It is an interesting phenomenon I see occurring across this great country. The economy is down, businesses are complaining that their sales have dried up and people are being laid off right and left. So how do most companies respond? You got it – they slash their marketing budget, cut their sales forces down and hunker down for the economic winter.  This is like saying you’re on a diet and committed to losing 25 lbs while eating a “gotta have it” at Cold Stone Creamery. In other words, it is a strategy (yes, doing nothing is a strategy) in the exact opposite direction you should be on. Now is the time to market and build those vital relationships and position your company to take advantage when the economy does pick up.

Many people tell me that they are just going to wait until things turn-around before they fire up their marketing engine again. Here is the problem with that strategy – does anyone know when that is going to happen? A colleague of mine who has been in the investment business for 30 years said recently, “of anyone tells you this recession will last a short period of time or a long time, runaway from them because this time, nobody knows”.

So what am I doing now? I took a hard look at all my marketing and business development strategies. Mass mailers and print ads for me are out. My business is a relationship business. So I am investing my time and money meeting with current clients,  potential clients, referral sources and vendors (who I actually call strategic partners) to just listen to their issues and provide ideas for free! We are also looking at our solutions and figuring out creative ways we can help our clients get their message out for as little money as possible.

By being out there, meeting people, providing value, helping where I can – I am tilling the soil and planting seeds that will germinate when the blessed rains of economic growth returns.  And along the way, I am doing my part to seed those rain clouds so they burst forth now.

Warm & Kind Regards,

Robert Grossman
www.focuscreative.com