I ask this in almost every keynote and presentation: “How many of you think on-time delivery is important to your customers?” Every hand in the room goes up. “How many of you measure it? “About half the hands come down. “Of those still up, how many update that number every month and put it in…
Ask a company what makes it different from its competitors, and the answer comes fast. Ask them for proof, and they usually cannot. Jaynie Smith has spent more than two decades closing that gap. Smith is the founder and CEO of Smart Advantage, a Fort Lauderdale, Florida-based consultancy founded in 2005 that works with companies…
Something interesting happened this week. CEOWORLD Magazine ran a piece about our work. The article captured something Smart Advantage has articulated for a long time, so I will let it speak for itself. If you have ever wondered why your sales team keeps discounting when you know you are the better choice, this is for…
Here is a sentence I never expected to say, but it keeps proving itself true: way too many of the companies that submit data to us for analysis provide information with significant errors. Not rounding errors. Not minor inconsistencies. Errors that change the conclusion. We’ve analyzed thousands of data points for hundreds of companies. That…
The geniuses of yesterday who built great companies and great wealth understood the importance of differentiation. There are many ways they’ve talked about it, and their words are worth sitting with. “If you don’t have a competitive advantage, don’t compete.” Jack Welch, GE. During Mr. Welch’s tenure at GE, the company’s value rose 4,000%. “I…
Storytelling has its place. A good origin story, or founder’s journey, helps people understand who you are. But when it’s time to choose a supplier, renew a contract, or justify a decision to a buying committee, warm and fuzzy doesn’t close the deal. Every company shares a different movie. One founder survived on credit cards…
Jaynie Smith was recently interviewed by Guy Lambert of Fox 5 Live Zone TV out of Washington DC. The interview was focused on the recent surge in inflation and how companies can do a better job of justifying price increases. “You’ve got to prove value. You’ve got to have the metrics that stand up to…
I recently took what was supposed to be a high-end cruise. Instead, it was a lesson in how rapid growth can destroy a company’s competitive advantage. The food was mediocre. They ran out of fresh eggs on day two. Service felt like too many new employees learning on the job with too little supervision. Ports…
Many companies prominently display their Mission and Vision statements on marketing communications including their websites. That’s understandable — you’ve invested time crafting them, they reflect your culture, and they help align your team. If the primary purpose of your marketing is internal – think employee motivation – that’s okay. But if the primary purpose of…
For decades, leaders have relied on SWOT analysis as a staple of strategic planning. It’s familiar, it’s simple, and it feels productive. But here’s the problem: if your strategy begins and ends with a SWOT analysis, you’re relying on a tool that can be dangerously misleading. Many companies proudly list their “Strengths” on the boardroom…
