By Norton E. Warner

Maintaining or increasing the advertising budget in a recessionary economy is essential to the long-term health of any enterprise. During an economic downturn or recession, most advertisers cut their budgets drastically. The two reasons heard most often are:

"People do not have the money, so our advertising would be wasted."

We can afford to cut our advertising because our competitors are cutting theirs." I have discovered a principle of personal or entrepreneurial success that seems to prove itself again and again. If you would succeed, observe what everyone else is doing and do the opposite. This seems to be true for advertising budgets in recessionary periods.

Nariman K Dhalla, in an article titled "Advertising as an Antirecession Tool" published in the Harvard Business Review, said, "Rather than wait for business to return to normal, top executives should cash in on the opportunity that the rival companies are creating for them. The company courageous enough to stay in and fight when everyone else is playing safe can bring about a dramatic change in market position."

Malcolm Moses, of Malcolm Moses & Associates of Boston, wrote in Boardroom Reports in the article "Recession Wisdom for Marketers,""Get more leverage from the advertising budget. Don't drastically reduce it. Companies that keep an advertising presence emerge from recession faster and stronger."

Norton is the author and creator of Marketing Firepower. Five decades helping businesses develop strategies, create campaigns, identify and target the most profitable customer and proper budgeting advice have all contributed to the Marketing Firepower information. Norton created Marketing Firepower to make his experience and success strategies available to businesses around the world.

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Tags: recession, marketing, advertising, budget

By Van Coker

If there is one undeniable truth in small business advertising, it is this: Business owners are more concerned about the media they choose than the message they choose to communicate.

If you don't believe me, just stop by your local coffee shop early in the morning. Ask one of the business owners enjoying his or her morning cup. Entrepreneurs are easily identified. They are always up at the crack of dawn, (probably because they just can't sleep) and the last people on the planet to put head-to-pillow. Always thinking. Always worrying. Always looking for a better way to attract customers. Always quick to offer an opinion regarding the advertising media. Which media works poorly...and which do not work at all.

They've tried absolutely everything under the sun with limited success. Newspaper, television, radio, yellow pages, billboards, pens and pencils and door-to-door coupons. They've spent money on quarter-pages, half-pages, full-pages. They've written checks for cable and local affiliate television. They've tried to connect with every radio station's morning-drive, afternoon-drive, and day-time listeners---even the overnight crowd that can't sleep, either. The yellow pages rep told them their troubles would disappear if they would simply "buy a bigger ad" and "add color." While every other media sales rep advised they were "just not reaching the right people."

Before you spend another dime attempting to attract customers to your business, consider---the message. Is the message in your ad...commercial...billboard...or whatever of any interest to your most likely customers? Does it offer anything of real value? Does it communicate what you can do for them? Is there anything in your message that might cause me to consider doing business with you? Or are you just one of the many "friendly"..."courteous"..."bigger selection" and "whatever your (fill in the blank) needs" businesses that offer nothing of any real consequence?

Don't get me wrong. Your choice of media is a very important decision. But no advertising media can possibly work if your message is missing the mark. It is important to reach the right people...but you must also make certain you reach them with a message that makes a difference.

What about your message? Is it making a difference? Or are you just wasting money on insignificant drivel? If you're not sure, give me a call or send me an email at Marketing Firepower. I'll be happy to listen and offer some thoughts about how to make your message relevant.

Van is vice president of Marketing Firepower with decades of experience in helping small business succeed through the effective use of advertising.

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Tags: marketing, advertising, media, message

By Jeff Dostal

I've been traveling quite a bit lately visiting with small businesses across the country. There is a common theme shared by the majority. When I ask the question, "Why should I spend my money with your company versus the competition?" I receive an interesting reply...silence. It's a bit scary the number of businesses that don't have a solid reply to this simple question. Do you?

One of the reasons we created what we call the Value Story Discovery process is because, as a business owner, you are too close to your business to know and understand the real value(s) of doing business with you. To put it bluntly, you just don't know why customers spend their money with you.

When we conduct a Value Story Discovery for a company, they are amazed at how the things they didn't feel were important are often the main reasons folks choose to do business with them.

If you'd like to know how a Value Story Discovery could dramatically improve the way you market and advertise your business, give me a call or email me. I'd be happy to answer any questions you might have.

Jeff is President of Marketing Firepower and an experienced marketing professional. He has helped many business become successful through the effective use of advertising.

