I stopped in an office the other day and chatted with one of the employees . We talked about marketing . The owner  was very busy traveling and scoping out new opportunites. it was an impressive office with a lot of great services that people in that industry do not offer under one roof. They hadn’t done much of anything in terms of advertising or marketing themselves. Where should they start? It was defintely a marketing opportunity that could cover both the consumer as well as the business market. I think a lot of marketing  opportunites are missed when one just thinks of business marketing. Everyone in business is a consumer. So where should they start? Social media is great and should definitely be implemented. However , that is just one piece of the puzzle. Google Ad words works great but it can get costly trying to stay on the top depending on your industry. What are your thoughts? What would you do? Would you target consumers? Would you target both? Why?

Every small business needs a marketing plan no matter how small. The business must try to constantly attract new clients to keeps the pipeline full. Just the other day I missed out on a big opportunity why? Because I hesitated and assumed the client wasn’t ready!! Big mistake. Someone beat me to it and rightly so.

But that is okay because i believe there are plenty of opportunities out there in spite of the the dreaded ” economy news” You know the saying accept things you can’t change but be wise to know what you can change or something like that …..

What have you done this week? Made a television commercial about your business? Maybe you updated your blog?  Put an ad on Craig’s list for your business expertise? Offer a free consultation via email to your old clients? What about a radio spot? Good copy and a good offer make all the difference… 10%off  on a small items will not get them running through the door but what about a free item? If you are a service oriented business then offer some free ideas just to whet their appetite. Keep moving keep trying You now have one tool that you didn’t years ago.. Social media and Google Ad words…. Get moving … Keep moving so in six months you will have grown more by your marketing efforts…..

Remember to thank your current clients and think carefully how you will attract new ones.

Are you asking yourself or your team what colors the ad should be ? How about the content?

Relying on a marketing company or agency? Do they understand your client base? What motivates the client to buy?

Often clients tell me my target market is everyone. Everyone uses my product or services.  I probe for more information. Why don’t you buy your company employees lunch and hold a focus group right on your own turf? Who would know better than the very people who work with you? When calls come in do you listen? When marketing your company do you provide a laundry list of services? You are busy and so are your clients.  WouIdn’t it be more prudent to speak directly to your clients one by one? How ? Through programs like email marketing. How about a customer appreciation phone call? imagine calling your customer for no other reason than thanking them for their business. We may be in the age of lightening fast communication and effiency; but there is nothing wrong with actually reaching out and touching someone! A live voice is so much better than an internet blurb or tweet. Do all the things of late that work .Google, tweet, linkedin etc etc but when it comes to your advertising think carefully and strategically how you will win new clients and retain your current ones.

Fear stops many people from being the best we can be. Why? Because we don’t always believe in ourselves the way we should. What is stopping you? The fear the plans you made might not work out? What about marketing yourself and your company? What have you done lately? It is so easy to sit back and say I’ve done all I can. But there is always more you can and must do to stay ahead of your competition. I hear so often :”My campaign didn’t bring me any customers? “Really? Okay so several clicks some calls … I see opportunity. Maybe you need to learn the secret of leveraging those opportunities. Start looking at the glass as half full and you’ll be amazed about what you will attract.

What do you offer that no one else does? You have to dig deep but you can and will find it. Many people want the easy way out from Bosses to employees to customers. But it the ones that understand going the extra mile truly sets them apart from the competition. Keep thinking about ways you might offer your services in a different way or to a niche audience. What are your competitors doing ? Do the opposite.

What problem do you solve? hone in on it.

As I reflect on my successes and failures it was the times I doubted myself when i failed . And so what ? I stumbled made mistakes and decided to look for another avenue. Learn from it and move on.The idea is to never stop. Never ,never  give up.

I work with both large and small businesses and there really isn’t a difference just in the numbers that is all. Both have the same pain. Increase the bottom line. Management sets the culture and tone for the company. What does the culture at your company say about your company? I had a conversation with a women the other day the worked for a huge Pharma company. She said the company encourages family time off. No working twenty-four seven. No sending emails over the weekend so the people receiving them will feel compelled to answer. Imagine that? Pretty smart time off and relaxation allows individuals to come back to work refreshed and ready with new ideas to contribute to the brand! when you feel good about yourself it is hard not to start believing in yourself everything else falls into place.  there will always be fires to put out and customers to handle  but it is how you handle them that makes all the difference.

