We’re so busy, and there are so many people wanting to steal our time that we simply don’t have time to think about what we’re doing anymore – or why we’re doing it!

One definition of insanity is to keep doing the same things over and over, but expecting different results! I see this pretty much every day when consulting. Doing the same things – not the insanity! [Although I think it takes a certain degree of madness to take on the world by yourself .]

We all hate change. It’s inherent in human nature. It’s so much easier to stick with doing something that works. But what happens when it stops working? Most of us just keep doing the same thing – only much harder and faster – because it used to work therefore it should still work! Do you know what an ostler is? [Even my PC flags it as a spelling error!] An ostler is someone looks after horses at an inn – and no matter how hard or fast he works today he’s never going to get rich! Simply because things have changed around him. But until 100 years ago he was hugely in demand because horses were the way to travel.

Peter Drucker, I think it is, says that we must learn one new skill each year or face being obsolete. But you can’t do that if you’re too busy working. And with the economy where it is right now – wow, are we all busy trying to simply equal last year -- let alone do better!

So here’s an idea. Take an hour off. Open a bottle of wine [I live in the winelands so I must do what I can for the local economy!] And get onto the Internet. Go and look at what other firms in your industry are doing. Look at their websites. To find their websites is easy – try any of the following search engines:
www.ananzi.co.za - lists mostly SA websites; www.yahoo.com - huge collection of websites all over the place;
www.northernlight.com - supposed to be the biggest website directory.

If you do this you will identify 2 trends. Firstly – you could find that lots of players in your game have a web presence. Learn from their ideas. Look for anything that you could offer your clients – and apply it.

Secondly, you could find that only few players have a website. If this is the case – look at similar industries. But the fact that no-one is there opens up a range of opportunities.

Thirdly, in looking at the overseas players – what can we South Africans offer them [or their clients] that they don’t have? After all, our costs are very low by international standards. In many cases our costs are less than 10% of the figures overseas!

For example, diabetic eye laser treatment here is 1/10th the price of the USA – as is most medical care. So why aren’t our doctors organising group medical tours? [Kind of like eco-tours except you arrive with a problem and leave a lot healthier] Consulting fees in SA are between 1/5th and 1/10th US and UK rates. So why aren’t we consultants looking offshore? [10 hours consulting in the UK is worth about 1000 UK pounds (about R10,000) which covers the return flight, the accommodation, and even a short holiday!]

In many respects we can leverage off the weakness in the SA Rand – instead of just complaining about it. Similarly, if you plan to move into a new country [either as a business venture or as an immigrant] a few hours on the Internet will save you a fortune because you will identify a wealth of opportunities and pitfalls.

For example – everything you will ever need to know about Australia is somewhere on the web. Oz is the 2nd most wired nation on earth [after the USA]. Right now it is easier, quicker and cheaper to register a company in Australia [all done via websites] than to do the same thing right here in SA!

More about that in a few weeks if enough folk are interested. Almost every ‘profession’ that relies on selling information [real estate, doctors, consultants, immigration agents, architects, etc…] is under threat as more and more info becomes available via the Internet. But your challenge is simply – if you’re too busy to learn to use this profound tool – expect to pay forever. Take some time out to take a step back from your daily urgencies – and try and see your bigger picture. Please.

© Peter Carruthers, www.petesweekly.co.za

Back to www.bizland.co.za