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Tags: advertising, marketing, money, budget, Value Story Discovery

The following is an excerpt from Chapter 2, "The Battlefield," of the book, "David Can Still Beat Goliath," by Norton Warner.

Customer dissatisfaction induces a search for a new supplier of a product or service. Consumers who move into your community need new product and service providers. Condition changes also create new customer needs and wants. Since all these factors- customer dissatisfaction, change of residence, and condition changes-can arise any hour of the day, any day of the week, any week of the year, two strategies are necessary to increase your market share by attracting new customers, and a third strategy can also be productive.

1. Create awareness, understanding, and trust or preference before the customer need or want arises.

If you have reached prospective customers hundreds of times with your message, you have an excellent chance of moving them through the advertising communication process before the need to purchase arises. Either your name is on their shopping list or you have developed a consumer franchise in their minds.

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Tags: advertising, customer, prospects

The most essential ingredient of any successful business is an effective Marketing Bridge. If you are unfamiliar with the term, “Marketing Bridge” refers to all the forces that combine to make a sale and create a customer for your enterprise. Every business has a Marketing Bridge. Some are in good shape. Some are in need of major repair and reconstruction. The creator of the Marketing Bridge, Norton E. Warner, also happens to be the founder of Marketing Firepower.

Recently I was privileged to speak to a group of like-business owners from the Midwest on the topic of improving sales through effective marketing and advertising. With the current economic conditions, there were many valid concerns. And many questions asked of me about advertising. Such as, “With so many consumers using the internet these days, what should we do about our Yellow Pages advertising?” Or, “We thought we could stimulate sales by lowering our prices, but our business has actually gone down….any suggestions?”

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Tags: marketing, advertising

A small business owner was sharing his frustration with advertising. He told me he had a hard time telling all that he did in one message. I told him that’s where he was making his mistake. In “City Slickers," Jack Palance tells Billy Crystal he needs to find his one thing. Jack had it right. It’s a lesson we can all learn about our marketing. Each message you share with your target audience needs to offer one clear idea. One thing. If you try to put multiple ideas into one message, the consumer won’t remember any of them. Here’s another example. Get a handful of tennis balls and toss them to someone. Read More...

Tags: marketing, advertising

By Norton E. Warner

A practical, dynamic, creative entrepreneurial vision is rare. Vision begets innovation and is a prerequisite to leadership. If you have a precise vision for your business, it can be your greatest competitive advantage.

Your competitors who have no vision will find themselves chasing yours. Running after your vision, your imagination, your innovations and your leadership, they will forever be in your dust, months, maybe years, behind you. They may imitate what they see as your success strategy, not because it is right for them, but because they're trying to catch and then overtake you. However, no one can copy your heartfelt commitment to serve your customers.

No one can occupy your mind, duplicate your thinking processes or experience your desire to win. No competitor can usurp your goal of customer satisfaction. Your competitor cannot be you. You are the competitive advantage. Only from your vision as the leader of your enterprise can a winning strategy emerge.

Author and corporate consultant Peter Drucker claims that business, "because its purpose is to create customers," has only two functions: "marketing and innovation. Marketing and innovation produce results. All the rest are costs."

The first function, marketing, was the subject of Chapter II, "The Battlefield" from my book, David Can Still Beat Goliath. The second, innovation, is the key to your strategy. Be innovative in ways that set you apart from your competition. Use innovation to establish a proprietary enterprise. If yours is perceived as a commodity enterprise, you could be fighting Goliath with an empty slingshot.

To create a winning strategy, you must learn everything you can about your competition, your own enterprise, and your most profitable customer. In marketing and advertising, the proper analysis of this knowledge is a source of power.

Norton is the author and creator of Marketing Firepower. Five decades helping businesses develop strategies, create campaigns, identify and target the most profitable customer and proper budgeting advice have all contributed to the Marketing Firepower information. Norton created Marketing Firepower to make his experience and success strategies available to businesses around the world.

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Tags: entrepreneur, marketing, advertising, small business

You’ve heard of the 80-20 rule, right? Ask a business owner what the 80-20 rule is and he or she will tell you 80% of the sales come from 20% of the customers. The opposite side of that equation is also true, 80% of your customers account for only 20% of your sales.
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Tags: statistics, 80-20 Rule, marketing, advertising, small business

Welcome to June. We have some great new videos this month as well as a very special ebook we’re excited to share with you. Read More...

