Marketing your own business. Should You?

"The business owner that does his own marketing has a fool for a client."

Okay, that's not exactly how the saying goes. But this quote, often applied to people who serve as their own defense attorney in court, also applies to some business owners who try to save money by marketing their business without the help of a marketing professional.

I sat through a productivity seminar recently and we talked about how we often waste more time doing things on our own rather than paying someone to do it for us. My example was that I recently found myself up to my eyeballs in a new online email newsletter program that was very cumbersome to use. If I had just used the one I was familiar with, I could have done the newsletter faster and not spent two days trying to figure it out.

Among the other examples that people offered was a gentleman who hired a friend to do some basic drywall work in his home. His wife told him, "Watch closely how he does it so that you can do it next time and we don't have to pay." His response was classic. "Okay, the next time you go to your Ob/Gyn, I'd like to watch and learn so I can do it next time!"

Everyone wants to save money. But we are resigned to the fact that, in most cases, we just pay others to do certain tasks. Our car breaks down, we pay a mechanic. A pipe bursts, we pay a plumber. We have a toothache, a dentist performs a root canal. We pay a specialist because they have the necessary training, tools and techniques. They can do it faster, better and, more often than not, much cheaper in the long run. Just ask my wife how many times I started a "home repair project" and ended up paying more to have someone to repair my mistakes.

So, what makes some business owners believe they can market their business without help from a marketing professional? I recently had someone tell me, "Oh, it's just marketing. I can write a brochure or send a postcard. And my brother can design my website." And my favorite, "I'm not making any money so I can't afford to hire someone to do it for me."

It takes money to make money. Right? I attend numerous networking events and meetings. I watch the business owners interact. I see the business cards and/or brochures. I visit their websites. I hear the elevator pitches. And I can spot, without a doubt, which businesses do their own marketing...and are either really struggling or setting themselves up for failure.

When I meet with prospects and clients, I always ask what they've done in the past to market their business. They tell me what has worked and what hasn't. If something hasn't worked, it's usually due to one of these reasons:

• It was the wrong medium
• They missed their target audience
• They expected higher-than-average response rates
• They didn't have an attractive offer
• The execution was poor
• They didn't maintain frequency
• They didn't follow up the leads
• They didn't focus on cross-selling and up-selling to current customers

I've seen companies waste tens of thousands of dollars on marketing tactics. A marketing professional would have helped by planning, budgeting and making sure reasonable expectations were in place. And like a car mechanic, a marketing professional can fine tune a campaign to make it run more efficiently and analyze the ROMI (return on marketing investment).

So, unless you have a solid background in marketing and are marketing savvy, consider using a marketing professional. Even if its to bounce ideas off of or to seek advice before spending money on something that is not going to deliver customers, you'll be glad that you invested money up front rather than wasting a lot of money after it's too late.

To learn more about how BTK & Associates can help your business wade through all of the marketing muck and provide you with a sound marketing plan, visit www.btkmarketing.com or call 317.439.8923.

Exhibiting Your Business

You have a chance to put your business on display at a small business trade show or networking event. If you choose to participate as an exhibitor, you need to leverage that opportunity and turn it into a business generator.

In an earlier post, I discussed that I generally prefer to attend events rather than participating as an exhibitor. I am a strong networker and feel too confined standing behind a table. Besides, it's far more cost effective, in my opinion, to attend rather than exhibit. But if you enjoy exhibiting and want to build your prospect pipeline, there are things you can do to improve your response rate and get a better return on your investment.

Get a prime location
The front and back of the venue are undesirable. Register early and negotiate or pay for a key location somewhere in the middle or on an end. For first-come, first-serve events, it pays to arrive early and claim a key spot. Also, find out what the rules are for visual obstructions and noise. I've participated in some of the largest trade show events in the country and I appreciated that my neighbors could not obstruct my view, access to my booth or noise. If you feel that a neighbor is detracting from you, find a show manager and complain. If they don't solve the problem, ask to be moved or get your money back.

