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Make Your Business Better in a Sucky Economy
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Make Your Business Better in a Sucky Economy - 5/28/2009 12:57:51 PM
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Jessie
Posts: 33
Joined: 10/3/2008
Status: offline
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Check out this article from Prentice Howe, creative director/principal at Austin’s Door Number 3. Then, leave a comment and tell us what you think about Prentice's resolutions.
"There are few industries not hit by the slumping economy. We may be bottoming out. We may not be. Who knows. Bottom line, the economy is sour, and may remain that way for quite some time. Let’s not cry about it. Let’s do something about it. Now is the time to focus on your brand and your brand strategy. "Please raise your right hand and repeat after me." Read Article Now
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RE: Make Your Business Better in a Sucky Economy - 5/29/2009 1:17:59 PM
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postcarder
Posts: 609
Joined: 3/14/2006
Status: offline
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I followed the link and plunked down on a page full of references to the B-word. Branding. If ever there was a word that deserves to be sent back to the ranch, Branding is it. Boy-howdy has that word been overused!
Having gotten that rant out of the way, I will now get to my point: I may be a real outlier, but my business has been steadily improving. Despite all of that bad news about The Economy.
To what do I owe my success? - Two years ago, I realized that my tried-and-true business-building tools were no longer effective. Those tools were advertising, direct mail, networking, seeking publicity, and SEO. Out of desperation, I started doing something I'd looked down on for years. I began making cold calls.
Since May 2007, I've made thousands of cold calls. I've left numerous voice mail messages, most of which were never returned, and I've racked up lots of "no's". In the midst of all the "no" answers, I have gotten some "yesses." Some very lucrative ones, in fact. Business is a lot better than it was two years ago.
- I've lived through much worse. Back in the mid-1980s, I lived in Pittsburgh. It wasn't what I would call the high point of my life. In fact, it was downright depressing. Especially when I didn't have enough money to eat three meals a day.
Pittsburgh's economy was in a shambles back then, and plenty of other people were suffering. But I'll never forget what happened when I moved in with that lady from church. She rented three of the four rooms in her apartment to young women like me. (Church Lady lived in the fourth bedroom.)
The two other young women quickly tired of my whining about my protracted job-hunt. They didn't think I was trying hard enough to find a job. They pledged not to let me back into the apartment unless I said what I'd done on the daily job-hunt.
Well, guess who found herself a restaurant dishwashing job within days? Not a glamour-job, but, hell, it paid money. From that job, I moved up to another one as a cashier. Then I got an editorial job at a university.
None of those three jobs were what I'd call wonderful, and I wasn't exactly enamored with Pittsburgh, but you know what? My crummy jobs paid enough so that I could save enough money to leave Pittsburgh, go bike-tripping for a few months, then move to Tucson, where I still live.
- Now is a great time to improve your skills so that you can command higher fees for what you do. With so many other people hunkering down and just trying to survive, you'll do quite well. Make your personal motto "Get Better."
< Message edited by postcarder -- 5/29/2009 1:24:43 PM >
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