What’s new in your business?
This is the question we want you to answer in our September 2026 introduction rounds. It’s designed to prompt you to think about your business and whether you need to make some changes whilst also ensuring that your networking community is up to date with your offer.
If you don’t have anything new is it time to take a fresh look at your business to set yourself up for the future? Your network could provide a good testing ground for your ideas, may have suggestions you haven’t thought of and be willing to test your assumptions should you wish.
Why is this important?
The world doesn’t stand still and neither should our businesses. We don’t want to become the next Kodak or Blockbuster, businesses that didn’t take the threat of change seriously.
AI is having a huge impact on many organisations. I just read an article about it helping doctors with brain surgery! That’s a really positive application which is likely to grow in the future. You might not be doing brain surgery but could AI help your accuracy or reliability?
I know many people have strong feelings about AI but, love it or hate it, we can’t afford to ignore it. Have you integrated it into your business yet? Or have you established a clear non-AI offer and communicated why your customers should want it?
Could AI help you to save time or money? Would that enable you to pass on cost savings to your clients? For example, I recently got it to design a menu planning, recipe book and shopping list for me which will make a job I dislike so much easier. This might be a personal example but I’m sure is one that could be replicated in business.
What’s happening in your marketplace?
When did you last take a serious look at your marketplace? Which direction is it headed in? Is that an opportunity or a threat? Are you feeling that direction in your own business and have you made any changes in response?
You might want to consider what your most innovative competitors are doing. For instance, Race Across the World Winner Alfie Watts has set up The Travel Movement to enable other travel enthusiasts to earn money from planning travel for others.
What inspiration can you take from others? Every 4-6 weeks in our BizChat business development slot we look at an inspirational business. These include Fevertree, SMOL, Sam Teale Productions, Samp and Dude and Scrub Daddy to name a few.
What is happening in your clients’ world? Are they changing how they live or do business? Will that have any impact on you, if not now, in the not-too-distant future?
Have you reviewed your offers or your messaging?
You may have tweaked your offers or your services, or you may have made some dramatic changes, how have you communicated these?
In the ideal world your messaging should join the conversation your clients or prospects are having in their own heads. That’s when they feel truly understood and will make them more likely to want to talk to you.
If life is going well for your clients you want upbeat messaging that joins the celebrations. However, if life is a struggle you want to show you understand. It’s not about joining the pity party but about showing how you can help.
Remember our clients may not be experiencing life as we are. In a recent BizChat session we looked at an inspirational business… The Bold Bean Co. Most of us agreed that their products were really expensive, but they have grown to a turnover of around £12M within five years of start-up. They have found a market willing to pay for their premium product. Congratulations to them. Are we holding our own businesses back by pricing our offers on our perceptions rather than the value our ideal customers would place on them?
If our clients are thriving then price will not be the primary decision maker. But if our clients are struggling we’ll need to make a case for them to spend any money at all. We’ll need to look at how we can save them money, time or resources or show them how they can make more money and win more customers. They’ll want proof so case studies and testimonials will be vital. Guarantees might be the way to win the business.
What will you tell us in your September introduction?
So what is new in your business? It might be your offer. But you might have changed your target market or the way you deliver your services. Have you added an online option to what was an in person deal or vice versa? Have you changed your pricing strategy or maybe you have new guarantees? Perhaps you have a new website, social media channel or podcast.
And if you really haven’t got anything new to tell us about tell us what is working well and why you’re sticking with it.
I can’t wait to hear your update at one or more of our meetings. Why not turn it into a blog article or video or some social media posts and give your business the Autumnal kickstart it might need?
