Business Model, the great strategy

Business Model, the great strategy

Alexander Osterwalder’s Business Model System: An Innovative Approach to Business Success

In today’s world, where competition is fierce and technological changes occur at breakneck speed, clear understanding and sound strategic planning are vital to the success of any business.

In this context, the Business Model system created by Alexander Osterwalder has proven to be a highly effective tool to help organizations develop, analyze and communicate their business models in a coherent and understandable way.

In this article, we will explore the usefulness of this system and how it can benefit companies in their quest for business excellence.

The Osterwalder Business Model system is based on the idea that a business model can be represented visually using nine key components, known as the “Business Model Canvas”.

These components include customer segments, value proposition, distribution channels, customer relationships, revenue sources, key resources, key activities, key partners and cost structure.

One of the main advantages of the Osterwalder system is its visual and simplified approach.

It allows entrepreneurs and business leaders to have a clear vision of how their business model works as a whole.

By depicting these components on a canvas, companies can quickly identify areas of strength, opportunities for improvement and potential challenges.

This facilitates informed decision making and the implementation of more effective strategies.

In addition, the Osterwalder Business Model system promotes collaboration and effective communication within an organization.

By using a common language and a shared visual format, teams can align their efforts, better understand their role and contribution to the overall business model, and foster creativity and innovation in all areas of the company.

Another key advantage of this system is its adaptability and flexibility. As the business environment is constantly changing, it is essential for organizations to be able to adjust and pivot their business models in an agile manner.

The Osterwalder Business Model system facilitates the identification of areas for improvement and experimentation with new strategies without compromising the integrity of the overall model.

In conclusion, the Business Model system developed by Alexander Osterwalder has become an invaluable tool for companies in search of sound strategic planning and effective execution.

Its visual, simplified and collaborative approach provides a solid foundation for analyzing, communicating and improving business models in a holistic manner.

By enabling clear understanding and agile adaptation, this system has become a reference in the business world and continues to be widely used by entrepreneurs, business leaders and strategy experts.

Ultimately, the Osterwalder Business Model system stands out as an indispensable tool for driving business success in the modern, highly competitive business landscape.

Satisfying and memorable consumer experiences

Satisfying and memorable consumer experiences

Delivering a memorable customer experience is essential to the success of any business.

And one of the key factors in achieving this is having an excellent team. When you work with a committed and skilled team, you can provide exceptional customer service that not only meets expectations, but exceeds them.

In this article, we will explore why it is essential to deliver a memorable customer experience through an unsurpassed team.

1. Improves customer satisfaction

A remarkable team can improve customer satisfaction by providing faster, more efficient service. When customers receive fast and efficient service, they feel valued and satisfied with their experience. In addition, a responsive team can handle difficult situations more effectively, which also improves customer satisfaction.

2. Increases customer loyalty

When customers receive exceptional service, they are more likely to return and recommend the company to others. A great team can create a memorable customer experience, which can increase customer loyalty and generate repeat sales. Customers who return and recommend the company are extremely valuable to the long-term success of the company.

3. Strengthens the company’s reputation

A company’s reputation is essential to its success. An excellent staff can enhance a company’s reputation by providing exceptional customer service. Satisfied customers are more likely to speak well of the company and recommend it to others, which can attract new customers. In addition, a strong reputation can help the company overcome difficult times, such as public relations crises or bad online reviews.

4. Increases productivity

A great team not only improves the customer experience, but also increases the company’s productivity. When employees are empowered and engaged, they are more efficient and effective at their jobs. In addition, a well-coordinated team can work together more effectively, which improves overall business efficiency.

5. Improves the work environment

When employees are engaged and empowered, they enjoy their work more and are more motivated. An excellent work team can create a positive work environment that improves employee well-being. This, in turn, can improve employee retention and reduce training and hiring costs.

How to build an excellent working team

Building a team is essential to delivering a memorable customer experience.

A well-coordinated and committed team can improve efficiency, productivity, and customer satisfaction.

