I am amazed about how people go about things in business that I think many are missing the boat. Today (3/6/2019) I went to a job fair to meet with the 2 large radio station companies in the market so I could leave them my demo cd. The first one I went to said oh we are sponsors of the event and I don’t know what to do with this. I responded it take it back to the station and give it to your program manager. She looked at me like I was speaking a foreign language then again to her maybe I was as this is South Florida after all. I walked away thinking this is a job fair and your company didn’t bring someone from human resources. I am a firm believer of you never know who is coming to your table or through your doors so be prepared for every case scenario. The other radio company had their director of traffic there who gladly took my demo tape and asked me to follow up on line. I even had the opportunity to give my demo tape to The Florida Panthers Human Resource Director. I share this as networking is a key component to being successful. When you put yourself out there you are going to meet people who can be of service and value to you while you can be of service and value to them. The key is to be prepared and have your people prepared so you don’t miss the boat.
Many times I call on businesses to support my charitable endeavors with The American Cancer Society Relay For Life and many times I encounter those that are missing the boat as they don’t understand the concept of cause marketing or they don’t want to hear how someone can be of service and value to them. Today (3/6/2019) after attending the job fair I stopped by a plaza to go business to business to promote The American Cancer Society Relay For Life and also collect donations. Most every business in the plaza was receptive however there was one that was a bit arrogant and non-receptive, Catering By Joel’s Place. This is the same business that I called a few weeks ago to get a quote for a party that I was hosting and he never returned my phone call. He stated I have been in business for 27 years and everything is by appointment. I told him then maybe he should keep his door locked and that he was leaving money on the table. He said I don’t need you telling me what I am doing. I said thank you and I left. As I walked out I thought wow here is another closed minded individual missing the boat for he didn’t even want to dialogue with me. I understand he doesn’t know me and doesn’t know about the 8000 people I reach on social media or all the events that I am involved in or people that I know that possibly could do business with him. His arrogance and lack of being open to listen now earned him a negative review and lost me as a potential customer. Remember that every conversation has opportunity and to not miss the boat by being arrogant or too busy to talk to someone.
I used to take my Grandmother, when she was alive, to Monti’s and the food was good. I was in the area yesterday (3/5/2019) promoting The American Cancer Society Relay For Life at about 10:45 AM figuring it was prep time for lunch i stopped in to see if they can help me. The 1st words out of the gentleman making pizza was I am too busy for this. Another gentleman came up and reluctantly gave me a dollar and told me to leave as they were too busy. I left thinking again another business that is making money but could be doing better if they weren’t missing the boat about being kind to anyone who comes through the doors. I share this with those who own businesses to make sure you are treating people who are coming into your place of business with respect as you never know who they might be and how they can either affect your business positively or negatively. I fully understand that I am coming into these businesses unannounced and uninvited however I have been doing fundraising this way for over 40 years and have have had much success. There is a huge value in engaging with people especially someone who knows and understand cause marketing.
If you are going to stop missing the boat you must go out and share who you are and what you do and why people should do business with you. You were born to be on the boat and have that boat reach its destination for success with you on board. Stop missing the boat and realize that everyone that you come in contact with can be of service and value to your business. Sometimes it is as easy as simple hitting the street and sharing your business or non-profit activities with others. Be bold and get on board your boat to success.
In business it all comes down to the bottom line of how much revenue are you producing and how much of that revenue is profit. In our society today it has become all about the Benjamins. It is important to know why you went into the business you went into. Once you find your why you can begin to generate a whole lot of Benjamins. Many people I come in contact who have a business do not understand that you need to invest in a solid advertising and marketing program so as to generate the Benjamins. I have walked into many a business and been the only shopper there and I thought how is this business surviving. The other day I stopped by a store that I used to work at and in the 1 hour I was there they had 0 traffic. The fact that they are located in a busy shopping plaza behind three sports oriented bars and due to the merchandise they have they should have been busy. I asked how sales have been they said a bit on the slow side. I did notice a buy 1 get 50% promotional sign at the entrance. I thought how are they letting people know they are open and making this great offer? In a matter of minutes I had formulated a plan of action that if the owner was receptive and willing to make a small investment could work in driving traffic and being on the top of the mind of the consumer. They have incredible merchandise however if no one knows they are there and no one is shopping in the store they will not be making many Benjamins. I thought they need brand awareness so I did a quick live video which is something they should be doing daily with a featured item of the day. They should create a tag line that is easily remembered and entices people to shop there. They could implement some type of cause marketing program as consumers like to support businesses that they perceive to be giving back to the community. They had an item that I really liked and I thought why are they not advertising is sports memorabilia publications and featuring this item. They recently placed an ad for a social media marketing intern for $10 an hour. If you are serious about creating a buzz on social media and acquiring customers and turning them into loyal customers it is going to take more than paying someone $10 an hour to do social media marketing. If you want to make Benjamins you have to invest Benjamins. Make sure that when you have a retail store that your associates working the floor have top notch customer service skills and that they are creating buyers not browsers. Ask questions get to know the people coming into your store. Treat every customer as though they are the most important person walking into your store.
