ObamaCare’s implementation will require more expense and more paperwork. Income tax is increasing, payroll tax is increasing, unemployment tax is increasing, and the economy is still in a state of flux. What can a small business owner do to maintain sanity in a state of total economic flux?
Take a deep breath – Go back to basics
The first step is to go back to basics. Face reality. As a small business owner, you can’t control the economic state of the United States. You can’t control all legislation regarding taxes and government health-care policies.
What can you do?
1. You can write your congressman, be active politically and support the candidates who agree with your issues and opinions. Unfortunately not everyone wins; not every piece of legislation pleases everyone.
According to Business in Flux, the best course of action is to be comfortable with uncertainty and maintain a “move forward” attitude. Andy Andrews, best-selling author, in his article “Why You Should be Comfortable with Confusion” agrees. He suggests changing your attitude to think differently and more creatively. “Do not do what everyone else is doing because not everyone else is achieving what you want to achieve.”
You have choices.
Reduce costs
Increase revenue
Whine and do nothing
Frankly, the third choice is totally unacceptable to any successful entrepreneur. Whining, complaining and lack of action never accomplish anything positive. Cross that off the list.
Reduce costs.
This has been touted and explored to exasperation. Small business owners have trimmed the phone bill, the internet service, the credit card processor, and the staff. Enough is enough. The only thing left is to move the office to your basement at home or turn off the electricity.
Increasing revenue is always the most desirable option.
Start by reviewing the most effecting marketing campaigns of 2012. Which target market proved the most responsive? Did they respond more to the postcard campaign, the booklets, the social media blasts or the simple call to action sticker on the posters placed strategically around town? If you ran the campaigns simultaneously, which is very effective, it was probably a combination. Did you select a high quality printing company like PrintPlace.com? Your company image is reflected in your marketing materials.
Action plan
1. Preceding the mailing of the postcard campaign, do a social media blast alerting customers to watch for the valuable offer on the postcard which will soon arrive in their mailbox.
2. Mail the postcard campaign and announce in social media that the cards are now in the mail. “Keep a lookout for postcard.”
3. Have a strong call to action and blast social media again reminding them to take action on the postcard offer.
Just as the shampoo bottle says “Repeat.”
4. Mail a new postcard campaign to the same list with a different offer. Each mailing builds on the previous mailing.
5. Select a second and then a third list and repeat the entire process. You will soon start generating more revenue.
When revenue increases, costs are not such a major issue and whining diminishes or stops.
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