Forget the eggs; be a chicken!
Posted By Robin on February 22, 2009
It’s the age-old question: which comes first–the chicken or the egg?
Last week I ended a one-year commitment on an advisory panel for the ATHENA PowerLink program, an economic development program exclusively for women business owners. It was an amazing, eye-opening journey.
As a marketing junkie, I see most things through marketing eyes first. Branding, sales, advertising, promotion, public relations. What is being done now; what would I do differently or in addition to? My mind swirls in several directions at the same time.
Being part of this advisory panel was eye-opening because the participant hadn’t a clue about marketing. She purchased her store because she loved the work it provided, but didn’t plan for advertising or selling her product. Considering the quality product she offered and sluggish sales, this was a marketing make-over waiting to happen!
We created strategy after cost-effective strategy. At times, we assisted with the implementation because our protege was naive about the marketing process and overwhelmed by doing it on her own. She preferred the back end of the business and thought little of serving her customers. There was no marketing plan, no marketing person, and no marketing activity. In other words there was little being done to create the profitable relationships that marketing delivers.
If the egg is the product or service you deliver, then you (as the chicken) must attract the customers first. There is no point of laying eggs if you have no customers for who will buy eggs?
How do you market yourself or your company? What efforts do you take daily, weekly or monthly to promote yourself and your brand? What is the one thing you do without fail that attracts customers to your business?
Before you can deliver your product or service there must be someone who will buy what you have to offer. Create a marketing plan and refer to it often. Schedule your marketing activity in to your day and week. And, if this is something you do not enjoy doing, then hire someone who does.
A business without a marketing plan is little more than a hobby. Lay a solid foundation under your business venture by creating and implementing a marketing plan that will assure your success.
About the author
Robin
Marketing and advertising junkie, entrepreneur who works independently with others but recently discovered she doesn't enjoy working alone. Always wondering "What's next?"!!Comments
One Response to “Forget the eggs; be a chicken!”
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This has been one of my pet peeves since I moved over to the “dark side” and began a new career in advertising. I’ve watched new businesses come and go and, sadly, most fail for a lack of foresight in providing for an advertising and marketing budget in their business plan. Ever since I got into this game, I’ve said that I would love to be able to talk to a group of people while they are putting their business plans together and impress upon them the absolute necessity to advertise and market their new venture. Far too many buy into the theory that ‘if they build a better mousetrap, the world beats a path to your door!’ The challenge they fail to see is that if no one KNOWS you’ve built a better mousetrap, and, no one knows where your door IS, you can have the greatest mousetrap ever and STILL fail! Let me in the door BEFORE you make your business plan and I can help you so you DO NOT fail.