Why Busy Isn't a Marketing Strategy

I've noticed something over the years. When business is busy, marketing is usually the first thing people stop doing. When business slows down, marketing suddenly becomes the most important thing on the list. I've always found that interesting. It's almost like we treat marketing as something we do when we need business instead of something that keeps business coming.

I understand why it happens. When the plant is full, the counter is busy, the routes are running, and the phone won't stop ringing, marketing feels easy to postpone. There are more important things to do. Or at least they feel more important.

Then a few months go by. The busy season fades. The counter gets quieter. The routes aren't quite as full. Suddenly everyone starts asking the same question, "What should we do to get more business?"

The funny thing is, the answer usually isn't found in the last two weeks. It was found or missed in the last six months.

I've learned that momentum has a funny way of hiding its source. Busy businesses often assume they're busy because of what they're doing today. In reality, they're usually enjoying the results of seeds they planted months ago. The opposite is true too.

When business slows down, it's tempting to believe the solution is one promotion, one campaign, or one good month. Sometimes those things help but sustainable growth rarely comes from reacting. It usually comes from showing up consistently, long before you need the results. That's true in marketing. Honestly, I think it's true in most areas of business and in most areas of life.

The owners who seem to have the most consistent growth aren't necessarily doing something magical. They've simply decided that marketing isn't something they turn on and off. It's just part of how they run the business.

The best time to market your business is usually when you feel like you don't need to. 

Have a great week!
Dave