What we have learned along our journey

Barbara Geczy

Customer Analyst, This is Milk

​We would like to share with you what our incredible journey has taught us over the past years and to consider how these business lessons could benefit our audience. Whether you’re new to the world of business or have been in the game for years, we dare say the following lessons will hold true:

●Know your brand inside out – and don’t be afraid to be different.
 
When This is Milk was conceived, we started by defining our brand. We knew that our name would stand out from the crowd for example and prove a conversation starter. How right we were. If you’re curious as to the thought process behind the moniker, you can read about the branding exercise here.

●Treat your brand with the same importance as a major client
 
Even if you’re overwhelmed with client work, never forget to focus on your brand and to share what’s going on with your company. Don’t neglect your business – look after it and it will look after you.

●Build your brand, products and services around your customers
 
Our strategy from the very outset was to focus on the needs of our clients and to continuously review our services in light of customer demands. We maintain close contact with our customers and are continuously looking for their feedback. Based on that we can then enhance our services and devise new solutions.
 
●If you don’t know what your customers need – ask them
 
The simplest and easiest way to find out what your customers are looking or is to ask them outright. Either call them, arrange to meet for a coffee or chat with them on a social platform.
 
●Test and learn. Get social and try out new channels – you might be surprised at what you find 
 
We’ve tested various campaigns over the years, both on social media and in other domains, and we’ve often been surprised by the results. When you analyse the outcome of a campaign and compare it with your expectations, it’s amazing to see where you were right, where you were wrong and where you were pleasantly surprised. Test, learn, optimise and repeat.
 
●Be open to change – things are rarely right the first time around
 
Even if it means you have to widen your services, products or have to move to another office, embrace it! Change drives the world forward.
 
●Pursue progress over perfection
 
It’s easy to become distracted and lose sight of the bigger picture if you attempt to walk the tightrope of perfection. Mistakes happen. Learn from them and move on.
 
●Get out and talk to people
 
Stay deeply curious about your customers, prospective clients and their industry. Stay alert to recent trends and monitor where the market is heading. Networking events organised around a specific topic are a great way of touching base and spotting new opportunities.
 
●Share what you have learned along the way and don’t be afraid of the spotlight – get over yourself and pursue it
 
That’s why Angela’s been holding workshops and giving talks on topics such as customer experience, business decision-making and project planning for organisations including WiB, eSpark and the Glasgow Chamber of Commerce.
 
●Ask for and solicit feedback – from your customers over those with well-intended business advice
 
Even pointed criticism contains valuable lessons. Don’t take it to heart, but do learn from it.
 
●Just ask – that’s how we got the First Minister
 
We were delighted to host Nicola Sturgeon MSP, who graciously accepted our request to help us launch our business. You want to know how we approached her? We were brave enough to ask her – that’s the trick!

How can we help?

This is Milk were and still are a start up. That’s why we’re the best people to be your partner on this journey. We’re committed to helping other businesses grow and become even better at what they do.
 
If you’re wondering why you might want to work with us, there are a few reasons that spring to mind. For one thing, we don’t dispense blind or generic advice. Everything we do starts with understanding the customer. We based our whole business on this because we saw that all too often the customer and their needs are overlooked.
 
We never take a cookie cutter approach. Everything we do is based around you, your business and your customers. We start by gaining insights and developing strategy rather than trying to inflict our way of doing things on the customer. We’re flexible in terms of working hours, terms, places and trying to form them based on your needs and have launched and successfully built a brand – but we aren’t too big for our boots.
 
We can help you to grow with any of the following services:

​Get in touch and let’s see what we can do to grow your business together.

Contact Us

​(Blog first published 09/18/2017)