25 August 2022
Business Capability Workshop, sponsored by Pathfinder Solutions
Bex Taylor, Marketing Manager, The Mind Lab and Tech Futures Lab
To view the event photos, please click here.
There was a definite buzz in the air of Business North Harbour‘s (BNH’s) boardroom; the enthusiasm to get back to in-person events was tangible.
Bex Taylor‘s presentation was engaging from the get-go. Having learned what kinds and sizes of businesses were represented in the room, she offered dozens of practical ideas that were as useful for sole traders as for significantly larger organisations. There were six key topics covered in depth:
1. Audit and streamline your online presence
What is the point of investing time, dollars, and effort into a channel if your clients aren’t there?
2. Prioritise stories, not products
In the words of Simon Sinek: “People don’t buy what you do; they buy why you do it.”
3. Snap photos with your phone
Don’t let perfect get in the way of good. The pandemic has radically changed people’s perceptions of photos and videos. They no longer have to be beautifully polished in-studio productions. Remember to say how long your video is, as people are more likely to click if they know what to expect.
4. All roads lead to your website
Everywhere your business appears should be part of the breadcrumb trail back to your website. Once someone’s on your site, entice them to stay longer and look at other things.
5. There are no competitors, only collaborators
If your only priority is profit, your business is unlikely to be viable in the long-term. The next generations of customers and employees are incredibly fired-up about and focused on corporate social responsibility and eco-guardianship. Who could you collaborate with for mutual benefit?
6. Upskill yourself
“I implore you!” New Zealand has one of the lowest lifelong learning levels in the OECD, meaning that some businesses are being run by people who stopped acquiring new skills or new ways of thinking decades ago. Embrace digital tools – for example, sign up for Digital Boost, and tap into Canva’s “design school”. There are numerous opportunities to achieve micro-credentials online, including The Mind Lab’s own Digital Skills for the Workplace, which is free until the end of 2023. Based on her own experience, Bex also recommended Leading Beyond Sustainability.
Keen to put some of Bex’s advice into immediate effect, several attendees happily mingled for a while after the main presentation to take photos for their social media feeds, tagging themselves and their new contacts at this event.