Invite people in
I don't like shows where people stand behind tables. I will often move the table to the back or remove it altogether. I want people to come into my space and out of the aisle. If you can get them to stop, you can have a deeper conversation and qualify them.

Keep it simple
You don't need to put all of your products on display. Sell yourself. If you sell insurance or pre-paid legal services and people aren't in the market for your product, they'll blow right past your table or booth. But, if you focus on selling yourself by making eye contact, greeting people and asking them what they do, they'll engage you.

Don't be a "Mr. Cheeseburger"
I worked a number of manufacturing trade shows for several years. There was one gentleman who was always at the same shows. His booth never had any traffic. Either he was in someone else's booth talking or telling jokes, or his was in his booth eating a cheeseburger or pizza. His appearance was sloppy and he always had grease stains on his shirt or tie. Hence the name we gave him..."Mr. Cheeseburger". Stay in your booth and be professional.

Business Card Raffles
DO NOT hold a business card raffle. If you are going to give something away, collect information that will help your business. I use a small entry form that explains that all information must be filled out to be eligible to win a prize. I ask for name, telephone number, business, email, website and mailing address. Then I ask them to check off products or services they would like to learn more about. Then I ask when they might be making a purchasing decision - now, 30 days, 60 days, 90 days or longer. I now have information that I can put into my contact management system.

Make them return to your booth or table
When I give something away, I always give away one prize every hour. I tell them I have a drawing at the top of the hour and that you must be present to win. I always get a crowd to gather just before the drawing. I draw an entry, look at it and say, "Before I announce the winner, I just want to remind you what my business is." I use this to give a 2-3 minute sales pitch. Then, I announce the winner. If there is no winner, I draw until I get a winner.

Promotional Giveaways
I'm not a big fan of handing out promotional items when I exhibit. But, if you are going to give something away, it needs to be something useful. As I write this, I can identify 14 items on my desk that I've gotten from companies at events. I have five pens, two coffee mugs, a thumb drive, a ruler, a couple of letter openers, a highlighter, a stress ball, and a floatable key chain. These are all things I use regularly.

Tag Team Approach
I've trained a lot of companies in trade show marketing. I always recommend a tag team approach. One person is the "scout" who engages people. The "scout" greets people and qualifies them. Once the scout determines that there is a fit, he/she introduces them to an "expert". The expert is the person/people who find out more about the prospect's needs and further qualifies the prospect. It's the expert's job to collect contact information and rate the quality of the opportunity.

Rating System
I rate every single prospect that I talk to. I use the A-F grading system. An "A" lead is one that I am confident will become a client/partner relationship. A "B" is a warm lead. "C" is a cool lead. A "D" or "F" are not worth following up.

Follow Up
Once the show is over, the work begins. You need to follow up every qualified lead. Sort your leads according to grade. Then, make immediate contact with the "A" and "B" leads while you are still fresh in their minds. Most people don't do a good job following up after exhibiting at a show or event. If you do, you'll be a step ahead of most of your competitors.

If you follow these simple tips, you'll be a better exhibitor and earn a better return on your marketing investment.

For more information about how BTK & Associates can help you become a better trade show and event marketer, visit www.btkmarketing.com or call 317.493.8964.

To Exhibit or Not to Exhibit? That is the question?

This past week, I attended a new "networking" event that debuted in Indianapolis. The purpose of this event was to give business owners, entrepreneurs and sales people a chance to peddle their products and services to each other and attendees. The question that I was asked by a few people that exhibited or attended this event was, "Do you think it's better to be an exhibitor or to simply attend and network?"

The same question can be asked about a chamber of commerce trade show event or small business expo you'd find in other cities. Are these events really worth it or are there better uses of your networking time and energy. It depends on what you are trying to accomplish. Let's look at some of the things you should consider.

