It was a dark and stormy nightThe door gave a hollow rattle when I knocked. The sign out front read:
“I know why you are here,” said a voice half Madonna and half Bela Lugosi. “Come, all will be revealed.”
The room was heavy with drapes and scarves. Gnarled hands hovered over a crystal ball as she studied my face. “You are puzzled by things you know and things you don’t. You seek to understand things that trouble many people who do not know what to do.”
“About?”
“About marketing, my son. They do not know if they should market now or wait until the recovery begins?”
All over the business world there seems to be a vast conundrum … which is one of those huge off-road things like a Hummer. As the recession deepened marketing budgets got as tight as the lid on an old jar of mayonnaise. Today there seem to be two opinion camps about what to do next. One side maintains that marketing is always important regardless of the economy and it can operate effectively by working lean and focusing on results. The other side shakes their heads and argues the recessions are bad times to invest in marketing because customers/consumers aren’t spending money. The return is too low. To complicate things well meaning CEOs and CFOs slashed marketing budgets in an effort to control expenses while believing with all their hearts that their products and services will somehow manage to sell themselves.
Market now or market later
Madame Z snorted. It was either a vision from the depths of the crystal ball or the incense was finally getting to her. “The path is lined with questions but at the end of the journey lies the ultimate answer. How much money do you have?”
“We’re working at a percentage of last year’s expenditures so I can only give you a range.”
“Not your marketing budget Mr. Trump, how much money do you have on you? I need $100-bucks.”
I know I should have negotiated or at least tried but the look she gave me reminded me of my 5th grade teacher, Miss Axehandle who scared the hell out of me. Benjamin Franklin wasn’t looking too happy either as I handed him over. Madame Z shoved a yellow pad and a pen my way.
“Take notes, I’m from the north and I talk fast.”
“New York?”
“Transylvania, start writing.”
Madame Z dictated a set of Yes/No questions to help determine if you should market now or wait until the recovery. It won’t take you a moment to answer them.
If you answered “No” to any of the above – you should market consistently
You should be marketing consistently today
• Has the need totally disappeared?
Do you feel that things aren’t going the way you planned? Do you need to know your future and understand the past? Madame Z Sees All!
Eyes peered through the crack as the door creaked open. I blurted out, “Hi, I’ve come to find out …”“I know why you are here,” said a voice half Madonna and half Bela Lugosi. “Come, all will be revealed.”
The room was heavy with drapes and scarves. Gnarled hands hovered over a crystal ball as she studied my face. “You are puzzled by things you know and things you don’t. You seek to understand things that trouble many people who do not know what to do.”
“About?”
“About marketing, my son. They do not know if they should market now or wait until the recovery begins?”
All over the business world there seems to be a vast conundrum … which is one of those huge off-road things like a Hummer. As the recession deepened marketing budgets got as tight as the lid on an old jar of mayonnaise. Today there seem to be two opinion camps about what to do next. One side maintains that marketing is always important regardless of the economy and it can operate effectively by working lean and focusing on results. The other side shakes their heads and argues the recessions are bad times to invest in marketing because customers/consumers aren’t spending money. The return is too low. To complicate things well meaning CEOs and CFOs slashed marketing budgets in an effort to control expenses while believing with all their hearts that their products and services will somehow manage to sell themselves.
Market now or market later
Madame Z snorted. It was either a vision from the depths of the crystal ball or the incense was finally getting to her. “The path is lined with questions but at the end of the journey lies the ultimate answer. How much money do you have?”
“We’re working at a percentage of last year’s expenditures so I can only give you a range.”
“Not your marketing budget Mr. Trump, how much money do you have on you? I need $100-bucks.”
I know I should have negotiated or at least tried but the look she gave me reminded me of my 5th grade teacher, Miss Axehandle who scared the hell out of me. Benjamin Franklin wasn’t looking too happy either as I handed him over. Madame Z shoved a yellow pad and a pen my way.
“Take notes, I’m from the north and I talk fast.”
“New York?”
“Transylvania, start writing.”
Madame Z dictated a set of Yes/No questions to help determine if you should market now or wait until the recovery. It won’t take you a moment to answer them.
- You aren’t marketing right now Yes/No
- You are marketing and it doesn’t seem to be doing much Yes/No
- You are marketing and it’s working, you’re doing business Yes/No
- You are making all the money you want and need Yes/No
If you answered “No” to any of the above – you should market consistently
You should be marketing consistently today
• Has the need totally disappeared?
• Is your competition not going after the existing business?
• Do you have instant recognition?
There is a tendency to take the short-term view that the sales function has a more direct link to the customer/consumer. So, it might seem logical to wait until your clients have some business for you. It might seem safer to wait until your customers/consumers have started buying products or services like you provide. Well, it’s like asking the question, “How long can you hold your breath?” To survive organizations have to market – there is no choice. If you wait until the recovery you’ll already be deep in a revenue pit.
Coca-Cola, Disney, Nintendo, BMW, Apple, Target – all the major global brands are aggressively marketing and they enjoy practically instant brand recognition. If it’s important for these companies to keep themselves in the faces of customers/consumers why should you think differently? Marketing says, “We want your business!” You have to be ahead of the curve and position your organization as “ready to rock.”
Should you market during the recovery? Only if you want to recover.
I read over my notes. There was one more burning question, “When do I start?” I looked up to ask Madame Z … and she was gone. The table was bare, the room empty, the scarves, drapes and even the crystal ball had vanished. That’s when I saw it, a #10 envelope in the center of the table with my name on it. I tore it open with trembling hands and unfolded the single sheet of paper. There it was, the ultimate answer I was seeking – the one she promised would be at the end of my journey.
• Do you have instant recognition?
There is a tendency to take the short-term view that the sales function has a more direct link to the customer/consumer. So, it might seem logical to wait until your clients have some business for you. It might seem safer to wait until your customers/consumers have started buying products or services like you provide. Well, it’s like asking the question, “How long can you hold your breath?” To survive organizations have to market – there is no choice. If you wait until the recovery you’ll already be deep in a revenue pit.
Coca-Cola, Disney, Nintendo, BMW, Apple, Target – all the major global brands are aggressively marketing and they enjoy practically instant brand recognition. If it’s important for these companies to keep themselves in the faces of customers/consumers why should you think differently? Marketing says, “We want your business!” You have to be ahead of the curve and position your organization as “ready to rock.”
Should you market during the recovery? Only if you want to recover.
- Focus on results
- Make ROI a priority
- Explore leaner, less expensive marketing vehicles
- Hold off on new, trendy marketing channels and use the “tried & true”
- Consistently remind customers/consumers that you are there and ready to meet their needs
I read over my notes. There was one more burning question, “When do I start?” I looked up to ask Madame Z … and she was gone. The table was bare, the room empty, the scarves, drapes and even the crystal ball had vanished. That’s when I saw it, a #10 envelope in the center of the table with my name on it. I tore it open with trembling hands and unfolded the single sheet of paper. There it was, the ultimate answer I was seeking – the one she promised would be at the end of my journey.
Only Market On Days That End With “Y”
_________________________
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Andy Johnston is an multi-faceted communication professional with deep experience from strategic planning, to messaging, to marketing, to media, to events, to training, to creative direction … and there are several other ”to’s.” Andy is known for his energy, creativity and his unique ability to discover the key results that must be generated – and then to develop ingenious ways to engage and motivate audiences. Positive business results are the objective. He believes that one of the most important results is an enjoyable experience for everyone involved. Andy is a principal partner at Think! Consulting Group and The Idea Group.
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