Here are some steps to build an excellent work team:

Hire the right people: Hiring people with the appropriate skills and attitudes is the first step in building an unbeatable team. Candidates should be interviewed carefully and practical tests should be conducted to assess their skills. In addition, it is important to consider the candidates’ attitudes, such as their ability to work as part of a team, their commitment, and their ability to adapt to changing situations.

2. Set clear goals: It is important to set clear goals for the team and communicate them clearly to all members. Goals should be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound so that team members know exactly what is expected of them.

3. Encourage collaboration: Collaboration is essential to building an excellent work team. Team members should be encouraged to work together, share ideas and solve problems together. Effective communication is key to fostering collaboration and should be promoted at all times.

4. Train employees: Employees should be trained in technical skills and interpersonal skills. Training may include teaching communication skills, conflict resolution, time management and decision-making. In addition, it is important that training be tailored to the specific needs of the work team.

5. Recognize and reward: It is important to recognize and reward a job well done. Team members should feel valued and appreciated for their contribution to the team. Rewards can include bonuses, paid time off, professional development opportunities and public recognition.

6. Provide feedback: Feedback is essential to improving the performance of the work team. Team members should receive regular feedback on their performance and have the opportunity to provide comments on overall team performance. Feedback should be constructive and offer suggestions for improving performance.

7. Encourage continuous learning: Continuous learning is essential to keep team members motivated and engaged. Professional development opportunities, such as training courses, workshops and conferences, should be offered. In addition, team discussions on the latest trends and developments in the industry should be encouraged.

In short, building an excellent team is essential to providing a memorable customer experience.

To achieve this, it is important to hire the right people, set clear goals, foster collaboration, train employees, recognize and reward, provide feedback and encourage continuous learning.

By following these steps, you can build a committed and coordinated team that meets and exceeds your company’s goals.

Successfully generate and grow a local brand

Successfully generate and grow a local brand

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), which are generally local companies, have a greater challenge in establishing successful brands in the market.

Unlike large corporations, local or medium-sized companies have limited resources, making it difficult for them to compete with established brands.

In this article, we will explore why small and medium-sized businesses struggle to establish a strong brand, and offer practical solutions to help them overcome these challenges.

Lack of resources

One of the main reasons SMBs struggle to establish a strong brand is lack of resources. Larger companies have marketing budgets that allow them to spend large amounts of money on advertising, public relations and branding strategies. On the other hand, SMEs have more limited budgets and must be creative in how they spend their marketing dollars.

The solution to this problem is creativity. SMBs can use social media, email marketing and public relations to promote their brands. They can also use digital marketing tools such as SEO (search engine optimization) and online advertising to reach their target audience without spending too much money.

2. Lack of brand recognition

Another problem SMEs face when establishing a brand is the lack of brand recognition. Large corporations already have an established presence in the market and have built brands that are recognized by consumers. On the other hand, SMEs are relatively new to the market and need to build their brand from scratch.

Solution: The solution to this problem is to establish a solid online presence. SMEs can create a professional website and social media presence to increase their online visibility. They can also collaborate with relevant influencers and bloggers in their industry to reach their target audience and increase their brand recognition.

3. Competition with established brands

SMEs also face competition from brands already established in the market. Large corporations have an advantage over SMEs because they already have an established customer base and market presence. SMEs need to work hard to compete with these established brands.

Solution: The solution to this problem is differentiation. SMEs must find a unique way to position themselves in the market and differentiate themselves from the competition. They can do this by offering unique products or services, focusing on a specific niche or promoting their personalized approach and customer service. They can also consider strategic collaborations with other brands or associations to increase their visibility and credibility.

In conclusion, establishing a strong and successful brand is a constant challenge for SMEs. However, with creativity, strong online presence, differentiation and strategic collaborations, SMEs can overcome these challenges and establish successful brands in the marketplace.

Actions, not advertising talk!

Actions, not advertising talk!

