Recession? Not This Weekend!

Danica and I, just before Thanksgiving, decided last-minute to buy a new puppy for our family. I know this is usually a decision that requires thought and a plan, but we tend to be spontaneous once in a while. So what does this past November have to do with this past weekend’s experience? I’ll get to that.

 

When we bought Maggie, that’s the puppy’s name, we forgot that we needed a few supplies, food and a kennel to name just a few. We kept the pet store open 30 minutes later than it was scheduled to close, but they accommodated for our lack of planning.  While dreaming of the perfect puppy experience, my wife and I didn’t realize that chewing is a big part of the package (now we’re getting close to the events of this weekend!).

 

One day last week I lost my glasses. I wear them 95% of my waking hours and they simply vanished. A week later my wife found them chewed and mangled. So much for seeing clearly! Without hesitation I headed to the mall to have them replaced. Wow! What a crowd! The place was packed. There was a line at least 10 deep at every restaurant in the food court. People were everywhere carrying merchandise.

 

I couldn’t believe we were in the worst recession in history less the Great Depression. I am not oblivious to the news; I too have friends who have lost jobs and are being affected, however, there is still a lot of good business happening. So are you going to participate in this recession? Will you be making excuses or going after customers?

 

I understand that now is the time to be conservative, but never stop going after new business. Tighten your marketing but don’t abandon it all together. Simply be smarter about where you spend your marketing dollar. There is still plenty of business to be had–you just need to go out and get it!

 

Joe Kiedinger

 

ACTION PLAN: Strategize your marketing efforts. What areas are critical and what can be put on hold? Now is the time. Be conservatively aggressive at all times!