Before You Try the Next Big Trend, Fix Your Infrastructure

Each time a shiny new trend comes along, you feel left behind. A new AI tool to automate all of your workflows. A new funnel framework to double your conversions in 30 days. A new social platform to reach your customers. A new “must-have” tactic.

But the reality is:

If you have shoddy foundations, no trend will save you. Your foundations are weak, and you do not have the correct infrastructure in place to support the trend.

Trends Do Not Work Magic

Think of trends as a loudspeaker. Just like a loudspeaker can make your voice louder, but still have a bad message, trends can amplify what is going wrong in your business, making it worse.

If you have:

• Customer data is spread across five separate tools.
• A team that does not follow established processes.
• A website that loads slowly or fails to load correctly on mobile devices.
• An unreliable delivery system.

Then, no matter how many trendy marketing ideas you come up with, you will still have these issues in the forefront of everyone's eyes. This is why some brands have been successful using the same tools as you, while others have failed.

The winners have solid systems in place that allow the trendy marketing ideas to fit in with. The losers attempt to use the trendy marketing ideas to cover the structural holes in their business.

Why Does Infrastructure Feel So Dull?

Let us face it. Most people find repairing their infrastructure dull. No one posts on social media about completing a documentation of a process or about cleaning up their CRM. Trends are fun. Infrastructure is boring. Infrastructure is administrative.

However, that "boring" infrastructure is what gives you the security of your time, your sanity, and your profits. It is the difference between:

• Constantly reacting to every little thing, versus being able to manage a pipeline with confidence.
• Hoping that things work out versus knowing they will.
• Having to rebuild your business every year, versus being able to compound your results.

Which option is typically worth more?

Take a Look at Your Customer's Journey

Before you try another trendy idea, map the journey of how a stranger turns into a loyal customer.

Map it in detail. Map it step-by-step. Map it tool-by-tool.

For example:

• Where does the stranger first hear about you?
• Where does the stranger learn more about you?
• How does the stranger contact you?
• How do you respond to the stranger?
• How do you complete the sale?
• How do you fulfill your promise?
• How do you follow up with the stranger and turn him/her into a loyal customer?

As you map the journey, take note of the tools and gaps in your current process.

Slow responses. Hand quotes. Confusing forms. No automation.

When you see the entire journey, you will realize that there are many areas in your current infrastructure that need repair. Those are the areas that you should put your efforts into, well ahead of trying another trendy marketing strategy.

Think Of Your Business As a Factory

Thinking of your business as a factory may help.

In a manufacturing plant, you do not add new machinery to the assembly line until the entire line is running smoothly. Each part of the line is timed, measured, and standardized.

High-performing factories invest heavily in their core methods, tools, and processes before investing in additional machinery. Something such as graphite machining is not just "an interesting addition". It is a specific, repeatable method that increases the efficiency and reliability of the entire operation. Your business needs that same type of thinking. You want to develop capabilities that are consistent, reliable, and scalable. Instead of asking "What trendy idea should I try next?", try asking "What capability, if we developed it properly, would make all of the other aspects of my business easier or faster?"

Some Examples of Unexciting But Powerful Infrastructure

Here are a few examples of unexciting but powerful ways to improve your infrastructure:

1. Clean, Reliable Data

If your sales numbers are located in ten different spreadsheets and no one trusts the reports, then you are essentially making decisions based on guesswork. Gather all of your key metrics in one place. Sales. Leads. Conversion Rates. Fulfillment Times. Churn.

Once your data is clean and consistent, every decision you make will be less emotional and more fact-based. You will no longer need to rely on experts to tell you what is working. You will be able to see it clearly for yourself.

2. Processes That People Follow

If your operations only exist in the mind of one employee, then you do not have a system. You have a single point of failure. Document the steps for recurring tasks. Onboarding Clients. Proposals. Deliveries. Complaints. Keep it simple. Keep it short. Keep it clear so a new employee can easily follow it. Processes do not eliminate creativity. Processes eliminate chaos and give creativity room to breathe.

3. Tools That Talk To Each Other

Most businesses do not need more tools. Businesses need tools that are integrated. Take a look at the tools you currently use. Your website. Your CRM. Your Email Platform. Your Invoicing System. Your Support Desk. Can the data flow freely between tools without manual copy/paste? Can a lead flow from "First Contact" right through to "Paid & Nurtured" with minimal friction?

When your tools communicate with each other, you gain:

• Fewer Errors
• Faster Response Time
• Better Customer Experience

Then, when you do choose to try a new trendy idea, it will be able to connect to an already functioning system.

How To Change From Being A Trend Follower To Being A Trend Architect

Changing your focus is a mindset change. You are changing from "What can I try this week?" to "What am I building for the next 3 years?"

Here is a simple way to begin the change:

Audit Your Irritation

Create a list of the things that irritate you every day. Repeated questions. Lost files. Slow approvals. Missed follow-ups. These are indicators that there is a weakness in your current infrastructure.

Pick One Bottleneck At A Time

Do not try to fix the entire business in one fell swoop. Pick one area that is causing you irritation and commit to improving it. For example, response time to inquiries or consistency of deliveries.

Design The Ideal Flow

Put aside any restrictions and ask, "If this were perfect, what would the steps be?" Then work backward and identify what parts of the process are currently feasible using your present tools.

Automate The Obvious, Not Everything

Automation should enhance your relationships with customers, not replace them. Use automation for confirmations. Reminders. Basic Follow-Up. Leave the personal touch in those areas that really matter.

Review Monthly, Adjust Quarterly

Improving your infrastructure is an ongoing process. Make it habitual to review every month, "Where Did Our Systems Fail Us." Then make adjustments through quarterly projects focused on your specific goals.