There is a false belief, very widespread in business, regarding marketing and advertising: images, texts and logos, advertisements, are the most important ways for a company to position itself in the market.

It’s not quite like that.

Communication is one of the essential factors, a complement in the business process. But it is not the only one.

From my standpoint, a good marketing system produces interest, motivates and reinforces the image of a brand. However, it does not, by itself, sustain it over time.

A brand that does not deliver on its promises cannot possibly have long-term business viability.

And those promises are to deliver the promised service or functionality. Preferably, exceeding customer expectations.

The ideal is to create companies from the inside out.

This means, conceptually, defining how the company will serve its customers; what will be its value proposition that differentiates it in its market, what will be the key activities and resources that will bring its products or services to life.

Perceived quality is the main factor in the generation of successful brands.

And I ask the reader to remember a brand of his or her preference. Is the logo of that brand essential, I don’t think so.

The essence of a brand lies in satisfying the expectations, needs and desires of its customers.

I love Apple products, their technological soundness, their solid software systems, their design and finishes. And every time I look at the Apple logo, their advertising or commercials, I am reminded that they have always exceeded my expectations.

This is the key to great brands.

Therefore, my recommendation is, first, to focus on how to produce high quality services or products. So that the public perceives them as special, unique and highly satisfactory.

In a Branding Plan, one of the first sections calls for:

“List three ways your company will generate perceived quality.”

If we were Apple, what could we list… let’s speculate:

  1. To design unique items that extend human capabilities.
  2. Manufacture durable, solid products.
  3. Facilitate its use through user-friendly and secure software.

It could be, or at least, what I feel and think about the Apple brand.

The second part of the branding formula is marketing and communication.

Now, the advantage of having done a conceptual planning work first, such as a Business Plan or Model, or a Branding System, is that, having defined the characteristics of the product or service, the development of a brand and its communication system will be greatly facilitated.

An infinite number of resources can be used in words, graphics and images. The offer is unlimited.

But implementing a value-added messaging system requires detailed analysis, creative work and the ability to write messages that are special and not trite.

Often, when a brand exaggerates in its communication, it achieves detrimental results; people notice this and, by not buying or recommending the brand, reject the exaggeration.

Years ago, I read a recommendation, “Under-promise and over-deliver.”

The most important portion of brands resides in people’s hearts and minds.

The logo or your ads will trigger the memory of your consumer experience.

If the experience was bad, neither the prettiest logo nor the most fantastic promise can do anything against mediocre products or services.

The largest component of brands is generated within companies, in their production, service and delivery processes.

It is common sense.

How a brand is created, strategic fundamentals

How a brand is created, strategic fundamentals

Recently, I had the opportunity to work for a client in Germany, who had a project for an industry software services company.

An engineer, very kind and considerate, with a well-defined idea regarding the name of his brand, and certain values that the identity should reflect.

Although at the time I asked him for more strategic information fundamental to designing the identity, he had nothing else.

It lacked the vital support that generates great brands; vision, mission, brand statement, brand personality, differential, business and marketing objectives, among others.

A few conceptual references.

Moreover, when we told him that he didn’t have a slogan to integrate into the logo either, he simply gave us the German phrase “product software”. A complete generic!

On the other hand, his idea was that the result of the brand would be powerful and distinctive.

How is it possible to create something unique without sufficient information?

The great challenge of creating a super brand without previous analysis and definitions runs the risk of designing something aesthetically attractive, but meaningless.

Nice, but empty.

Y es que es necesario reconocer que las grandes marcas que conocemos se crearon de adentro hacia afuera.And it is necessary to recognize that the great brands we know were created from the inside out.

It is true that maturing little by little. By strengthening its foundations.

Because brands, in contrast to popular belief, are a cause, not a result.

This means that what a customer perceives is the sum of the company’s behaviors:

  • Quality of its products or services
  • Punctuality of your service
  • Accuracy of your information
  • Friendliness of the staff
  • Efficient operations
  • Price
  • User experience
  • Etc.

