Want to survive and thrive in these tough times? If you believe the press, 2009 will be tougher than last year. So you will need to distinguish yourself and your business to stand out and succeed.
What to do?
Get innovative. Get fast. And give back. (The first two are obvious, the third less so...)
In this tight economy, you'd better get innovative - both with your marketing and with your service delivery. Innovation is simply a new way of doing things, and it generally applies to a change in your thinking, product offerings, or your systems and processes. Getting innovative may go a long way towards helping you do things better than the competition.
And you better move fast, both in delivering on your products and services, and in being first in the market place with your marketing effort. As my friend Stone Payton likes to say, "speed kills the competition." You cannot assume that your competition will wait around - you must assume they will be out there trying to beat you to that prospect. Get moving.
And you better distinguish yourself by giving back. As I said, these are tough times, and there are a lot of people in need. There isn't a better time to make this a cornerstone of your marketing effort.
Not a bad idea to differentiate yourself by giving back. Don't we always say the more you give, the more you get? And with the social media boom, you now have no excuse to contribute to bettering your community. That feels good in and of itself. But it also reflects well on your personally - and your business.
How can you serve by giving back?
1. Join and serve on a charitable Board (this is what I am doing).
2. Donate services, such as PR or Social Media advice to a local charity.
3. Commit to raise money.
4. Volunteer your time.
There aren't many guarantees in life, but there is one I can promise: The gift of giving back will make you feel good. And feeling good makes you a better person and a better businessman. And we need that in these times.
I joined a board of directors in 2008, and can't wait to make my contribution in 2009. On these pages over the coming months, I will share with you my experiences and my learning. I hope you will comment back and tell us how you are giving back.
Todd Schnick. Be Intrepid. http://intrepid-llc.com
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Posted in General Marketing Strategy, Social Media