On 08.08.2008 Extended Thinking first opened its doors for business. The date also marked the start of the Beijing Olympics. Chosen by the Chinese for the number eight’s lucky connotations in their culture, at the time I thought it a good sign for my fledgling business. 15 years later, and with Extended Thinking still going strong, it certainly proved to be so.

Keeping us on our toes

Much has changed in the world of marketing and business development over that time. Social media has transformed people’s lives, tighter data privacy regulations have changed the way email and other digital marketing work.

Technological advances have shrunk the devices we use but simultaneously exploded their capacity and capabilities to new dimensions. They’ve also changed people’s preferences towards the visual, interactive, audio and video – and away from the written word.

Following the pandemic and our reliance on digital, attention spans have lessened, and the expectation for things to happen super-fast is the norm.

The fundamentals remain true

But some things have stayed the same. I still get a buzz researching a market, a customer profile or a target market segment. Marketing and business development are still about being deeply curious and understanding your customer so you can find ways that they will enjoy engaging with you.

Crafting communications which are then personalised, relevant and demonstrate your empathy for their interests and challenges is as vital as ever… and immensely satisfying to all concerned.

What a journey!

Back in 2008, my sole goal was to make it through the first year. Here in 2023, I am so very grateful to all the wonderful clients who’ve called on our support over the years, and the fantastic range of projects and industry sectors they’ve involved us in.

We in turn have been supported by great suppliers, advisers, professional contacts and friends who’ve helped us grow and evolve.

We couldn’t have done it without you

So here is a massive THANK YOU to everyone for your trust in us, your help, your encouragement and the delight of working with you. Eight clearly was a lucky number for us, but we wouldn’t be here today without you.

Thank you again, and again, and again.

Michelle