And it is then that from the innumerable expressions of a company they are concentrated, identified, in a logo.

That is the function of brand identity: to generate meanings in people.

And every touch point, every action, has the ability to strengthen or weaken the brand.

When positive perceptions of brands/companies increase, opinion of them also increases, trust is higher, and reputation is higher as a result.

That is the reason why, when designing a logo, it does not represent much by itself.

A logo is a promise, it may be, but the deeper meaning, full of business symbolism, will ultimately be generated in what your customers and the general public feel and think.

A brand is the place where what people feel and think about something or someone is concentrated.

Process

The best method of brand development should be derived, in my experience, from two tools: the Business Model and the Branding Plan.

The Model defines the 9 business areas:
  • Value proposition (the central part)
  • Customer relationship
  • Channels
  • Consumer profiles
  • Revenue sources
  • Key resources
  • Key activities
  • Key partnerships
  • Costs

Brand plan:
  • Business and marketing objectives:
  • Offer
  • Diferential
  • Positioning
  • Mission, vision, values
  • Brand statement
  • Personality
  • Reasons to believe
  • Key messages
  • Audiences
  • and others…

 

The above information will be central to two essential tasks in driving a brand:

  • Integrate and cohesive work teams focused on results.
  • Design the brand and its communications system.

Now:

  1. Who guides the branding process: a business and branding consultant.
  2. Who designs the identity: a graphic designer.
  3. Who manages the communications plan: a marketer/communicator.

Thnk you.

Entrepreneurship in business, a process

Entrepreneurship in business, a process

The culture of entrepreneurship has a long history in the world, where there have been opportunities, someone has developed a business that takes advantage of the open doors of the market.

In early times it may have been the exchange of goods between individuals or tribal societies, but it is true that over time the production of goods, services and trade have evolved dramatically.

Today’s business universe is very complex, and fascinating.

On the other hand, the concept of entrepreneurship is often identified today with the development of new technology and the Internet.

But this is not entirely the case. The possibilities for starting a new business are endless, and are not limited to a specific type of activity.

An entrepreneur is someone who starts a new business.

According to The Accent there are 5 main ways of entrepreneurship:

  • Social entrepreneurship.
  • Innovation entrepreneurship.
  • Entrepreneurship of large businesses.
  • Small business entrepreneurship.
  • Entrepreneurship of scalable companies.

The fields that open up are very broad, and are not necessarily oriented, as seen in the first point (social entrepreneurship), to generate profits.

Entrepreneurship is starting a business and taking a financial risk in order to make a profit. And there is categorically no difference between starting large businesses and being a solo entrepreneur.

It is taking the risk of creating something new in the hope that the market will respond positively.

Investopedia reports that approximately 20% of new businesses fail in the first year, 45% in the first five years, and 65% in the first ten years. Only 25% of new businesses make it to fifteen years or more.

And the same document points out that there are six reasons why businesses fail:

Failure to research the market. Not understanding whether the market will be receptive to the offer.

  • Business plan issues. Failure to develop a business plan or business model, or failing that, to develop it in a defective manner, which would mean not having a reliable basis for making decisions.
  • Low financing. It is impossible to foresee the situations that a new business will face. If access to financing is limited, it is possible that at vital moments it will not be possible to continue operating due to lack of resources.
  • Poor location, Internet presence or marketing. Making bad decisions or not doing the obvious can have negative consequences.
  • Being rigid. Not being flexible after the business has been established. The market has always been changeable, more so today. And making adjustments or changes, depending on market appetites, is sensible.
  • To expand very soon. When successful, it is highly recommended to consider expansion as a new venture, understanding the areas and markets you want to reach. If a business expands rapidly without a consequent market response, it can drain financial resources and sink the company.

Decide and undertake

Regardless of the reason for starting a business, whether it is to contribute socially, to innovate and offer a new type of product or service, or simply to make a profit.

It is essential to recognize that the entrepreneur is a visionary and risk-taker who enjoys his freedom and the possibility of conquering markets.