Tags: marketing, advertising, success, ebook

Advertising and marketing are much different. You can see advertising. You can hear advertising. In many cases you can even touch advertising. But in most cases, it’s extremely difficult to precisely measure the results of advertising.
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Tags: marketing, advertising, marketing bridge

Longtime professor of advertising at Harvard University, Neil H. Borden, defined advertising as, “the chief means by which businesses communicate with the customers about their products or services to bring about an exchange.”

Professor Borden did not define advertising as “building store traffic” or “selling” merchandise or services. The keyword in the definition is “communicate.” “The chief means by which businesses communicate with customers about their products or services to bring about an exchange.” Read More...

Tags: advertising, marketing, small business, sales

A consumer franchise is when a consumer patronizes your business to the exclusion of your competition. Do you have a consumer franchise with any of your clients? If you do, how did you achieve it? Advertising is simple when you think about it. Read More...

Tags: franchise, consumers, marketing, advertising

By Van Coker

One of the most essential ingredients of any successful business is an effective Marketing Bridge. If you are unfamiliar with the term, “Marketing Bridge” refers to all the forces that combine to make a sale and create a customer for your enterprise---or any enterprise. Every business has one. Most don’t even realize it. Some are in good shape. Some are in need of major repair and reconstruction. The inventor, designer, and creator of the Marketing Bridge, also just happens to be the founder of Marketing Firepower, Norton E. Warner.

In future articles, we’ll focus on each and every element necessary to build your successful Marketing Bridge. This month, let’s talk about “price” and “value.” Read More...

Tags: marketing, advertising, price

By Norton E. Warner

If a prospective customer enters your business and is greeted like royalty and made to feel important, and if she leaves having been treated as she feels she deserves, you are on your way to creating a lifelong customer and a positive center of influence. Clearly, the advertising that brought her to you was an investment.

If, on the other hand, she was attracted by your advertising but is met with... Read More...

Tags: marketing, advertising, small business, investment, expense

By John DiPietro

Marketing...The Most Misunderstood Word in Business!

In this crazy business climate we are currently experiencing, business owners need to look beyond traditional methodologies and right into the mirror to see how they can win more business and just as importantly, keep the business they have already worked so hard for. So often, when you mention the word " marketing" to a businessperson the first thoughts that come to mind are... Read More...

Tags: marketing, advertising, mistakes

If you look at a picture of a big airplane that’s close to the ground, it’s difficult to determine if it’s taking off, or coming down. Landing gear is down. Nose is slightly up. Yet you can’t really tell if it’s landing or taking off. But watching the airplane in motion makes everything obvious.

A similar phenomenon occurs when you look at a business. You may see a well-kept, modern facade, nice parking lot and beautifully lighted at night. But just like the airplane, you have to see the business “in motion” to determine if it’s going up or coming down.

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Tags: marketing, advertising, marketing bridge, business, improvements

Have you ever seen or heard advertisements that proudly proclaim they are the “best kept secret?" Not something that should be a source of pride. The same can be said for businesses who don’t want to “toot their own horn."

Is there a reason consumers should spend money with your business? Read More...

Tags: advertising, marketing, small business

Ever seen that one written on the chalkboard? (Chalkboard. Did I just give my age away?) In over 16 years of helping small business attract customers, I’ve yet to come across one that didn’t assume their customers knew more than they really did. I hope you are the exception to the rule, but I won’t assume you are.

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Tags: advertising, marketing, assumptions

The other day a restaurant owner and I were discussing the challenges he’s facing in these economic times. His food costs are up...utilities are up…health insurance for employees is always going up...taxes are higher, and on and on and on. Everything is headed up---except his sales volume. Read More...

Tags: recession, marketing, advertising

If you knew how little others thought about you…you wouldn’t worry so much about what others think about you.

Related to our daily lives, the title is a good lesson in life. However, in relationship to your small business it should read…”If you knew how little others thought about you…you should worry.”
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Tags: perception, advertising, marketing, small business

Why is it most business owners do all the wrong things when tough times hit? It’s almost like they have a death wish.

Think about it. What’s the one thing you must have enough of…plenty of…even more of during a recession? I’m not talking about money. I’m not talking about time. Read More...

Tags: advertising, marketing, small business, mistakes, recession

A friend of mine passes along inspirational thoughts to me each day. What he sent today jumped right off of the page and has stayed with me all day. I want to share it with you... Read More...