Do whatever you can to set yourself apart. Study the competition and get smart every day. Learn something new every day! Remember it doesn’t matter who your are ,what education you have ( unless your field requires degrees and certification understandably)  you can be whatever you dreamed of. do not let the negative people tell you it can’t happen. it can and it will.

Great companies are born everyday.The secret is being able to position yourself and your firm in a light that no else is able to .Whether you are a salesperson for a company trying to increase sales or 10,000 strong representing a company it really doesn’t matter.  Your marketing department needs to stay on top of all the opportunities that are out there for your company to take advantage of. Don’t forget for one minute however, the ideas to represent your brand and how it is perceived must come from you.

I just met someone the other day that believes in himself and his brand. He is already selling his product all of the world and doing very well. It all started because he believed he could.

Just when you think the news couldn’t get any worse, it appears it does.  Only the people with the most positive attitudes are able to put a silver lining around the cloud.  Run from the negativity.  It solves nothing.

I’m not saying ignorance is bliss.  I am saying deal with the news, react, and move forward.  Tomorrow is coming no matter what.

Let the professionals take care of it and concentrate on your bussiness.  Figure out how you can stimulate the economy in your corner of the world.  What added value or complimentary service can you offer your clients now?  It’s not about the money because that will come if you are doing the right thing.

Cut and trim your expenses wherever you can.  Go out and network.  Offer complimentary evaluations, too.

What are you doing for your business so when the recovery comes your company will be positioned for that business?  How are you benefiting from this slow time?  Maybe it is time to reinvent your company.

Ask your customers what they think they will be needing that they can’t seem to get anywhere else.  Better yet, go over your client list and see what modifications could be implemented to save money.

The strong companies will survive.  The companies that are constantly marketing themselves will survive.  The companies that sit and do nothing, well . . . . .

I have received many calls in my office cancelling various campaigns. 

However, just like the advertisers that I work for, I am not closing my doors and going out of business.

I remember working in the aftermath of  9/11.  I told  all of my clients to stay the course.  Not only did they respond, but I recall having a special economic stimulus package to offer them.  It actually helped their brands.  They survived and increased profits at a time that was very challenging.

I was refreshed yesterday when one of my major clients said he was staying on track with his marketing campaign.  Because when the economy bounces back, he will be on top of everyone’s mind for new business opportunities!

That is exactly the kind of thinking that helps all of us.  The media has created such fear amongst everyone that the economy has been impacted almost to the point of paralysis.

Where can you look for new opportunities?

Change your attitude.  Run from negative people.  Come up with real solutions to their situations. The big box stores loaded with foreign products are doing well.  Why?  Because they offer added value to their consumers.  How can your clients do the same for their customers?

Make up your own economic stimulus package for your product or services.  Be authentic and relevant to current market challenges.

Try pitching accounts you ordinarily wouldn’t consider.  Try creating ads for a brand without being invited to “the party”.  You know you can do better.

Take this down time to think how you would handle a certain client’s campaign.  Then, go pitch it!  I recently saw a film at the Paley Center for Media Studies about David Ogilvy, founder of Ogilvy & Mathers.  The movie was produced by Ogilvy & Mathers on David Ogilvy’s contributions as an icon in advertising.  He was an amazing man!  He kept his top five dream accounts posted behind the wall in his office.

He believed he could and he did.  He thought of unusual ways to make his ad pitches stand out!  He was remarkable only because he believed in himself and his ideas.  He never quit!  He went up against much bigger agencies.  One story that I will never forget is the one where he was trying to win the Hathaway brand men’s dress shirt account. 

He wondered what he would do differently.  Men’s dress shirts were relatively boring.  On his way to the photo shoot, he stopped off and purchased an eye patch from a costume store.  When people looked at the ad, they wondered why the man in the ad was wearing an eye patch.  The thinking was that he must have been a pirate or just courageous.  The way men like to think of themselves.  Small things can make a big difference.

They not only hired David as the agency of record, but Hathaway enjoyed a sales lift and a campaign that had staying power for many years to come.  You can’t change your situation but you can certainly change your thinking!

I sat watching television for weeks complaining about an ad campaign that I felt was really hurting a large corporation.  I finally did something about it.  I created an ad in the perspective of how I saw them increasing profitability.  I met with the CMO and everything fell into place.  I stand a chance of winning that business.

Do something.  Don’t sit there and do nothing!  Source: The reference to the story above is portrayed in a film at the Paley Center for Media Studies NYC.  A tribute to Ogilvy produced by Ogilvy & Mathers Agency.