One of the lasting images of the Serengeti is the scene of millions of Wildebeest migrating in search of greener pastures. It is estimated that 2 million of these ungainly creatures migrate over 250 miles, twice every year. This event is a high point in the lives of many a predator that benefit from this movement, abundance and opportunity. A few practices of the successful hunters presents interesting insights to consider.
The landscape is vast and flat and it is difficult to visualize the thousands of prey from the usual hidden approaches of the elephant grass. The big cats seek the outcrops of large rock called ‘Kopjes’. These mini-mountains offer a perfect view of the stretching plains and help identify the high density locations of prey and the best approaches to the quarry.
A strategically placed Kopje is critical to understanding where and how your target is positioned.
Though vast in number, Wildebeest are not easily hunted. Strong, fast runners and formidable in groups, they need to be outrun as well as targeted with persistence to be overcome. Four in five chases are usually unsuccessful. And once alerted, they take a while to settle and drop their guard.
One should never take success for granted looking at the abundance of opportunity. Targeting and persistence pays off only over the long haul. The key to success is activity levels. Building a full diary of customer targets and managing your time effectively will yield the well deserved one-in-five success.
In the Serengeti, few hunters take the approach of lying in wait for the passing prey. However, in the backdrop of communal migration, this strategy handsomely pays off. The Mara river crossings are particularly precarious for the Wildebeest. The herds plough through fast moving currents in a bid to reach their destination. There is little thought or reason as they jump headlong into the feeding grounds of alligators that congregate just for the occassion.
In the George Casey documentary “Serengeti”, the narrator says - “There is neither malice nor remorse on the Serengeti. A hunter kills to eat, and to feed its own. Nothing more.”
Businesses need to understand migration and change within their customers to look for opportunities for growth. How well does your business do this? Do you have your own Kopje that can give a full picture of this phenomena? Are your sales personnel chasing the right customers and doing it often enough? Are you positioning to offer services that the migrating customers are bound to require?
Have you witnessed a change in your customer base and benefitted by positioning for this opportunity? Give us your thoughts by comment or write to us.
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