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Did you watch the presidential news conference last night or listen on your laptop or radio? One of the metaphors he used towards the end are pertinent to retailers. He talked about how long it takes change to occur in Washington, “the ship of state is an ocean liner, not a speed boat.” He made the point that turning it a few degrees may not be seen soon, or even short-term, but would make the difference in the end when you could looked back in time at the moment the captain had decided to alter course.
I think many retailers have seen themselves as an ocean liner, that change comes slowly. That’s why we hire our sisters’ friend because we like them, we don’t clear out bad buys of merch, we run the same ad we always did. In short, we don’t want to change. It’s comfortable.
But we’ve never had times like we’re dealing with now. Your smart competitors are looking at the wealth of new tools available to market to their customers. They are speed boats looking to alter course dramatically.
I was talking to a client last week and he told me, “We wouldn’t have needed you last year – we were doing fine.” But when sales are fine, we rarely change.
My point to you today is to decide if you are a speedboat or an ocean liner. 
Obama had thousands of people advising his running of the ship which is why it was an plodding ocean liner. Most all of you only have to look in the mirror and decide where you need to go then set a course.
You don’t have the luxury of cruising anymore.
