Feb 17, 2010 04:55 PM

Are You Positioned for Success?

By Shawn Draper

AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty

Watching the Olympics on television is fascinating. You listen to the commentators explain how important, or even critical, it is for the athletes to be in the right position during the events. The figure skaters must coordinate their hands, feet, and bodies to assure the success of a spin or a jump. The skiers speeding down the mogul hill need to keep their knees and hands in the proper position. Even the curlers know that the position of the stones is paramount to winning. The importance of proper positioning is just as important for your business, which begs the question, “Are you positioned for success?”

Within the home and building industry, sustainability is the fastest growth segment in a slow growing market. Do you know or understand the position of your company within the sustainability market? The sustainability market place is slated to grow 146% by 2013. In real dollars, this is growth from $52 billion to more than $128 billion. This is nothing to sneeze at. Do you know how your competitors are positioned within the market? What does the market think of your company in the context of sustainability? Where is the opportunity for your company to succeed? Knowing where your business stands within this highly scrutinized industry may mean the difference between a good year or another down year.

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Social networking will have a strong impact on your business in the near future. Is your business positioned to take advantage of this sea change or will it wash ashore? The ability of manufacturers and service providers to engage directly with their customers – trade and consumer – and influence their decision making will change your business. You need to decide if your business is positioned to succeed or fail with social networking. Is your business dependent on the relationships your distributors have with your customers? Do you pay a premium because of these relationships? With social networking, you can begin to engage these customers directly, gain first person insight, and reduce your risk of dependence on your distributors.

Finally, it may be time look at the position of your business within the category you historically serve. Is there an opportunity to re-position yourself to reflect new capabilities, services, and products? Has the market landscape changed to the point where your business may be able to differentiate itself based on this change?

At the end of the day, how you position your company defines your business, what’s makes it unique or important or valuable, and why your customers should buy from you. So, “Are you positioned for success?”