You know when you're on an aeroplane and the captain tells you that you're just about to hit some turbulence? I don't know about you, but I buckle up my seatbelt and grip onto the handrests with grim determination until it's all over (afraid of flying? moi?). I feel a bit like that know. We all know this year's going to be pretty tough, and we just need to get through it alive.
Of course just sitting there passively would be pretty stupid wouldn't it. Business success isn't something that just 'happens' to you. And I think nowhere is that going to be more obvious than this year. I think we've got to fight to be successful this year, and I don't know about you, but I've got my fisticuffs on and my knuckledusters at the ready.
From the sheer volume of emails I have in my inbox everyone and their wife is telling you that you don't need to spend thousands of pounds on marketing this year. They're suggesting that a blog here and an autoresponder there is going to be enough. Personally, I think they're wrong. You've got to hav multiple marketing methods. I'm as much for the low cost/ no cost marketing methods as the next man. I'm committed to my blog, email newsletter and email shots. But there is more to marketing than online. Most businesses need a real presence, something their customers can touch and smell. That might be demonstrations or exhibitions, it might be seminars. It's also just as likely to be leaflets, sales letters and brochures. Yes, you can't run them off willy nilly, but don't assume that because you need to spend some money that you won't get a return on your investment.
Properly planned, well executed leaflets, brochures or flyers, when used as part of a well managed campaign will almost certainly generate you a big return on your investment. Why? Because they're something your customer touches. And in the days when the average person is getting 50+ emails a day, they're going to be much, much more memorable.
Email is great, it's quick, it's cheap and you get instant gratification with the click throughs. But it's also instantly deleted and pretty instantly forgotten. Don't make the mistake of thinking that you can successfully market your business via email and your website alone, because it won't be enough.
