change Archives

Clues to building your future roadmap lie outside the industry

21 “sight bites” to help you find your way Like you, I am way more interested in 2011 than I am looking back. I want to know what we can expect this year—both the good and the bad. So please, “just give me the facts.” And like you, I need to know if we’re on the right track. Will our customers continue to be focused on the same things like reducing costs; and minimizing the environmental impact of...
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Drill deep to see the new face of market demand

Embrace the differences that will drive innovation If you want to know what’s driving business, you have to drill down deep. Of course, demand drives customer orders and, as it follows, your customer’s customer orders and so on. But when you finally get to the bottom of it, you’ll see a new face of change—a nonconforming consumer that’s younger, and more powerful than any previous generation. He ...
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Wanted: small niche players. Space available

Consider your options well As a small business, are you alone, doing your thing, providing a great product in the metalworking or surface treatment industries? Do you think anyone else in the whole world shares some of the same challenges? Are they also trying to keep “clean” (let alone “green”) while using advanced chemical lubricants, cleaners and strippers? Small industrial niche businesses ...
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Use these 6 tools to tap in and listen to the social media marketplace.

Plot your objectives and strategy. You didn’t become successful in the metal business by jumping into it with some vague notion of how the business works. I’d advise you to handle the topic of Social Media (SM) the same way. It could be hazardous to jump in without some knowledge of the medium; it’s tools and the marketplace. After all we don’t want to embarrass ourselves. But I also urge you t...
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Plan social media strategies like any other major initiative

More than your reputation is at stake, take it a step at a time Social media is a revolutionary means for connecting with customers, prospects, vendors, partners, even co-workers and recruits. This is important because it means you are now connected in ways never before seen. Your company is becoming more and more transparent, whether you want it or not. With blogs, chat rooms, email, text, and to...
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Welcome to the Industrious Bastard blog!

Insight, whether you like it or not. HIT Solutions is in the business of providing … well, solutions. Some just happen to be liquid. This blog is an ambitious effort for a young business that was established by two brothers in 2008. These boys are a couple of seasoned industry stalwarts grounded by even stronger midwestern values of business ethics, hard work and a thirst for knowledge. The HIT me...
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