Agent of Change
Just slip out the back, Jack …
Make a new plan, Stan …
You don’t need to be coy, Roy,
Just listen to me.
Hop on the bus, Gus …
Don’t need to discuss much …
Just drop of the key, Lee and get yourself free!
From 50 Ways to Leave Your Lover
by Paul Simon
Dear Business Builder,
Happy Friday and welcome back to In The ‘Net Trenches!
It’s the end of the week and I’m thinking about change. Today is my younger daughter’s last day at a day care she’s been attending for 2 ½ years. Next week she moves on to a brand new Montessori pre-school. It’s a great little school with a fantastic reputation and I’m sure it will work out wonderfully. She’ll make lots of new friends and have fun, caring new teachers … not to mention get a great education.
But, leaving the old day care is bittersweet … although I doubt she realizes (even though we’ve talked to her about it endlessly) the change that’s about to happen.
As working parents, we put our trust in others to step in and take care of our kids when we’re not available. There is tremendous emotion and guilt that surrounds our ability to do this, and of course our kids bond with those caregivers. So any time you make a decision to change that situation, it’s extremely stressful … not only for the child but for the parent as well.
Although, I know in the end this change is the right one and my baby girl will be better for it … it certainly doesn’t make it easier.
But isn’t it that way with most things in life? I don’t know about you, but I absolutely hate change. And the big changes like making the decision to quit a job or retire … close a business … terminate a client relationship … or leave a lover are most difficult.
Yet, once you’ve come to the point were you know in your heart you have to act, you’re usually better off for having made the change. But, that doesn’t make that final decision any easier. Okay, so it didn’t work out so well for New Coke and Katie Couric … but most changes do have a positive lasting effect.
As it is in Life, So it is in Marketing
As marketers and captains of enterprise, we have to avoid the same “fear of change” traps we fall into in life. You’ve been marketing your business the same way for a coon’s age … no sense fixing it if it ain’t broke. Right?
I see it all the time …
- The business owner that does nothing but look for new customers over and over again while completely ignoring his existing customers. A veritable gold mine of repeat business and referrals lay to waste. Spending tons of money to acquire new customers and never monetizing that acquisition cost with back end sales.
- Then on the contrary, there’s the business owner that ignores acquisition and only focuses on marketing to her existing customers. All while slowly losing those customers to attrition … her customer list gets smaller and smaller … yet she never gets around to replenishing the front end. It’s easier to put her eggs in just one basket.
- Or, there’s the business owner that fears technology yet absolutely refuses to hire qualified IT people to guide him …
- The business owner that doesn’t value training, so his employees remain forever stuck in the status quo … one step behind the competition …
- Or the business owner that won’t admit he’s afraid to sell … so never hires a sales force because just as soon as he finishes up this project he’s going to get out there and pound the pavement.
All these businesses have one thing in common … they can’t grow until they recognize it’s time to make some big changes.
6 Steps to Making Big Changes
to your Current Marketing Plan
- Identify the price for keeping the status quo: Determine the areas (from my list above or others) of weakness in your current business marketing. Develop "what if" projections … what if we could add 100 new customers a month, what if we could create one back end product and 25% of our past customers bought it, what if we trained one employee on SEO or SEM … I’m sure you get the picture. Now, crunch the numbers and determine what that boost in new business could do for your bottom line. Compare those numbers to your current bottom line. Visualize the change that extra revenue will make to your business and lifestyle.
- Prepare to make the change: If you plan to personally make the changes to your marketing, clear your plate of other projects and set aside some time to focus on this new aspect of your business. If not, assign a staff member to head up the project and set that person up to succeed by assigning their regular duties to someone else on your team. Assign a budget to the project and be prepared to spend that money to implement the change.
- Take full responsibility: Be open, supportive, available, proactive and completely committed to making the desired change.
- Don’t over analyze: Analysis breeds paralysis. Once you’ve determined what area of your marketing is in need of change, the best way to make that change, who will manage the change, and the resources that are needed to implement the change … it is time to act.
- Take a risk: Fear of failure is the most common reason for not implementing change in your marketing plans. Visualize what failure looks like; think through your worst case scenario. Cut your potential losses by determining a budget ahead of time. Develop a plan B. Now go for it!
- Hire someone to help: The most successful business owners I know have gotten that way by hiring the best talent. If the change you’re trying to implement is beyond your experience or your staff’s experience, don’t hesitate to hire a consultant to see you through. The experience a knowledgeable consultant can bring to the table can save you far more in the long run than you’ll pay in fees.
No doubt change is scary. In my life and in my marketing efforts, when I’ve made big changes the rewards have almost always outweighed the risk. But, you won’t know if this holds true for you, until you give it a shot. Now get out there and be an agent of change.
Happy weekend to you … hope that helped!
Until next week,
Julie McManus
Editor, In the ‘Net Trenches
THE TOTAL PACKAGE™
And Web Media Goddess
P.S. Are you in the ‘net trenches? Do you need help? Send
me an e-mail to AskJulie@MakepeaceTotalPackage.com and
I just might answer your question in an upcoming issue.
P.P.S. Have you checked out The Total Package affiliate program lately? We’ve added tons of new creative to help you earn cash on any new subscriber you refer and we’ve opened our archives up for the pilfering … Click Here to check it out NOW!
Looking for resources related to this article? Try some of these.
Looking for more of Julie’s articles? Check these out.
Looking for past issues of The Total Package? Click here for our archives.
 |
Want to share or reprint this article? Feel free. Just give us full attribution and a link to our Home Page when you do. |
Attribution Statement: This article was first published in The Total Package. To sign-up to receive your own FREE subscription to The Total Package and claim four FREE money making e-books go to www.makepeacetotalpackage.com.
Related posts
1 Comment »
Join the Discussion!
Let us know what you think. Or ask us anything. Or offer your own sage advice.
The only rule: RESPECT THIS HOUSE! Postings that contain abusive language and/or personal attacks will be cheerfully VAPORIZED. One cross word and – POOF! – your well-thought-out post will be gone in a puff of smoke.
– Clayton
Comment by Kem Schneider — August 18, 2007 @ 4:58 am
Thanks for the good advice. My mom always taught my two brothers and I that chance is the only constant, and , here\\\’s how she put it, \\\” you are always adaptable and washable.\\\” She is a smart lady!