Pushing the boundaries

For a business to succeed in 2017 it must be prepared to push the boundaries; to be ‘ the disrupter’. It’s an incredibly crowded marketplace – your brand simply has to stand taller than the competition.

Pushing the boundaries involves embracing the latest technologies, particularly around online marketing and social media platforms.

At a recent Business North Harbour Breakfast event, guest speaker John Ball, Google’s managing director SME/SMBs Australia and New Zealand, shared some great advice on how to be noticed online and optimise results.

One statistic that stood out in his presentation for me was the fact that 40 percent of people will abandon a website if it takes more than three seconds to load. So by all means have an eye-catching site – but more importantly, design one that loads easily and quickly.

The other stand-out fact is the average number of times people check their smartphone per day. It’s 150. Clearly I’m far from average then!

Ball says the future is digital and it is mobile. Already there are more searches performed on mobiles than desktops. And again, speed and ease is of the essence – 29 percent of smartphone users will not bother with your site if it’s too slow or clumsy. So technology is a primary driver of pushing boundaries – of embracing change. That’s demonstrated by our cover story this month, which highlights a lawyer who built his business almost entirely through social media. On Ismail Rasheed’s email signature I couldn’t help but notice the promotion of his LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter sites. Social media, coupled with a snappy website, is a ‘boundary pushing’ strategy for building business – even more so when applied to the somewhat conservative and traditional nature of the law industry. This month’s edition showcases a number of disrupters or ‘boundary riders’. There is Shazly Rasheed’s sustainable hair salon and day spa, Rhys Clareburt’s organic take on a very personal product, the augmented reality journey of Imersia, and the bold marketing initiative by honey brand Three Peaks – to name just a handful.

Embrace change, push boundaries, and enjoy the read.