[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Pokemon GO is the new internet phenomenon that has taken the world by storm. While I was on vacation last week I downloaded the app to play with my 13-year-old daughter. I confess that I have never played a game on my smartphone before, so why now? I admit I was a little curious as to what all the hype was. After playing for a few days, and advancing to a level 6, I was pretty proud of myself. However, while on vacation I met a millennial on a trolley who was also playing the game. When I started asking him questions, I learned he was already at a level 11. How did he advance so quickly? He determined that if he rode the free trolley around the island, he could capture Pokemon quickly with little effort on his part. He also discovered that he could get Poke Balls multiple times while zooming past the Poke Stops. Instead of walking around the island, which could take all day, he spent a couple of hours on the trolley and was using strategy to win the game. He was gaining market share using a free tool (the bus) and strategy (learning where the Poke Stops were to gather more Poke Balls multiple times).
I then began researching Pokemon GO and learned that Nintendo has seen a surge in their stock prices, players are selling their Pokemons, and children and adults alike love the AR (augmented reality) that blends a game with reality. Ninetendo had also strategically looked at a dying product (Pokemon card game) and turned that into the latest mobile app craze by developing a smartphone game that is easy to learn, addictive, challenging and fun. They used strategy to gain market share with an existing product line.
So, how does this relate to your business?
When was the last time you put room in your hectic schedule to plan and strategize how to move your company forward? When was the last time you took a critical look at your products, market share, gross margins, and employees and worked on your business instead of in your business? If you are like most business owners I talk to, next to never. I can assure you that you will never have the time to strategically plan for the next phase of your business if you do not make the time. Our GrowSMART program will give you the time you need to strategize for your business.
Contact your local UGA Small Business Development Center to schedule a session with a business consultant or attend one of our upcoming training programs. The UGA SBDC offers no-cost, confidential consulting services and low cost educational resources to help you transform your business![/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/4″][media image=”4772″][/vc_column][vc_column width=”3/4″][vc_column_text]Laura Katz, MBA, is the Area Director of the University of Georgia Small Business Development Center in Athens and specializes in marketing and business development. Ms. Katz can be contacted at: 706.542.7436 or [email protected].[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
