Does your organization comply with the 7 rules of guaranteed growth?
By Frans de Groot (Founder of the Bitsing methodology)
Over a period of the last twenty years I’ve closely monitored literally hundreds of companies, organizations and persons actively using the Bitsing methodology in pursuit of their goals. Through a continuous loop of careful measuring, learning and subsequent optimization, further supported by the close cooperation with Business Schools and Universities (Bitsing is part of the European Master Program financed by the European Committee, in which four renowned international universities participate), I was able to map every success case vs. any failures experienced in order to gain definitive insight into what ‘works’ and what doesn’t.
The results?
During the process of studying all BITSING-activities, a distinct group of organizations was able to hit their targets time and time again, seemingly without effort. Some amongst them grew exponentially, sometimes up to the magic level of 300%. They were all found to have 7 ‘things’ in common.
The secret to success
Through these 7 revolutionary insights, I was able to discover the underlying secret to definite success. Seven rules were found to lie at the foundation of untroublesome accelerated growth and the achievement of goals. I have subsequently translated these rules into seven timeless principles, now known as ‘the seven Bitsing principles’. Adhere to them, reflect the way your organization thinks & acts –and above all that of your workforce- against these seven rules, and success in achieving goals will come guaranteed. To what extent do you comply with the seven rules?
Here’s your checklist!
Rule #1. Always target a continuity goal
Continuity in this case means the continuity of your organization as it is today, without any down-sizing but instead build forward from here. Most companies are found to pursue goals that are unable to safeguard such continuity. In effect these are simply the wrong ‘goals’ to target. They are often found to be tasks or strategies, but certainly not goals that fall under my definition of the word. Think of cost cutting, downsizing the number of personnel, new product development, entering new markets, mergers & acquisitions, sales promotion, portfolio extension and marketing related goals to name but a few. None of these ill found goals provide any guarantees for leading a life in comfort –read continuity-. Those organizations that were able to use Bitsing and grow exponentially – some to the extent of 300%- unanimously started their journey with a financial / revenue goal in place, one that entails growth for that matter. What is your ambitious revenue goal for the coming months? And for 2016? Are all activities within your organization closely aligned with- and targeted towards such goals today.
Rule #2. Be certain to achieve your goal through focusing on hard financial facts
Most organizational decisions are still being based on assumptions today. We think, without actually knowing, just hoping for a positive outcome. More often than not this doesn’t work. Using facts however does enable us to reach the right decisions, therefore you’re advised to solely base all focus and decision making on facts and facts alone, and throw all assumptions out of the window accordingly.
This brings us to the following question “on which facts do I need to base my decisions?”. The answer to the latter is both charmingly logical as it is simple; financial facts! In pursuit of a financial goal one needs to base his and his organization’s focus and decisions on financial facts.
To which extent can you be factually certain that you will positively reach your turnover growth objective by restyling your shops? The same goes for pushing your sales team to schedule appointments? Or by promoting sales through a costly campaign? Or by bringing your newly developed innovation to market with full force?
Have a look at what your organization focuses upon today, and check whether or not the underlying choices are based on financial facts that in turn lead to growth…is your current focus based on facts or mere hope?
Rule #3. Be unbeatable
When you’re unbeatable you leave others bouncing around in your wake. Now ask yourself the question to what extent the way in which you approach markets is copyable? If the answer is yes, you’re at certain risk of being beaten by others. Make sure to communicate with target audiences and markets in an uncopyable (Bitsing terminology) fashion accordingly.
If, and only if you’re uncopyable you will be able to win the battle and reach your continuity goals.
Rule #4. Get everything out of every person in your target audiences
You need people or companies from whom to extract the achievement of your financial goals. These are all members of a target audience (rule #2, is this group the factually and financially right one to target?) and for certain do not all become customers of yours by default.
This you’ve already experienced the day you positioned a nice sales offer and only a few (instead of all) people responded. This is because no one is the same, we all think and act differently, yet we try and reach everyone with the same message. Given the former, it is little more than pure logic that a mix of activities and corresponding messages is required to resonate with each and every person in a certain target audience.
Are you 100% certain that your company’s current mix of activities (if there is any such mix) is able to get most out of every person within your market(s) and target audience(s).
Rule #5. Deploy effective programs
Even the best strategies lead to certain disaster if executed poorly. It has taken many years myself to figure out the exact fool proof recipe for proper execution of a Bitsing plan, which is outside the scope of this article. However, I’d be happy to explain it to you in person at the appropriate time. What you have read under rule #4 is the fact that a mix of activities is always required to get the most out of each audience. In fact, 6 separate activities is the magic number here, with none of the corresponding programs having the same effect nor content and message accordingly. Only through deploying the right mix of effective programs you will be able to achieve your continuity goal. Ask yourself how you’re doing in this respect today?
Rule #6. Predict results before roll out your programmes
My publisher’s website features a magnificent quote: “It’s an indescribable feeling when you’re certain you will be always achieving your goals.”
This is exactly what the Bitsing-methodology does, to accurately predict results in advance of all choices and corresponding activities your company & workforce makes and deploys. It therefore ensures the positive achievement of goals under all circumstances. Ultimately, it will allow you to sleep quietly and remain your composure when a change of course is required. The beauty of Bitsing on the other hand also lies in the fact that it allows us to predict which actions will not achieve the required results.
Are you capable of accurately predicting the results of your company’s activities and underlying choices today?
Rule #7. Assure positive financial returns
Have you ever paid for something without knowing in advance what to get in return? Slim chance I guess! Wouldn’t it be rather strange to enter the bakery shop, order a loaf of bread, pay for it yet walk out the door empty handed? And yet this is exactly what happens in most organizations each and every day. We invest without positively knowing what to respect in return.
To what extent are you able to accurately predict the financial returns of all current and future activities deployed? Does this subsequently allow you to spend a smaller amount of money on those activities than their respective returns? Remember, even 10 euros is too much when we’re at risk of not getting anything in return.
I would also like to refer to the bestseller on the subject authored by myself, ‘The Seven Laws of guaranteed Growth’.
Frans de Groot