to go around that you can be sloppy and still get by.

In tougher times, however, you need quality, not quantity. A great performance will still reap rewards and profit. A great performance ensures that you'll retain the client. A great performance is your best chance at growing the amount of business you do with that client.

A mediocre performance means you're not profitable. Mediocrity means you'll be bid out or, even worse, fired.

Less is more when the economy is bad: Great work being performed by a few people can be invaluable. Sloppy work being done by a lot of people is a lay-off waiting to happen.


Barry LaBov
LaBov and Beyond
http://www.labov.com/

Start-Up vs. Hard-Up

I don't think it's my imagination - there are more start-ups, well, starting up right now: green housing, hybrid technology, military programs, training for the unemployed, etc. There are many, many people with ideas. That's exciting.

I was surprised when a start-up met with my company, LaBov & Beyond Marketing Communications, and told us how close it was to unbelievable success and that every supplier it works with does free work so that it could "kick the tires" and see if there was a good fit.

Wow! What a concept:

We're a start-up with unlimited potential. We want you to work for free so we can check out whether you're worthy.

Let's think about that for a second: If this particular start-up do that with every supplier, that means it will get free work for a long time - until it either goes out of business or succeeds. And if it does succeed, who do you think it will turn to? My guess is it won't want to work with the lowly, hard-up suppliers that worked for free - they'll want a sexy, big-time company that never would've have stooped to working for free in the first place.

One word for doing free work for a start-up?

Pass.


Barry LaBov
LaBov and Beyond
http://www.labov.com/

Change will be more palatable in these times

These times, while challenging, can be a dream come true in one area: change. If you've wished to change your culture, your client base, or your company's performance, you'll get far less resistance than you would have a year ago.

People have less options today, even the most stubborn will be forced to listen and consider change.

Imagine what you wish your company or department or team could be and re-consider what it takes to get there. The walls will not be as high to scale.


Barry LaBov
LaBov & Beyond
http://www.labov.com/