The God’s cannot help those who do not seize opportunities.
Listen up my event & catering friends. Whether you’re an off-site caterer, a wedding photographer, event planner, DJ, designer …. you have a choice;
You can a) make less money and blame the economy – or b) make this your best year ever.
Yes, the event & catering industry will generate lower revenues this year as compared to last year. But it doesn’t mean everyone in the business is going to suffer. Just because your industry average is down – it doesn’t mean your business will sink too. As with any average, there is a bell curved distribution.
Some will do much worse, most will do average and some will do much better.
FACT: Some businesses will fail this year. And they will blame it on the economy.
Their owners will wait and hope for the economy to improve. They’ll hope “business will pick up” and the phone will start ringing again with orders like the good old days. They’ll wait for their old clients to start making money again and hope that eventually those clients will start to spend. They’ll wait for things to get better.
They’ll just keep plodding along with the “marketing plan” they followed last year. And what is the marketing plan of a failing business? Advertise randomly, imitate the average, wait for the phone to ring and drop prices and margins in order to book any job they can.
FACT: Most catering and event companies will struggle and make less money than last year.
FACT: A certain percentage of our industry will not only survive – they’ll have their best year ever. Why?
Their owners will take an honest appraisal of their strengths and weaknesses. They’ll actively look for the opportunities that their competition doesn’t see, and they’ll take action.
Instead of waiting for the phone to ring with orders, they’ll create a compelling reason for clients to call.
Instead of hoping old clients will return, they’ll help new clients in new markets.
Instead of winging it, they’ll create a strategic marketing plan that diversifies their revenues.
You can wait for opportunity or create your own.
Are you still using the same old marketing ideas? Have you finally realized that your customers are online – shopping for solutions – and if they don’t find you first – you’re losing out?
Too many businesses think the phone ain’t ringing ’cause the market is bad. Meanwhile, their marketing is to blame. Customers are still shopping – don’t believe otherwise. But they’ve changed the way they shop.
- If you don’t know how many visitors your website gets everyday – don’t blame the recession.
- If you’re not optimizing your site to turn visitors into leads – don’t blame Obama.
- If you still think today’s customers are still looking for you in the yellow pages – don’t blame Bush.
- If you don’t have a current, printed and regularly reviewed marketing plan – don’t blame the economy.
- If you think SEO is an 80′s rock band – don’t blame the mortgage meltdown.
- If you’re not using free online tools to promote your business worldwide at the click of the button – don’t blame the credit crunch.
- If you still haven’t downloaded a free copy of my ebook, More Clients Now – don’t blame me!
- If you haven’t spoken with your best clients in the last 30 days – don’t blame anything or anyone but yourself.
Please – don’t sit and wait for “things to get better.” Go and find better things and make your business better.
Only you can make your business a success. I wish you great success.
PS. Take action right now. Learn how to promote your business with free online tools. Grab your free copy of More Clients Now.
“Wise men make more opportunities than they find.”
Love your “Dont Blame” bullet point list above. I printed it out and posted it up in my office as inspiration. Keep em comming. Nice Post !
David
Dave … thank YOU for the inspiration. Your kind words help a bunch.