Cost
How much does it cost to purchase a table or booth? They can range from $50 for smaller events to thousands for very large, multi-day events. You need to determine you overall cost of exhibiting and then calculate how much business you need to close from the contacts you make at the show. Let's say the table costs $200. Add in printing of sales collateral, signage, and promotional give-aways. I then figure in my time. Just for example, let's say you are an attorney that bills out at $175 per hour. If you have an hour of set up and and hour of tear down and the event is eight hours long, you've suddenly got almost $1,600 plus your other expenses...for a total cost of $2,000.

Location
Just like any other business, location is extremely important. Is the event easily accessible? Are people going to take the time to drive there? And, is there enough parking for exhibitors and guests? In the case of this particular event in Indianapolis, the parking was very limited and people who did park further away had to track through mud. And there were several cars that simply left because there were no parking spots.

Timing
When is the event scheduled? If it's during the weekday, are people going to be able to take time off from their jobs to attend? Will people actually fight noon time or rush hour traffic to make their way to an event? Personally, I believe small business trade shows are better attended if they are held on Fridays; psychologically they can finish their work week and attend an event without feeling the pressure our guilt of returning to work.

Exposure
Does your table or booth stand out? Every show has prime real estate. Where your table or booth is positioned within the flow of traffic is critical. If you are in the very front, people will often blow right by you. If you are located in the back, people may never get to you. At this particular event, I went through the same room five times before I finally found one of my vendors who was located around a corner behind a door. Her location was horrible.

Goals
What do you want to accomplish? For some people, they like standing behind a table all day and engaging in chit chat with people who stroll by. But it's kind of like fishing in the same spot all day in hopes of landing the big one that swims by. When you are exhibiting, you really don't have time to become engaged with other businesses or with many of the people attending. And let's face it, most people who exhibit have no idea how to effectively work their booth. But, I'll address that issue in another post.

Audits
One other VERY IMPORTANT thing to ask an event organizer is for an audit. If you invest $1,000 in an event and they sell you on the point that there is going to be 5,000 people in attendance and only 1,000 actually show up. Your cost per person went from an anticipated 20 cents to $1. That's an increase of 500%.

If the organizers are not able to produce an independent audit, then understand that their numbers may very well be inflated or include other exhibitors and workers. Ask for a list of attendees from a previous show or after the event. You are looking for the number of attendees. If they are proud of their attendance, they'll share it. If not, they've probably got something to hide.

Goals
The next time you have the opportunity to either exhibit or attend an event, you need to think about what you want to accomplish. Do you want to generate qualified leads? Do you just want to build your brand awareness? Do you want to form strategic relationships? If you don't have a clear goal in mind, then you are wasting time and money.

For me, I prefer to simply attend these events. My goal is to find potential vendors, business partners, and a few potential clients. But I never go into these events thinking I'm going to land the big fish. I don't need to invest a lot of time and money and have found that I am much more productive as an attendee. I've learned that I can build stronger relationships with both exhibitors and attendees in the days and weeks following an event simply by applying my networking skills.

For more information on how BTK & Associates can help you leverage your next trade show opportunity, visit btkmarketing.com or call 317.493.8964.

Don't let economy turn you into a "binge marketer".

"Binge marketing". It's a term that is bantered around in marketing circles. Simply put, binge marketing occurs when a company is in panic mode and suddenly realizes that it quickly needs to fill its pipeline with prospects. Sure, binge marketing might provide a sudden burst of energy now, but in the long run it will be more costly both financially and brand wise.

Conventional Marketing Practices
Before we understand how binge marketing works, we need to look at traditional marketing. Every successful business has a solid business plan that should contain a sound marketing plan within. That marketing plan is a road map for tactics such as branding, marketing strategy, advertising, public relations, and event marketing planned throughout the year. It should be realistic and manageable within the boundaries of the businesses financial and personnel resources. By following and executing its marketing plan, a company consistently keeps its brand and products in front of its customers and prospects, maintaining the pipeline and leading to successful up-sell and cross-sell opportunities.

