The cheetah is the fastest land animal in the world. A cheetah can reach 112km/hr in just three seconds! Its body is built for speed, with long legs, an elongated spine, claws to grip the ground, and a tail for balance.
Sprinting at such super speeds obviously takes up a lot of energy. A cheetah chase is usually limited to 20-30 seconds with few pursuits exceeding 60 seconds. Due to their limited endurance, the pursuit of their prey must be well-timed out. Unlike most other wild cats, cheetahs do not ambush their prey within springing distance. Prey must be spotted within seconds or stealthy stalked for hours. The success rate of catching its prey is usually about 40%.
Strategic planning
Cheetahs are the smallest of the big cats and as such, have the potential to lose their hard-won kills to larger competition like lions and leopards. Therefore, they hunt during the day and usually early in the morning or late in the afternoon rather than at night.
As a business, what’s your niche? Who and where are the potential consumers whom you can target with your products and services which your larger and more established competitors can’t or won’t reach? Nowadays it seems that everyone else is proving the same services and products. How many times have you heard people saying that they are not making any sales because the market is oversaturated? Yes, the market is flooded with mabhero, cheaper solar products, auto spares, etc. What is your USP? What sets you apart from competitors?
Who is your target audience?
Are you leveraging your strength to attract new clients? Do you know why consumers are not buying from you? What are your limitations and what boundaries can you set for your business?
I usually ask my clients, “Who is your target audience?”, but often get wrong answers every time. Imagine if the cheetah would prey on every single animal in the animal kingdom, the giraffes, elephants, and hippos, it would not end well Stop saying that your target audience is “everyone.”
Finally, the rapid pace of a cheetah is only made possible by the coordinated movement of a body optimized for speed. Imagine your business’s marketing strategy working in perfect harmony towards a single common goal.
Mambo’s Chickens never miss a stride when it comes to digital marketing. They’re always on top of things. But some of you are a little too slow in catching things and following the latest trends.
Your turn: What other marketing lessons do you draw from the cheetah?
