How fast can we get to the next place? When will it be ready? Can we have it quicker? How fast is it? It appears to be that we can never have enough speed – people are always looking to be quicker, more agile and to get there first. We think there’s another way, more organised and more human.
There’s a strong case for not chasing things at speed, it often means that you miss the things that bring joy – the reasons we began our endeavours in the first place.
Becoming established is a slow process
The great brands of our world move much slower than you might think. For a start, they simply don’t happen overnight, despite what you may read. The biggest brands that we know today are the result of years of dedicated development.
Too much speed in the early stages of a business development programme is dangerous. There’s a lot to learn about the people you are serving, by-passing this not going to bring you closer to your goal.
We’ve all read the book
The Tortoise and the Hare serves as a great example of the relationship between businesses and speed. We all recognise the issues with the Hare’s approach. But we don’t often stop and recognise the greater values of the tortoise, who demonstrates deep thinking, developing a strategy that delivers the desired result.
In the world of business and brand development this slower and considered journey isn’t talked about anywhere near enough. All too often it’s the fast moving brands that miss out many of the basics. They don’t bother to look back, to see what’s happening behind them – the reactions to their actions and more.
There are thousands of small steps that make the customer journey, sprint past them and you will miss much more than you gain. For example, by the time the frenetic business or brand realises that the strategy isn’t working it’s too late – the money is committed, the time spent and the energy wasted, leaving the business in the uncomfortable position of digging itself out of a hole.
The tortoise epitomises a methodical approach, something that delivers many rewards because it uses years of observation and experience of how we function as humans. It’s not perfect and that’s OK, because the actions you are taking are based on human values (and timelines). Embracing the fun and connection that comes all along the journey, not racing to the destination.
Great relationships take time
The tortoise’s approach is focused on people – taking time to understand what customers want from you (not necessarily just your products) and this involves investing time. Getting to know these people. This is not a process that can be done quickly, it requires commitment of resources to a plan. This approach brings great connections because it’s personable.
Speed is the opposite, and I’ll admit sometimes we want a certain amount of pace in what’s being provided, something that is very transactional based upon convenience and nothing more. Though many of the businesses operating in the ‘fast and now’ space are offering short term fixes which bring with them numerous long term problems.
Being more tortoise than hare.
It’s a fine balance, getting this stuff right is hard – there is no rule book, you have to learn about your audience. Oh and BTW, this isn’t a one-off or occasional process, this is continuous learning.
Going too slow can result in missed opportunities and losing the attention of the people you were connecting with. Much like another fable, Goldilocks and Three Bears, you’re looking for the optimum – whether that’s a chair, bed or porridge. Every area, every sector is highly nuanced and requires constant attention to deliver well for the people you are connected with, there is no fix and forget.
The bee team
We’re neither tortoise nor hare, we’re a group of bee’s or a hive as they are commonly known. Nature’s bees do an amazing job, we’d be lost without them, they are a humble creature, keeping to themselves and not broadcasting what they do.
Bees work as a team, for the collective benefit of the Hive, something I very much admire and strive to replicate within our ‘hive’. The bee team echoes many of the characteristics of nature’s bees, carrying out activities in a methodical way where foremost we listen and learn. Then we take on another key bee skill – adaption. We are adept at accommodating changes in circumstances, we have to be because nothing stands still no matter what sector you operate within.
Our goal has always been to create harmony – connecting people and things in simple ways. This often includes humour, sometimes it’s about fun, other times technology, health and lifestyle but it’s always centred around people. This is the central theme upon which everything we do is built – being human.
Following this principle builds trust. Trust with our clients and trust with the customers of our clients because we understand them as people, what they want and need. We call this…
Creating a buzz
After listening and learning we can start to develop a strategy, our work can be aided by research and data, customer feedback, changes to the market – there’s endless starting points, but the process is always the same, we work together with our clients.
Collaboration – exploring is where we all learn. It’s a process that is a joy to play a role within, and something that I advocate with every client. Such is our dedication to the process that we often become part of the wider team, working towards common agreed goals.
Some of our behaviours are learnt, though many of them have evolved over the 28 years that I’ve worked in creative services. Today they are evolving again with more measurables and the helping hand of AI.
There is no one fits all solution, personally I like learning and believe that we’re all on a constant learning journey. We spend a lot of time learning about people and businesses, understanding what makes them tick and how that connects with people – their customers.
As I’ve already said, the best learning comes from collaboration – where the energy of one team is reciprocated by the other – we learn from you and you learn from us, connecting and working together as one.
I believe that this approach forms a deep trust, a bond that we nurture, looking to understand your challenges, so that we are able to support what you want to achieve.
Don’t come to us if you’re looking for a quick fix, there are many businesses within our sector that will claim to deliver this, and deliver it fast, with great speed. The reality is never that simple, if a plan is good, it needs to be thought about, well executed and timely not chaotic and pressured.
Thanks for reading
I hope that this post chimes with you. Maybe you’ve already tried the fast and furious approach? Hopefully you’ve not been burnt – it can happen very easily. If you’re looking for a team who will support you, build and nurture a collaborative relationship, drop me a line, it would be good to talk with you.
I’m going to sign off with three of my favourite ‘slow’ campaigns.
Guinness Good things come to those who wait
Cadbury’s Caramel
Heinz Tomato Ketchup
Busy as AB 