And in that marketing plan should be a SWOT analysis that provides guidance should the company encounter a threat. But in most marketing plans, little attention has been given to the global economy. Just look at the banking and automotive industries and you see evidence how the economy snuck up on the giants and took them by surprise.

Binge Marketing Like Eating Disorders
Some marketing experts like to compare binge marketing to binge dieting. I prefer the comparison to binge eating. The need to binge diet means that you're all fat and happy and need to pull back on the food consumption. In my analysis, companies that don't have solid, consistent marketing plans are more apt to gorge themselves when suddenly starved for new business. It's no different than how we, as humans, react if we go a period of time without food. Our brain tells us we need nourishment and because we aren't sure when we'll get another chance to eat, we inhale our food without enjoying it. Our bodies don't get the proper nutrients and eventually we have health issues that are more costly and take more effort to correct than if we had only followed a sensible nutritional and exercise plan.

Marketing is no different. Marketing plans look good on paper and impress the hell out of bankers, investors and prospective employees. But when companies are healthy, it's easy to tell ourselves it's okay to pull back on the spending or to give the sales team a breather and let them manage the leads in their pipeline. Then one day that company looks in the mirror and says, "Wow, I look horrible!" The leads have dried up, our clients have moved on and nobody thinks about our products or services when they're ready to buy.

This triggers the marketing binge that usually begins with an emergency marketing and sales meeting. Panic sets in and the chain reaction starts. Marketing gets a plan together, Writers write. Designers design. Printers print. Media buyers buy. Mail houses mail. Web marketers do whatever it is they do. And as suddenly as it came...it went. Everyone's exhausted. People are loosing their belts and unsnapping the top button of their pants like my Uncle Roy and Aunt Doris used to do after a Thanksgiving dinner. Everyone's happy. Everything's good. But nobody got to enjoy the meal.

Economical Impact on Binge Marketing
As a marketing consultant, I am seeing more businesses and organizations shifting into binge marketing mode. I'm hearing things like, "Now is usually our down period anyway, so why market right now?" or "What worked for us in the past isn't generating business right now." Both of those are excuses. The fact is, nothing makes sense right now. Buying habits have changed. People are being more cautious and selective about the products and services they buy. More importantly, they want to buy from someone who they believe will still be in business six months or five, ten or twenty years from now then they need service or need to replace the product they have now. The rules of the game have changed. The winner is going to be the company or companies in your market space that are consistent and provide value and stability through this tough economic period, not those that sell out or appear desperate.

Pace Your Marketing for Healthier Results
When we binge market in our business, we really don't get to enjoy the experience and we create more problems. We over-indulge and can't process the business we generate. In the short term, we may generate a large number of leads that we aren't able to physically process in a timely manner. They dry up and evaporate. What we usually end end up with a few short-term clients who are in "buy" mode right now. Unfortunately, we miss the sales cycle for the other people who might buy next week, next month or next year.

Rather than binging when faced with a lull in the action, why not pace yourself.? Budget your marketing; that means both time and money. You'll better target your ideal market and maintain top of mind awareness for when your customers are ready to buy. You'll run a leaner and healthier business in the long run.

Admitting What We Don't Know About Marketing

Face it. We're stumped. Marketing our businesses in today's economy is a challenge and a mystery. And it's time that we all admit that we really don't know what works - even those of us in marketing & advertising.

Every day I talk with business owners, sales professionals, financial planners, and friends. And every day I hear one more story about a business that is in T-R-O-U-B-L-E. I have a good friend who has always done very well in real estate. He's got about 30 days before his money runs out. I have another friend who owns a manufacturing facility in northern Ohio. His only goal right now is to do everything he can to keep his workers employed. And when my financial planner calls, I feel the need to console him and keep him from jumping out of his first floor window.

