Marketing Without Money – Lesson 2

There’s a wonderful old bawdy blues song that says “if I can’t sell it, I’m gonna sit down on it.  I ain’t gonna give it away.”

Not a good marketing strategy.

One of the best ways to market without money is to “give it away”.  It’s not a new concept.  The food industry has known this for years – give potential buyers a taste and they will want more.  Retail and restaurant industries use punch cards to increase sales.  But there are ways to leverage giving into whatever you hope to achieve for your business that go way beyond, buy 9 and get the 10th for free. (more…)

The power of one – Is it just me?

In a democracy we often brag about the power of a single individual.  So why don’t we carry this idea into the workplace?  Recent events have made me wonder just how often we devalue the individual and how this affects our success in business in ways we can’t begin to measure.

One is the loneliest number…
A few months ago, our internet connection went down.  We did the usual reboot, unplug the router, reset the works stuff and then notified one of the support staff.  Her reply struck me as bizarre.  She said, “no one else has said anything.” Not, “I’ll look into it,” not, “I’ll find out what the problem is.”

I persisted.  She grudgingly mentioned it to the office manager who made us reboot both computers half a dozen times,  reset our router three times, pull cables from the wall three times and waste nearly an hour of time before someone else finally noticed that their internet was down too. Whoosh! Suddenly troubleshooting began in earnest and they discovered that there was a problem with the office system.  It was fixed in minutes.  At least two unhappy clients were required – one was not enough?  (more…)

10 Surefire Ways to Fail in Business

1. Don’t think it through

For guaranteed failure, it’s best to have no clear idea what your goals are, what steps will lead you to your goals and what stumbling blocks you may encounter along the way.   Don’t research the market and the competition.  Never plan ahead.  Just wing it.
2. Be inflexible
To ensure a complete lack of success, steadfastly refuse to adjust your goals, strategies and business practices.  Do not learn from your mistakes.  Ignore changes in the marketplace.   Stick to your guns.
3. Refuse to market your business
If you want to lose money from the get-go, assume the value of your product or service will shine like a beacon without all the muss and fuss of marketing and advertising.  Don’t waste your precious time and money promoting your business. If you build it, they will come.   Just wait for it….wait for it….wait for it… (more…)

Anyone can run… Here’s why you should stay in Michigan

In this long downturn in our Michigan economy, it’s easy to think, “I’ll just run.” But where will you run?  The mortgage crisis is a national problem – gas and energy costs are rising everywhere.  Automotive related jobs are being cut nationwide; creating a ripple effect that extends far beyond Michigan.  As a longtime entrepreneur and business consultant in Metro Detroit, I see the current hardships and frustration, but leaving the state is not the answer.

Your support network is here

If you think it’s easy to pick up and move to another state, think again.  Try to replace the years of relationships you have created.  Think of all the family and friends that you have around you, not to mention your business contacts and social sphere.  It’s hard to hit the ground running in a new state when you’ve left your support system behind. (more…)