COMPETITIVE ANALYSES, INSIGHTS, AND ADVANTAGEOUS ADVICE WE PROVIDE OUR CLIENTS ARE CONFIDENTIAL. HOWEVER -

This company had to face a hard truth: At least 50% of their business was likely to disappear over the next decade (through no fault of their own). In what way could they remain viable and growing profitably, ideally---leveraging many of the skills and capabilities already in place? The answer was a strategy compelling to a new, sizable and timeless customer base; a branded platform on which could be concepted new products and services both relevant and preemptive. (The singular strategy cast is, in fact, reinventing the company ‘in one fell swoop.’)

Despite being highly regarded, this brand was experiencing a material slowdown in sales and share. Analysis revealed many contributing factors. Among them, the C-Suite considered marketing a tactic, called upon to generate revenue after all other operational initiatives and expenses were cast for the year. A reset in mindset was required and our custom-workshop accomplished it. Among the factors on which company leadership was aligned: to have impact on consumers today requires the convergence of business strategy with marketing strategy, making the latter anything but a tactic one dare leave until last. Rather, done well, the convergence leads to a master strategy for the brand, supercharging operational efficiency, marketing effectiveness and competitive advantage. Two years into this convergence, company executives’ report new-found focus, confidence, glimmers of a turnaround. They especially note relief that they’re off the treadmill their former mindset caused which was working harder and harder but never getting anywhere.

Trying to be all things to all people, this organization consistently ended up disappointing everyone. Our analysis confirmed no unified definition of success, which meant there was no way the organization could cast a rational plan or budget for their future much less one stakeholders would all approve. Resolving the problem? A strategy that aligned all constituencies around a single definition (and metric) of success. After that, strat planning went rather smoothly and the organization is enjoying its first real focus in decades.

Workforce shortages (retirements, Covid-burnout, and a smaller base from which to hire) resulted in this company experiencing a decline in the high level of service for which they had previously been famous. Their essential challenge? With no remedy to worker shortages in sight (and technology unable to make up the gap given the nature of their business), how could they restore the kind of customer satisfaction that had been their competitive advantage? (The solution strategy is destined to do that --and may even give them preemptive advantage.)

This global company was—and still is—doing well. Yet our research uncovered vastly different opinions in the executive ranks on the company’s current situation, what the future held for the category and thus, what any strat plan should address. This prompted arguments, distrust; unproductive politicking. Complicating matters was that many strategies offered by the C-Suite were based on out-of-date rules of thumb. For LF&S could lead a successful strat planning effort, we first had to make everyone feel respected; heard; then we had to align everyone behind a common view of the future. After that, in a 4-day retreat everyone was able to collaborate, seeing their situation in light of the future and casting a 3-year plan to resolve some key issues and leverage some remarkable opportunities.

For years, this national trade association suffered from the tremendous upheaval of the category in which they operated. Membership and revenue declined. Multiple CEOs came and went as efforts failed to make the organization more viable. Lack of leadership and employee turnover resulted in an inability to ID the essential challenges that needed to be resolved to give the association a future. LF&S was hired to provide strategic foresight on the industry’s likely future; what this meant for those working in the category. LF&S thus proposed a new mission and value proposition for the organization, a new platform of offerings, a new multi-faceted revenue model and finally, an organizational structure: An ecosystem of sorts -lean, fluid, agile, responsive, hyper focused on members. The blueprint LF&S designed 4 years ago was embraced. And today, the association is stronger, growing, and increasingly making a material difference in the lives of their members.

This is something we’ve experienced more than once: Exciting spreadsheets are developed, but in essence, they’re ‘dream sheets.’ They project short term success, then extend it into the future without serious thought to barriers to overcome, competitor responses; the reality that a month-over-month increase in sales is no guarantee of future success and certainly no indication of brand-building or the profitable growth that comes from doing it smartly. When ‘dream sheet’ as annual plan fails (as it always does) we’re brought in: We analyze the company’s situation, facilitate the eye opening of executives, usually lead a workshop or two that helps the company prepare for the future in ways more enlightened, strategic and proficient.