CAN YOU SAY, "DENIAL"?
I've also talked with a lot of people who are in denial. They are the ones that when you ask, "So, how's business?" They respond, "Awe, it's great. We're busy as hell. In fact, we're turning work away." But, when I dig a little deeper, they reveal that it's not that they are any busier...it's that they've cut corners either in quality, personnel or, GULP!, marketing. And sooner or later it's all going to come back around and snap them right in the ass.

BEYOND THE COMFORT ZONE
But the ones that are going to make it through are those who are now inviting me in to take a look at their marketing strategies and processes. They openly admit, "We have a marketing problem...what used to be effective isn't working. We need to try something new but we don't know where to start."

To be fair and honest, I have to admit that I'm not really sure right now either. The economy has rattled and baffled me. So much so that I've actually got two books sitting right here in front of me that I haven't read in years - "Marketing for Dummies" and "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Marketing Basics". I'm just looking for something...anything that will help me give assurance to my clients. For me and my clients, it's back to the basics.

TEN MARKETING TIPS YOU CAN TRY RIGHT NOW
So, now that we all admit what we don't know about marketing...what DO we know? Here are some things you need to be doing right now to make sure you win the battle for top-of-mind awareness with clients and prospects:

1. DO NOT eliminate your marketing budget; be selective in the cuts you make
2. Make sure your website is functioning and information is current
3. Engage your current and past customers and reward them with discounts for repeat business
4. Start a referral program and give cash/gift cards to clients, friends, and family that make referrals. Make sure to tell everyone about the program via your website, voicemail, flyers, business cards, direct mail, etc...
5. Start a public relations/press release campaign
6. Join a networking group. Visit several and choose the one that's right for you
7. Get involved in online social networking sites like LinkedIn, Facebook, Plaxo and more.
8. Listen to your customers. Ask them why they do business with you and ask for their input on improvements you could make
9. Start a blog and write about topics related to your business - it's very therapeutic
10. Find time to get away from your business to spend time with family & friends

For more information on how BTK & Associates can help you reset your marketing strategy, visit http://www.btkmarketing.com/ or call 317.696.6734.

The Buzzard, Blue Heron and Eagle

WHAT KIND OF BUSINESS NETWORKING BIRD ARE YOU?

In mid-October, I once again had the pleasure of escaping to a week-long bass fishing trip to Kentucky Lake. It's a time to get away with a group of about 10 guys to spend 8-10 hours a day trying to outsmart large mouth, small mouth, and other species of bass on one of the largest lakes in the United States. One afternoon while fishing back in a bay called "Byrd", I was enjoying the sights and sounds of nature. Occasionally, I would hear fish jump, a squirrel scamper through the leaves or the rapid fire sound of a woodpecker as he bore through tree bark in search of insect morsels. It was here in Byrd that I began to notice the various birds. Among them were an American Eagle, a flock of buzzards, and a lone Blue Heron that was wading by the bank. These birds reminded me of the business networkers that I often encounter on a weekly basis.

The buzzards were circling about 150 yards off shore to the southeast about 200 feet in the air. There was I guess what you would call a "flock" of about 18 buzzards circling something on the forest floor below that was either dead or dying. To me, they represented the group of business networkers that probably don't get much out of the whole networking experience. You know them. They are the business owner that waits until he or she is really hungry. They show up out of nowhere hoping to pick clean the carcasses of victims. They circle, circle, circle...and then SWOOP! They are in to grab a piece of flesh. Then...all is quiet. They're on to their next meal only to return to the area some other day when there's a meal to be had.

The Blue Heron, on the other hand, looks rather prehistoric as it wades quietly in the shallows on the north bank waiting for hours until an unsuspecting shad or bluegill swims by. They are always there, just sort of hanging out. They never risk venturing into deeper waters where the bigger fish live - they're just content hanging around the fringe. They don't make a sound or say too much. But, when they do have something to say, it's usually fast and forgettable. They don't really bother anybody but they don't do a whole lot to contribute to their surroundings. And, when they are up against the rocks (or rip-rap as we anglers call it), they simply blend in and are hard to spot. They don't really stand out.

