I might have broken my foot last week, but I'm still having a better time of it than New South Wales opposition leader Peter Debnam. Some may say his run of bad luck with the Libs started with the ousting of former leader John Brogden before what was shaping up to be an unlosable state election, but I'm guessing that even with a broken foot I'll still have a job next week.
When the voting public is fed up with a government for its transport, health and education shortfalls, it's not a good idea to base your campaign on water conservation. Yes, it's important, but the time isn't right. It could have been better used as a policy for the government, but instead, it stayed on message. It promised things would improve. It would look at transport, education and police. There are lessons there for all of us. Stay on message and you have more chance of keeping your clients.
For fund managers losing staff or having a bad year, if your message was worthy in the first place, keep it. That's what sold you in the first place. But it doesn't mean be closed off to changes. Things can and do change quickly and issues such as the environment have started to get traction first with the big super funds and now with more retail businesses.
And as the economy saw the start of stock corrections in February, it's time to make sure to stay on message. Somewhat conflicting surveys reported on by Stephen Blaxhall this week suggest that while investment risk has risen, global investor confidence has also risen. This is good for our business so we should make sure we stick to messages that have worked: the power of compound interest, the need for insurance, the importance of putting money into super and the value of advice.
