Has it occurred to you yet that we’re already starting the second quarter of 2009? For many of you who are still trying to determine what you’re doing with your marketing, I’m here to tell you that you’re behind… And that’s no April fools joke!
I figure that for those who are working a marketing plan that today is a good day for a pep talk!
Let’s start with evaluating the past three months. How was business? Are your sales numbers low? How do they compare with last year’s numbers? What tactics did you implement? Was it the same or different than last year’s first quarter tactics? Have you figured out your return on investment yet? Determine your cost per lead, cost per opportunity, cost per win. Isolate areas of weaknesses and strengths.
OK. Remember, we’re entering the second quarter of the game. If you haven’t put up any points on the board yet, then it’s time to tweak your game plan a bit to close the half with some small victories. What are some of the issues that you have to address? Is there a line up change that needs to be made? Is it time to rely on your defense or is it time for an all out aggressive assault? What are you doing to build momentum? Initiate incentives for your staff to increase revenue generating opportunities. Post visible, achievable goals that everyone can see. Drop tactics that are obviously not yielding expected results and launch new campaigns.
Lastly, envision what success looks like in 2009. First accept that it probably won’t look the same as previous years, and keep in mind that you still have three quarters to achieve that success. Also, don’t forget to celebrate small victories along the way. There’s a lot of time, energy, and resources involved to achieving those victories…You want to encourage success, not stifle it.
Keep it High Touch!
-Ernie DiMalanta