The Purpose Driven Business
by James Fowler
www.mywebsource1.com
http://mywebsource1.blogspot.com/

As the saying goes, “An army travels on its stomach”, so true is the statement that “All business grows on its marketing”. Whether you have a small office of three or four people or a large corporation, your marketing is what will drive or destroy your business.

If you have a small business and want to make it a large one, there are three things you need to do: Commit, Invest, and Follow Through. Without putting these three items into practice, you can forget increasing your marketshare and revenue. When you do follow these concepts and make them part of your business plan, you will find yourself ahead of most of your competition. As basic as this is, most companies do not follow these concepts.

Commitment: When you agree to a marketing or advertising program, you have to commit yourself to knowing that it is most likely not going to work the way you originally have planned. You cannot make a half-executed plan and ever hope it to work out. You must jump in with both feet. There will be revisions, but if you deviate from your original plan, there will be no success. A marketing strategy takes time and only through perseverance will there be an impact on your business. Patience is key in this concept. It may take 6 months or a year to start to show the effects of your efforts, but it will happen. Most small businesses have the hardest time committing to a marketing plan, which takes us to our second concept…

Investment: It is a sad fact, but your investment is a long-term goal, not an instant gratification. You don’t buy a collectible and expect it to double in price the day after you buy it and you can’t expect your marketing campaign to do the same. It will take time and investment. There is a good chance that you may feel you are losing money, but remember that what you are doing is investing in your future. Your marketing can double your profits, but most likely the increase will be gradual over a period of time. Follow the concepts of Commitment and Investment and you will see success.

Following Through: In any good sporting maneuver, the follow-through is the final key to success. In business, the follow through is just as vital. Just because you aren’t seeing the instantaneous growth you expect, doesn’t mean that it is the wrong approach. If you decide to start on one method of advertising – stick with it. Don’t change from radio to television, don’t go from web to newspaper, and do not stop advertising for long periods of time and then pick it up again. This would all deal with familiarizing the public with what you are trying to do. If you advertise every Sunday in your local paper, don’t stop for 5 weeks and then pick it up again. You will confuse your audience. If the public is used to seeing your ad, they will become confident in your product. With confidence, your sales will increase.

These three concepts are difficult to follow. You will wonder if you are doing the right thing and second-guess yourself. Placing them into your marketing plan and keeping them there will meet resistance from your employees, co-workers and family. They will become bored with your marketing campaign as you will be yourself. This is because you are close to the plan and see it on a regular basis. However, your customers won’t feel this way at all. They are becoming comfortable in knowing what to expect from you. They are remembering the last time they saw your ad. They are etching your marketing into their minds and buying your products.