Then, there is the Eagle. It's a majestic bird. It's wingspan is immense as it swoops down within about 50 feet over my boat for a closer look. It's an awesome site. It doesn't flap its wings. It just glides effortlessly. It catches an up-current and soars to great heights to join two other eagles about 300 yards to the northeast. There are other birds following the eagles' flight patterns. There are gulls and even pelicans that ride the tails of the eagles and seem to watch with the same amazement and intensity as me and my fishing partner. They are leaders with great vision. They contribute to their natural culture. They give and take in their environment.

I looked at the buzzards for only a minute and thought, "these are ugly birds that serve no purpose except to survive." I quickly look away from them without a second thought.

The Blue Heron is amusing. I watched it periodically just to see if it was going to do anything special. But after a while, I forgot about it and it eventually flew away.

But the eagles - I looked up to them for a long while - totally captivated. They are such a rare and beautiful bird. They have that intense, reassuring gaze. It's hard not to watch them and think, "If I was a bird, I'd want to be an eagle." They have great vision and grace.

There are times in my business life where I've been a buzzard or a Blue Heron. And, on a rare occasion, I've strived to be an eagle. But, at this stage in my life I've realized that to forge the positive and trusting relationships, I need to aspire to exude eagle-like qualities. I've got to spread my wings wider and focus intently on the tasks at hand. I need to be more of a leader. In business networking, that means serving others, providing referrals, and participating on a regular basis.

Think about yourself and the people who attend your business networking meetings. If you are a buzzard, you're probably not getting many referrals. Why? Because if we can't count on you to attend meetings on a regular basis and be a contributor and leader, we probably can't count on you to manage the referrals we provide...and we're most likely not going to do business with you. If you are a Blue Heron, you'll probably get a few leads here and there, but you probably won't be with the group long as you'll bore us to tears and you'll get bored waiting for business.

But if you are an eagle, people will look up to you. They'll follow you and want to do business with you because of the leadership qualities you display. You're going to be there in the future, just like those same eagles will be there when I visit Byrd on Kentucky Lake again next year. It's their environment. It's where they roost. It's where they lead.

What kind of networking bird are you?

To learn how to leverage your business networking opportunities, contact me today at 317.696.6734 or visit www.btkmarketing.com.

Seven Words That You Cant Say in Business

No, these aren't the same seven swear words that the late comedian George Carlin spewed out back in the 1970s. But, if you utter these words, you're probably on the verge of become another tick mark in the book of failed businesses.

So, what seven words could be the dagger of death to your business?

"We really don't have a marketing budget."

Count 'em. Seven. These are seven words that I hear at least once every single working day. Oh, and they can be readily interchanged with these seven words...

"We cut our budget to save expenses."

Channeling Cramer
Aaaaggggghhhhhhh! Don't you get it, people! Marketing is not an "expense" - it's an "investment"...a freakin' investment. I am jumping up an down at my desk right now, sleeves rolled up, voice an octave higher and eyes bulging from my skull just like Jim Cramer in on of his CNBC Mad Money tirades. Where are my buttons, buzzers and horns?

It doesn't matter who said it, it's true.
Advertising pioneer David Ogilvy, 20th century Czech playwright Milan Kundera, and Peter Drucker, the father of modern management, are all credited with saying..

“Business has only two functions - marketing and innovation."

If all three of them said it at some point in their accomplished lives, then they are all genius. If you have a business and you are not marketing it...why on earth would you even want to be in business.

The World's Oldest Profession
Many people believe that prostitution is the world's oldest profession. Others say that it's sales. I say it's marketing. It has to be. Here's why...

