04/13/2009 -
Everyday Can Be the First Day of Spring!
Many families have been celebrating the Easter holiday in their own way these past couple of days. When I was little it meant a new Easter dress, shiny white shoes and gloves, an Easter egg hunt and all of my favorite things on the dinner table. Almost every kid I knew got a basket of goodies full of their favorite confectionary treats thanks to the Easter Bunny.
While I offer a combination of faith and fun these days, I grew up in a big town and learned early on that not everyone celebrates or recognizes Easter but almost everyone could count on a one-eyed, hollow chocolate bunny and some Brach’s jelly beans. Easter was also the universal indication that spring had officially sprung.
All winter long Mother Nature puts scores of her most precious plants, trees and animals to sleep. They rest and remain dormant for an entire season needing very little food, water and sunlight to survive. The change of climate and colder temperatures offers much less of these necessities so the land instinctively requires less of them.
Wintry weather also brings a multitude of significant holidays for may of us. I’ve noticed that traditional business owners, versus seasonal business owners, tend to slow down for these festivities. They actually begin to hibernate!
Take a look at the number of full weeks you got out and actively marketed your business during the spring and summer season in 2008. Compare them to your networking activities from the recent fall/winter period where we definitely become more social. Tis the season! Is there a significant difference in the number of qualified prospects you met (and followed up with) and business produced?
If you’re like many small business owners, you may allow yourself to become dormant. We’re not meant to hole up just because the temperature drops; we’re instinctively wired to prepare for the winter months. You can still take the down time if you account for it through increased prospecting/sales activities during your active work weeks.
Those who don’t plan may survive; those that properly plan will more certainly flourish and THRIVE!!!
- Make a list of 10 specific things you’ve stopped doing that are profitable marketing activities for you and your business.
- Research current networking opportunities and schedule time to do these activities on a consistent basis throughout 2009.
- Decide how many weeks you’d like to work this year and plan appropriately.
Wake up! Everyday can be the first day of spring for you and your business. Get out there and plant healthy seeds with like-minded, successful people connected to your target market, consistently nurture those relationships according to their individual needs and watch your respective businesses grow.
Paula Frazier is a referral marketing trainer, consultant and keynote speaker. She is an Executive Director for BNI and part of a select team of Master Trainers for Referral Institute. Paula’s business networking articles have been published internationally. She is also acknowledged in the New York Times best seller, Truth or Delusion – Busting Networkings Biggest Myths. Check out #33, Delusion with a twist! Paula can be contacted at paula@referralinstitute-va.com.
