Big change starts with small steps

Wayne Gretzky once said ‘You miss 100 per cent of the shots you don’t take’. And although I am not a hockey fan, he certainly has a point. Success doesn’t come by chance. It is something you have to work at continuously. A time when these successes are celebrated extensively is during the ‘award season’. In the Netherlands, the juries for the AMMA Awards, the SAN and the MOAwards have already started. But also in the UK, the Effie Awards are coming up, and the MRS Awards and Marketing Week’s The Masters have begun. Last year, we were finalists at the MRS Awards 2021 in the categories ‘Innovation in Data Analytics’ and ‘Business-to-Business Research’. And we’re also doing well in Germany.

small steps

Innovation is a priority at DVJ, and we see it as a continuous, step-by-step process. We are proud to have been nominated for the BVM Innovation Award in Germany this month, with a case study on the use of category entry points and increasing mental market share of a brand in the personal care sector. When it comes to innovation, we don’t believe in buzzwords and hypes but believe that innovation consists of the will and the ambition to improve yourself a little bit every day. This is based on the idea that many smaller improvements or innovations together lead to sustainable growth.

international focus

This growth is also reflected in our people and the hiring of new talent. With the recent expansion of our teams in the Netherlands, Germany and the UK, as well as our management team, we started the year off with a strong focus on our international activities. This is reflected in the many projects with clients around the world, and we are happy to share these insights at various events throughout the year. In a week, we will be at the German DAIS – Data Analytics & Insights Salon, in May at Quirk’s in London and at the Woche der Marktforschung in Germany, in June at NIMA Marketing Day in the Netherlands, and there is much more to come. Our annual Brand Growth Event will not take place in the autumn but on Tuesday 31 May. Given our international growth, we think it is important to give everyone whatever their location the opportunity to attend our event, which is why we are once again organising an online edition. To stay up to date, you can register here.

the biggest change

This spring promises to be a good time, and I look forward to seeing all the great work again at the many awards and events. And whether you are at the beginning of your goal or already on your way, sustainable success is characterised by a continuous process. It is all about looking to do things just a little bit better every day. As the tortoise and the hare once found, ‘slow and steady wins the race’. The smallest steps lead to the biggest change.