If you are going to attract Benjamins to your business and create a nice profit margin you need to have a plan that is proactive. Sometimes it is necessary to go back to the old school way of doing things and hit the street talking to people that are with in 3 feet of you. For example you have an eyeglass store you should go out and everyone you see wearing glasses you should hand them your 4″ x 6″ card showing who you are and what you do and why they should do business with you. Make shure that when you planning that you include your unique selling proposition or point of difference so people know what sets you apart from everyone else. Look at who you are seeking to attract and where you might find your ideal customer and then formulate a plan to bring in those Benjamins.
If you want to learn more about strengthening your brand and increasing your revenue so you have a good flow of Benjamins please attend the OLD SCHOOL MEETS NEW SCHOOL MARKETING WORKSHOP in October. Look for more details coming soon. For a $50 investment you will receive a video interview, a promotional one sheeter, and a tailor made press release to help you in your quest to strengthen your brand while increasing your revenue.
Jonathan JDOGG Lederrman has been helping businesses to grow for over 20 years and has a proven track record of success as he possesses a keen ability to find the essence of a business and come up with easily and affordable marketing programs that will build brand awareness while also increasing revenue. Businesses that have listened to JDOGG have had success. STAY POSITIVE!!!
Yesterday (8/22/2017) I encountered a situation that got me to asking why the hate? Here I was reaching out to a business owner, Mike Artz of Collectables in Hobart, Indiana and this was his response via a Facebook. Wouldn’t it have made more sense for him to simply write thank you for reaching out to me I wish you much luck in your effort however at this time I am unable to support your project. Think about how you are responding to people and it will tell you why you may be struggling in your business. If this is how he responded to me how many other people has he responded to in this manner and how many of them have not done business with him and share their negative experience with others. In today’s marketplace it is imperative to be nice in all encounters so that people are moved to do business with you. At the end of the day the only thing that endures is your character.
He obviously forgot the first adage of business that Kindness Counts. I simply did what I have been doing for over 40 years and asked a business owner for support of a charitable cause. I never expected this type of response. This only goes to show us that our marketplace needs to be taught compassion.
Now think about it the next time someone approaches you for support because you never know the reach that person has and how they can impact your business. In this case all the accolades that Mike Artz may have built up are gone because he will never see my business and those that read this article may think twice about doing business with him.
As an experienced marketing and public relations consultant the 1st thing I teach my clients is to be kind in all that they do as you never know how that kindness will be returned. Imagine if Mike Artz had been kind in saying no I may have still recommended that my colleagues who collect sports and pop culture memorabilia contact him to see what he is selling. The lesson to take from today is that all it takes is one oh crap to ruin a thousand accolades.
It is now time not only to think outside the box but to burn the box and release the contents that may be stopping you from maximizing your brand awareness and revenue. In the 40 years that I have been working with non-profit organizations and for profit businesses I have noticed something that those who struggle have in common and that is they get stuck in their ways and do not adapt. There is no reason today for anyone to struggle. The reason you may be struggling is that you allowed yourself to be caught in a way of thinking that hasn’t allowed you to move forward in a positive direction of your goals. I have heard so many times over the years that I don’t have money to advertise or I’ve tried everything and nothing is working. This mindset is what is keeping you trapped in the box and why you are falling short of your goals. It is time to burn the box and go from limiting beliefs to limitless beliefs.
It is time to put all of your limiting beliefs into a box and burn the box then spread the ashes as compost and then begin to change the way you go about doing things. When you think you don’t have money to advertise you need to turn that into I will find affordable and effective advertising methods. I recently came into 19 boxes of books from assorted genres as a result f a death in my family. Instead of saying oh I don’t have the money to advertise theses books I found some free resources like sell and trade groups on social media and started posting photos of the books. I also decided to donate 50% of all book sales to The American Cancer Society Relay For Life Of Sunrise. As a result I sold 4 books today (7/15/17). I still have a condo that looks like a used book store but I am finding ways to let people know about the books and as a result I am moving the books and helping a cause that I believe in while also turning inventory into cash. When you burn the box and release the stinking thinking that is stopping you from manifesting the life that you want you will find that you begin to attract more peace, love, joy, and prosperity into your life. It all comes down to having the proper mindset when it comes to raising funds for charity or running your own business.