Written by: L I M E Marketing
Thomas Edison was quoted in saying, “Most people miss opportunity because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.”
What a statement to begin a post on, but it is something that I see as an obstacle for today’s business owners both large and small. Opportunity is all around us and is staring us in the face right now, today as you are reading this post, you are SURROUNDED by opportunities to become successful and yes more wealthy. But, oh that word that we hated as a child, hated a teenager and will never be liked as an adult... BUT we have to understand those opportunities before we can embrace them. Marketing right now is one of your biggest opportunities, that if done correctly and with solid principles, will net you true success and increased profits.
I would like to take what Thomas Edison was referring to and take it up just a level, “we miss success because we are lazy and uninformed.” Not to sugar coat it at all, but with all the luxuries we have in today’s world it is easy for us to become complacent and lazy. It is not something that happens over night nor is it something that we have not been warned against. By looking at the history of the world we can see that this is nothing new. From the Romans to our now glorious civilization, one common thread begins to destroys a society; Greed.
What does ‘greed’ have to do with marketing? Simple. Marketing success is measured by profit, profit is measured by how much the company has to bring in to pay the bills. If a CEO and management teams are demanding exorbitant salaries and surrounding themselves with luxuries to match, it becomes incredibly difficult to achieve marketing success. Now when things are rolling smoothly all seems well, but a small hiccup in the norm will cause mass chaos and panic. Who is the first to get blamed for this disastrous situation; sales and marketing professionals. Not so fast, we must understand an evaluate the whole situation before assigning blame.
When Henry Ford was asked why he built automobiles he replied, “because I love it.” In 1927 he watched his fifteenth million Model T roll off the assembly line and stepped into the car knowing that the car that he had designed and built was soon to run it’s life span. He took pure pride in his creation and his company. He drove his midnight black creation 14 miles, parked it next to his other automotive achievements and stepped into a new direction with the American automobile. He shared profits with his staff, he invented tools to benefits his employees with the knowledge that many of the improvements would not have immediate, if ever, ‘ROI’.( return on investment ). His ideas would later change the face of the assembly line as the wold knew it. His pride in his product and his love for his employees had one selfish benefit, he became the wealthiest American of his time.
There are several modern examples of companies that have set greed to the side and have become successful and accomplished professionals. There are however several more that have taken greed to a whole new level. In this 4 part post I will outline the keys to obtain marketing success in today’s world and economic challenges. I will explain why principles such as selflessness, honor and respect are not just PR words, but there are keys to economic and business success. I will take you down a path that many professionals are too timid to explore and I may offend some and I assure you that is not my goal.
Step one: TAKE 2 STEPS BACKWARDS
First and foremost is taking a step backwards and asking yourself, “Why did I start this business?” “Why am I am I doing this?”. Once you have answered those questions I want you to ask yourself what you want others both internally and externally to know you as. Then define your mission statement for yourself as a leader and the mission of your company.
This is the building block for your brand and your marketing campaigns from this point forward. Be honest with yourself. Being in business to make money is NOT evil nor is it a sin, but there has to be more in it for you as a leader then just the cash! The cash is one of the last things you will have in hand when you begin your journey of running your own business.
Defining both your personal mission statement and your business mission is the first step to obtaining true marketing success. Now we can take this and look at your current status. Does your current marketing reflect your missions? Does your website, business cards, billboards, etc. emulate your true mission as a company? Do your employees truly understand why you do what you do?
9 times out of 10 my clients answers are no. This is where we step in and change all that. It is a simple and painless process for some and for others it may take time, yes the evil word, “TIME”.
I guarantee that any efforts you spend retooling your marketing brand and identity to support your missions will pay other 10 fold in the end.
This concludes part 1 of this 4 part post. Please email me @ info@getlimed.com if you are interested in learning more about how to market in today’s world and want to explore what refined and knowledgeable marketing can do for your business.
"Most people miss opportunity because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work." - Thomas Edison