How to Reinvent Yourself and Your Business

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by Brad Ellison

Have you ever dreamed of “reinventing” yourself or your business?  Are you stuck in a rut and do you ache for a fresh start?  Do you dream of being the Robocop of your industry?  There’s hope.  After hours days months of brainstorming, I’ve come up with a definitive guide to help you reinvent yourself AND your business.

1. New name

Not happy with your current reputation?  Not seeing results from your SEO strategy or strategic marketing plan?  Change your name.  Robocop was Officer Alex Murphy before his high-tech upgrade.  Pick something that speaks to who you are and what you do, then change it.  You’ll take a hit on your search results for a while, but if your business was generating traffic through organic searches, you probably wouldn’t be in a rut, would ya?  Take the leap. (I’ve copyrighted “The Super-Awesome, Totally-Rad Business of Epicness,” so it would be a waste of time to consider that as an option).

2. X-Ray goggles

Train yourself to look past your instincts and what your competitors say.  Use your X-Ray vision, in the form of research, to uncover your customers’ decision making values.  Be the player in your industry that can see through the clutter and your business will take off.  Don’t look at your customers’ values for too long though, it may appear creepy.

3. Bulletproof armor

Just like Robocop, you need to be able to absorb some attacks.  Fortunately, you (hopefully) won’t have to deal with automatic weapons and heat-seeking missiles.  It’s probably criticism or customer complaints that your armor needs to protect you from.  Absorb the blows and respond in a thoughtful manner.  Customers want to be satisfied with your service or product, so take the time to address their concerns and meet their needs.

4. Spring-loaded legs

Businesses that move and respond quickly find themselves in ruts far less often than those that do not.  Develop a marketing strategy that allows you to speak to your customers’ values, but does so quickly and when they need it.  Equip your company and your sales team to respond to customers and prospects in an efficient manner and get that ball rolling!

5. Robotic arms

Just like the ability to move more swiftly, maybe it’s time to work on that heavy lifting.  Have you been limiting yourself to prospects of a certain size or demographic?  Bolster your company’s systems and you might be able to meet the needs of some bigger, more qualified prospects out there like never before.  This is also a perfect opportunity to start strengthening some areas of weakness.  Use those robotic arms to fix your customer service process or lower your manufacturing costs.

6. Operating system upgrade

Upgrade your way of thinking and you may uncover some un-tapped potential in yourself and your business.  Train yourself to think more quickly and adjust to the changing times.  Do you think Robocop would be walking the streets today running on Windows 95?  Probably not!  Today’s marketplace is high-tech, fast-paced and highly social.  What changes can you make to be running the most current, top-of-the-line business in your industry?

7. New software

You know what that new operating system needs in order to be really successful?  Some new software.  Are there some value-added services you could provide that complement what you’re currently doing?  If you’re a window washer, can you also clean the gutters?  As a realtor, can you also coordinate lawn-care, laundry service and snow removal for your clients?  As a sheet metal fabricator, can you also provide painting/coating and assembly services?  Add some new software that allows you to meet the changing needs of your clients and become an indispensable member of your client's team.

8. Uniform

You’ve got a new name, new equipment, new body and new software.  The final touch is your uniform.  How do you look to the outside world?  Is your Internal Reality in line with your Outside Perception?  If you’ve become the stronger, faster, more capable, Robocop company, make sure that your prospects and customers will see that when they look at you.  The Empire State Building can get away with updating everything inside and keeping the outside the same, but I’m 99.99% sure that you aren’t the Empire State Building.

Respond:  Have you had to reinvent yourself?  Did a change in career or a change in the marketplace make it necessary?  What other ways could we suggest for reinvention?

P.S. How awesome is Robocop?  Did you hear that they’re probably going to build a Robocop statue in Detroit?  (I’ll be there at the unveiling)