For arguments sake, let's examine the prostitution theory. Around the beginning of time, some young (or maybe old) lady said to herself, "Hey, I've got something to offer men." But, she saw her reflection in the water and said, "Wow! My hair is a mess. My face is dirty. My clothes are torn. And I stink." So, she ponders how to make herself more desirable. Maybe she goes to a girl friend or another man in her tribe and says, "So, I'm thinking about selling my "assets" in exchange for some dinosaur meet. What do you think I should do to become more desirable?" She actually does some marketing research. She takes their advice and cleans herself up, puts on a new animal cloth, and rubs some fragrant flowers on her skin. She adds some sizzle to the steak, so to speak. Then, she goes about prospecting and selling. Word quickly spreads throughout the land and she has more business than she knows what do with.

She certainly was innovative and she had a marketing strategy. Today, business owners still need to take a close look at their products and services and make them attractive to prospective clients.

Tough Choices Today
I've learned some very hard lessons as an entrepreneur. Each time I've started a business, I've gotten smarter and wiser. I know how easy it is to get caught up in the "business facade". We want others to believe we are successful by how our businesses appear to them. We need a nice office. We need the best equipment. We need employees. Right? Wrong!

I've had to make some tough choices with my own business. Do I work from my home or do I rent an office? Do I hire an assistant or just work longer hours? Do I hire sales people or handle the marketing and sales myself? Right now, I stay

If you have an innovative product or service to offer, you need to focus your resources (both time and money) on marketing. Without a strategic marketing plan or marketing budget, your business can't grow. I can use the gardening analogy about planting the seed, adding fertilizer, sunlight and water...but you don't need to hear that same ol' story again.

It's time to stop being the nice employer. This is YOUR business. You may have to let people go. You may have to move to a smaller office. You may need to temporarily freeze wages or cut salaries. You owe it to yourself and your employees to take necessary measures today so that you will be in business tomorrow. I've been there. I know it's not easy. But, it's what we as business owners need to do if we are to survive.

Planning and Budgeting Time
As we head into October, it's time to start planning and budgeting for 2009. It's no secret that our economy sucks and the cost of doing business is on the rise. More and more businesses are going to start filling the pinch. If your want to separate your business from the competition and position itself for growth, you need to allocate money to marketing and advertising

You are going to ask, "How much should I budget?" My answer is "as much as it takes." That could be a little or it could be a lot. If you budget a little, you'll grow a little. If you budget a lot, you'll grow a lot.

If you have $15,000 to market your business...you should be able to generate $15,001 in revenue. Would you be happy if your mutual fund returned five or ten percent? Of course you would. You need to view your investment in marketing with that same perspective. Yes, it does take money to make money.

I had a discussion the other day with a client who was lamenting over the number of clients who were "flaking out" on him. I asked him what percentage of "no shows" he had for appointments and what his closure rate was. I explained to him that his numbers weren't much different from mine...or from any other business. It's a numbers game. If you get one new customer or client for every 100 touches and you need 20 clients to be at 100 percent capacity, then you need to market your message to 2,000 new prospects. It's that simple. You know your numbers, figure it out! Or, better yet, let me help you figure it out.

Do Your Prospects Look Ahead for You?
The fact is, you need to be on the minds of your prospective customers at the exact moment they need to make a purchasing decision. It's like when I'm driving down the highway on vacation and everyone in the car starts getting hungry. We start looking ahead for a billboard, highway sign or the "Golden Arches" themselves, appearing over the tree tops. It's got to be like that for your business. You want people to start thinking about your products and services when they are on the road to making a decision.

That's why you need to stop using those seven words, "I really don't have a marketing budget." Replace them with these 18 words...

"I am willing to invest marketing dollars to grow my business for the benefit of myself and employees."

Once you make that commitment, you'll soon realize what Ogilvy, Kundera and Drucker meant.

To learn more about how BTK & Associates can help you with your marketing plan and budget for 2009, visit www.btkmarketing.com or call 317.696.6734 today!