QUIT SURVIVING, EMBRACE REALITY OF COMPETITION
Mike Ihezuo
What scarcity is to economics is what competition unavoidably is to Business. So, it demands tremendous Effort, Focus and Discipline [EFD] to do the things necessary to attract the SCARCE money of Clients/Customers towards patronizing your goods and or services. So again, the search for PATRONIZATION or CUSTOMERSHIP is no joke and shouldn’t be taken light anytime, anywhere for now and for lifetime. Coke-Cola, Banks, Apple, HP, Electricity Boards (in spite of their monopoly in Nigeria), etc., still look for Customers/Clients. It’s a lifetime search.
Why?
They look for Customers NOT only to sale, or survive BUT to THRIVE.
Why?
You thrive to COMPETE. You don’t compete as a survivor or seller. No survivor-level person or corporate compete in any game of life whether it is politics, academics, sports, entertainment or business. You need to be THRIVING to compete, to poise a threat or challenge to an opponent or a contender. A survivor is one struggling not to go into extinction, to stay alive the next minute or day. He’s not bothered of challenging, talkless of leading. A THRIVER is a contender, a completitor.
Why?
To LEAD.
Why to Lead?
Perhaps, I answer you by giving you an assignment. To know why it’s good to lead;
+ go and ask Coca-Cola what it means, the honor to determine what happens in softdrink industry.
+ go and ask Microsoft what’s the happiness in leading in Operating System and Office Suite software cum software industry
+ go and ask Apple what happened in technology world in being the world most admired company
+ go and ask MacDonald what it means being largest fast-food company and the leader there
+ go and ask the substantive leader in your village what honour it means to lead
+ go and ask APC what it means being the ruling, sorry I mean American Power Corporation (Stabilizer) in power.
+ etc.
The first Discipline of business Success for business men (I don’t mean traders, listen now) IS to offer a product/service that people (not you) WANT, NEED and WILL pay for a price they will accept. Not just a price, but a price COMPETITIVE with every other business that wants the same Customers Naira.
Every time there is a little increase in feul cost, change in economy or policy, prices of goods jump in Nigeria, and at no time has any price come down. This never happens like that overseas. No PURE Economic, Management and Business principles take place here, but adulterated.
+ Business persons don’t manage cost in order to stabilize prices
+ Business persons don’t understand COMPETITION and don’t take advantage of COMPETITION in their product/service MIX.
+ Business persons are not ETHICAL with themselves, product and service MIX, business and company they represent.
+ etc.
You must be completely honest to ensure that you’re not assuming being in business when you’re a trader. This is an area where false assumptions or incorrect conclusions can lead to Business Failure.
Solution
This calls for CONTINUOUS investing and reinvesting in learning, knowledge and development to be COMPETITIVE.
Mike Ihezuo is Leadership Coach and Business Consultant who has been helping business leaders succeed and thrive in a volatile, uncertain and choas economic environment.
You can contact him on WhatsApp: +234-90-5790-1334 or email: leadermikeo@gmail.com
