During Lee’s twenty plus years in the channel, a lot of people asked him why he was able to achieve high results year in and year out, and why Midwich were so successful for such a long period during the time he worked there.

 

There are many reasons why a business is successful. Clearly you need quality products, but you also need to think carefully where each product fits in your overall offering. You need to be prepared to make changes and try new things, for you and your business to remain sharp and relevant. However, there is no point just collecting brands for the sake of it.

 

At Midwich, Lee always tried to ensure that any brand they brought on board fulfilled a key purpose for the business, in an area where they might need strengthening. After all, there is no point adding brands that dilute your existing level of business with other suppliers and can end up confusing your team on which product to sell.

 

You need a lot of creativity to make you and your business stand out. You will see people talking and posting about these traits all the time and, in our opinion, this can make a massive difference for people and companies to be successful.

 

However, consistency can often be over-looked in the rush to add more products and gain more sales, when what you really need is to have a very focused business. Before you diversify, make sure your current engine room is clearly briefed and running well. This means you don’t spend lots of timing having to sort out problems on a day to day basis. 

 

A solid business needs consistency, not just in the operations and financial departments, but also in the sales, commercial and marketing departments. Try to plan out and imagine each day in your personal and professional life, as this helps keep you focussed and on point.

 

By prioritising the things that really matter, this will allow both you and the business to flourish. Create a clear plan and work to that plan, and only tweak it when you see the right opportunity or it becomes clear that something needs changing. Zig zagging left to right and moving from brand to brand sends out the wrong message to your team and your business partners. I am not saying don’t embrace a new opportunity, but spend the time making sure it is the right one, before you spend all the time on-boarding it.

 

It’s all about consistency and that creates a great trading relationship on all fronts. If you want to talk more about how Re-Sauce can help you deliver this, just reach out at hello@re-sauce.net