If you think that the main thing you can learn from Ita Buttrose is how to dress well and maintain grace and poise under incredible pressure, think again. Here are three things you can learn from Ita Buttrose about growing your small business.
As I watched Asher Keddie playing Ita Buttrose in ABC-TV’s Paper Giants – the birth of Cleo, I was literally moved to tears. What an inspiration Ita was – and is. And what a great marketing brain she has. Now if you’re wondering what on earth that has to do with growing or marketing a small business, then in just a moment I’ll tell you.
1. Know your customer
Remember when Ita was writing the first letter from the editor? She was able to be very specific about the person the magazine was for. It wasn’t just for women as one big group, it was a specific kind of woman…
“We decided that you were an intelligent woman, who’s interested in everything that’s going on, the type of person who wants a great deal more out of life, like us. Certain aspects of women’s lib appeal to you, but you’re not aggressive about it. And again, like us, you’re all for men as long as they know their place…”
2. Know your competition
Remember when it was the anniversary issue? And Ita bought a copy? Kerry Packer said why are you giving Fairfax 60 cents of your money? Remember when Ita was fighting the anti-pornography lobby? She made sure that she knew what they were doing – in all its intimate detail. Knowing her competition was one of the things that helped her find the gaps and the difference.
3. Stick to your guns but don’t get stuck in a rut
Remember when Kerry wanted Ita to sack two people? Remember when he argued with her about the centrefold? And remember when Ita wanted to put Barry Humphries as Dame Edna on the cover? (This was a move that resulted in 250,000 copies of the magazine being sold too.) In all these instances – and there were lots more – Ita stuck to her guns. OK she did sack the art director, but even as she did that, she spoke a universal truth.
“Things change, magazines are dynamic things.”
The same is true of most business. Just like Ita, you also need to know your customers, your competition, when to stick to your guns and stay consistent and when to evolve and experiment. If you do, you’ll have all the ingredients for growth.
