Posts Tagged ‘challenges’
Marketing in a difficult economy
As a business owner, current economic times provide you with endless challenges and possibly sleepless nights. When you’re worried about dwindling sales and if your bank is going to pull your credit line, it’s hard to think about growth. Ever wonder what the smart business owners are thinking about during these turbulant times?
How do I grow market share?
There it is. The smart businesses around us are thinking about turning these challenges into an opportunity. They are getting the message out there about their goods and services. They are developing top-of-mind awareness in the public at a time when their competitors are pulling marketing dollars off the table. Why? Exactly for that reason. The best time to build market share is when there’s no opposition.
In the past, I’ve written about cutting through the clutter and getting your message heard. Times like these make that task much easier. Fewer messages mean it’s easier to remember yours. Put your message out there. Repeat it over and over. If you do that, what do you think will happen?
In a recovery situation, you will be miles ahead of your competition. You will have built tremendous value in your brand and increased your opportunity to gain market share.
I know it’s hard to think along these lines when it seems like the sky is falling and money is tightest. But this truly is an opportunistic time. If you’re thinking about cutting back on your marketing budget, I would caution you to perhaps examine your strategies and concentrate your efforts to maximize success. If you’re thinking about cutting your marketing budget altogether, I have a message for you from your competitors:
Thank you.
Your biggest client – YOU
I was meeting with a prospective new client recently and she made a simple comment that I needed a web site. With that simple observation, she hit the bull’s eye on exactly the biggest problem many of us face in generating new business; we fail to market ourselves well.
Oh sure, there are lots of reasons we can come up with to not do it. For me, it’s hard to find the time between writing scripts, directing shoots and edit sessions, building relationships, and keeping up with the latest trends and technologies.
But then again, if you don’t take yourself seriously, who will?
I’ve challenged myself this week to finish my web site, at least a first draft of it, and post it up for all to see. And like for all of my clients, I will deliver on time!
I’d love to hear from everyone how you overcame the challenges of the day-to-day of your business and how you found a way to rise above it and to promote your biggest client: YOU!