BY JAMIE SCARBOROUGH
This past Saturday, I had the chance to be one of 3 speakers at the BCIT Marketing Association (BCITMA) Regional Conference (really excited about being asked, because the other speakers – from Hootsuite and BlastRadius – are extremely accomplished business professionals). The conference topic was “Marketing: Who is your Audience?” Speaking to approx 100 students (mostly from the marketing and sales programs), I focused on the importance of balancing the needs and wants of all your stakeholders – not just the ones that make you profitable. It is easy for companies to get caught in the trap of focusing their business model on being #1 rather than being the best (#1 only requires making the most money: a great outcome, but an unsustainable market position without a focus on quality). At Sales Talent Agency, our focus on being “the best” sales recruitment agency (not just #1) means we continue to look at how to improve the company for our clients (who pay us), candidates (who are essentially our product), our team (who provide the expertise needed to match clients to candidates), as well as shareholders (who need to make a profit). We feel that by continuing to improve our performance for ALL of these audiences, we can establish a market position that is both dominant and sustainable.
The students were very engaged and asked great questions, and – as usual when I deal with people at the start of their careers (at UBC, Ryerson and BCIT) – I came away rejuvenated and excited about the future of business in Canada. I thank the BCITMA for inviting me. I can’t wait to come back!