You don’t have a job.
For dramatic effect, allow me to repeat, you don’t have a job.
That area around your “rear-end,” desk, phone and seat is YOUR small COMPANY and you are the CEO of it, your current employer is really your biggest client.
You generate revenue for your client and your salary check is fees for your company.
It gets better, as a “sudden CEO,” you are given the following for FREE:
RENT, Internet connection, admin support, free tax filing, bill collecting, products and services, business cards, a PC, stationary and sometimes hot and cold drinks.
So why are you complaining about marketing budgets when your numbers are down?
For the same reason I used to, we think that marketing is someone else’s responsibility to help us with our sales.
If you are not willing to invest some time and a little cash in marketing, then get out of sales, and save yourself the suffering of reality.
Below is a simple checklist for things you can do to build your business.
I call it “Firestorm Marketing”
1. Networking at off-the-wall-type gatherings, with a focus of offering value to others. Price: FREE
2. Alliances with customers or competitors depending on engagement. Price: FREE
3. Speaking, yes, speaking in public is a marketing opportunity. Price: FREE
4. Creation of an awesome press kit. Price: FREE
5. LinkedIn Questions, Commentary, help answer questions and give value. Price: FREE
6. Matching some of your clients together with some of you OTHER clients. This helps your client build their business too! Price: FREE
7. Talk with your accounting team to find “Orphaned clients”, look in old file cabinets, remember it is possible not all of your business is captured in a database… Price: FREE
8. CSR work on weekends. Give some of your time to help others, you will be shocked by the caliber of people who show up. Price: FREE
9. Whitepapers & Case studies. Record your projects/solutions.
Price: FREE
One idea or outlet will not bring you everything you need to grow your business.
Focused effort, everyday, with one consistent goal in mind, will.
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