There Really Are Plenty of Fish in the Sea

There are no guarantees in life except, of course, death and taxes. And there are certainly no guarantees in sales and marketing. Being in business requires a certain amount of faith. You have to believe in yourself and keep reaching out to new customers. A fisherman never knows what the fish are going to do. Some days they bite . . . other days, not so much. But I can guarantee this -- unless that fisherman casts his line, he will never catch anything. As Michael Jordan once said, "You miss 100% of the shots you don't take." A fisherman will have his share of bad days, but if he is competent and persistent he will eventually haul in the catch he is after. The same is true of your marketing. You may have come up empty on your recent campaigns. But you can't let that slow you down. There are other customers out there who don't realize they need you yet! If your marketing is falling short, it's time for a reality check. Are you targeting the right customers? Are you using the right media to reach them? Are you reaching out with an irresistible offer? Are you repeating a consistent, focused message about your business? Learn from your past mistakes and adjust your marketing efforts accordingly. A successful business owner is the one who finds the right pond, uses the right bait, and keeps on fishing!