Tags: football, recession, small business, marketing, advertising

That magnificent 6-inch orb that rests on top of our shoulders is really an amazing contraption. It has the capability of understanding, analyzing, predicting, and improving the most complex, abstract, and intricate of concepts. Read More...

Tags: small business, marketing, advertising

By Jeff Dostal

Many advertisers have been asking us if they should spend less money on their advertising with the recession in full bloom. What do you think? Let me offer an analogy for you. Read More...

Tags: small business, marketing, advertising, investment

It’s absolutely amazing how business owners tend to blame poor sales figures on the back of advertising.

“Weekend traffic was down…must be the advertising.”

“Pretty good traffic this weekend but no sales…must be the advertising.”

“We seem to be getting more and more grumpy customers…we must be talking to the wrong people with our advertising.”

Read More...

Tags: advertising, marketing, small business

How many times do we say this when looking at a problem we believe has a complex solution and when a simple one is presented…”Well, that makes sense!” Your advertising is one of those problems that many feel needs to have a complex solution. You have the answers to effectively communicate your story. You just need to understand how simple the process is. Read More...

Tags: advertising, marketing, small business

Have you ever made a decision that turned out to be a bad decision? Maybe it cost you a lot of money. Perhaps it cost you a friendship or your marriage. We all make decisions, even very important life-altering decisions, based on information we have gathered or our personally held attitudes and beliefs. Read More...

Tags: decisions, direction, mistakes, small business, marketing, advertising

If you are reading this blog entry, there is a good chance you own a small business and you make decisions about how you will advertise your business. Chances are good you are bombarded on a daily basis with one or more media sales people wanting to “show you the way”.

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Tags: advertising, marketing, small business, trust

Entrepreneurship has been defined as “the art of finding profitable solutions to problems.” It’s the successful entrepreneur who studies a problem…researches possible solutions…implements change…and stays the course while the solution is given proper time to work.

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Tags: advertising, marketing, small business, success, problems

Ask 100 small business owners what the most important factor is when a consumer chooses where to do business---and about 90 of them will say “low price.”

Is that really how people shop? Is that really the predominant factor in buying anything? Read More...

Tags: price, competition, marketing, advertising, selling

Over the past 30-plus years of working closely with small businesses of all sizes, from “Mom-and-Pops” (some were so small they were just “Pops”) to businesses with several locations, one of the proclamations I fielded with great frequency was, “Word-of-mouth is the best form of advertising.” Read More...

Tags: advertising, marketing, small business, word of mouth

Sir Winston Churchill was quoted as saying, “It’s not good enough that we do our best; sometimes we have to do what’s required.” That kind of throws that thought of “just do your best” out the window. This quote hangs on the wall in front of me in my humble office as a reminder... Read More...

Tags: economy, recession, advertising, consumers

How many business owners have you known that thought yellow pages “advertising” was money well-spent? That’s what I thought. Not very many, if any. Read More...

Tags: Yellow Pages, advertising

A universal chorus goes up from small business owners everywhere: “I hate spending money in the yellow pages, but I have to.” Do you? I don’t think so. The top three emotions used to sell space in the yellow pages are as follows: Read More...

Tags: Yellow Pages, advertising

Do you have kids? Do you know someone who has kids? Watch them work. Especially the younger ones. These are the best sales people around. Read More...

Tags: sales, marketing, small business marketing, advertising, salespeople

A friend of mine was telling me about a new diet he started a few weeks back. He was pretty excited that he had lost a few pounds already and that he “didn’t have to do anything to lose the weight”. The magical pills worked overnight melting his extra pounds away. Read More...

Tags: advertising, recession, small business, marketing

Listening to the radio the other day on my way to work I hear Charles Osgood tell me he was about to share a recipe on how to worsen the economy and it came straight from the Grinch himself. I had to listen to that and here is what I heard... Read More...

Tags: recession, advertising, economy

Ask almost any small business owner what the best form of advertising is, and you’re likely to hear, “Word of mouth.” “It’s the cheapest form of advertising” they’ll say, “And the most effective.” And they’re right. Sort of. Read More...

Tags: word of mouth, advertising, small business, marketing

I’m blessed with four kids, ages 13 to 5. When they ask a question or complain about a request made of them, they get to participate in the “You always have a choice” conversation. The oldest knows it pretty well. The nine year old just rolls his eyes when he sees it coming. Read More...

Tags: recession, advertising, small business, marketing