Somehow there exists the stereotypical notion that gregarious, extroverted people make for the best salespeople.

Mind you, there is nothing wrong with being gregarious or extroverted, but I would argue that success as a salesperson is determined more by another trait, that of being curious.

I am talking about a mindset where one is excited to learn new things, which includes a genuine (appropriate of course) interest about other people.

In our interactions with others, we can usually sense whether someone is pretending to be interested in what we do or not.  It’s hard to fake it.  We might call such people self-centered, pompous, egotistical, insincere or elitist . . . not good adjectives for a salesperson.

Conversely, when someone shows genuine interest in what we do, we can pick up on that as well.  And we tend to think positively about such people.  We might say there are friendly, unassuming, understanding or appreciative.

We also might say that person is a good listener.

Bingo.  I think that’s one of the best compliments anyone can receive.  You can’t be genuinely curious without also being a good listener.

It’s relatively easy to show interest within our inner circle of family, friends and co-workers, but successful marketers and salespersons need to have that same level of genuine interest when meeting people they have never met before.

One of my marketing & sales “gurus,” Robert Middleton of Action Plan Marketing, has a phrase he uses when talking about sales attitude.  His mantra is, “It’s not about me, it’s about you.”

And I add to that, “Everyone, yes, everyone has an interesting story to tell.”

(And let’s be honest here. This isn’t really something new.  The essence of what Robert and I are talking about was first made popular by Dale Carnegie in his 1936 book, “How to Win Friends & Influence People.”  We’ve both just added our own modern-day experiences to that formula.)

Here’s a practical example of how I apply my “stay curious” philosophy:

Do you like to attend networking events?  When I ask this at seminars or panels, there usually are not a lot of hands that get raised.  Most people don’t like networking events because 1) they fear having to interact with a whole bunch of strangers and 2) they dread that they’ll have to “perform” and recite their elevator speech with false excitement, ad nauseum.

I approach networking events totally differently.

Instead of thinking of it as being like a dreaded fraternity or sorority rush party where one is judged, I consider such events more like going to the library and having to choose between a whole table full of new interesting titles to read.

And with that attitude, what does being gregarious or outgoing have to do with choosing an exciting book?

In fact, I posit that introverted folks may actually do better at networking events, because they might be best suited to let others do most of the talking.  The important thing is to be genuinely curious while listening.

Don’t worry, the opportunity will arise soon enough where you can talk about what you do.  And by that time in the conversation, you can probably talk about yourself in a more relaxed manner than having to spout out a canned elevator speech.  The end result is that when you hand out your card while ending the conversation, people will likely ascribe to you the positive, not negative, adjectives I mentioned above.

Call to action for this month:

Try to find a new networking group to attend.  Make it a point to meet several people you don’t know and make it a point to get them to talk about themselves first.  Ask questions so that you hear from them “their interesting story.”  After getting their card, be sure to follow-up within the next few days by email and LinkedIn.

Trust me, if you do this right, you may not have an immediate customer, but you will have one more person in your network,  Who knows, that person may eventually become a client or refer you to someone.

And it will happen because you are genuinely curious.

Next time, I’ll write about the importance of applying that same curiosity to expanding your tech knowledge.

David Ryan heads the marketing activities at Chesapeake Systems www.chesa.com, a value-added reseller and media systems solutions provider & integrator based out of Baltimore.  David began his career in media production and then gravitated to media sales and marketing a dozen years ago. He can be reached at dryan@chesa.com

Then join us at Chesapeake Systems on Tues., Jan. 31 from 6p – 8:30p for

“Tuesday TuneUp.”  Click here to find out more and register.

"The Church" 801 W. 33rd St., Baltimore

Food and beverage provided.

Plus seminar-”ettes” on tips for best ways to manipulate photos with your iPad.

Contact me with any questions.  See you there!

Chesapeake is a value-added reseller representing a variety of manufacturers (including Apple), and it is a systems integration firm that works primarily with media-centric clients to help devise solutions for their post-production, digital asset management and digital storage challenges.  Chesapeake likes to say, “Creative IT for the Creative Professional.”

I mention above that I have mixed emotions because while I am very excited about this new opportunity, I will certainly miss the camraderie with my colleagues at Video Labs . . . and most importantly, working with the many clients and contacts I have had the privilege to serve and meet over the past five years.

My last day at Video Labs will be Friday, Nov. 11, and I will begin my new situation at Chesapeake Systems shortly thereafter.

I am working closely with Video Labs CEO Mike Weiss (to whom I am grateful for the many opportunities for growth and learning I have had at VL) to ensure a smooth transition of my client accounts to my talented sales colleagues, Valerie Yoscak and David Tierney.  If you have any questions about your account after the 11th, please contact Mike Weiss directly at  sales@videolabs.net or 301-217-0000.

I have not yet decided how best to transform this website,  DavidRyanMediaSolutions.com, but it will be kept online for the foreseeable future.  I am talking over possible re-design ideas with my good friend and web designer/developer, Leslye Reaves, and I’ll keep you updated.

Oh, and “Mindy the Cat,” our loyal “spokes-feline” for this website, and sponsor of the “Mindy Discount” has asked if she could take a sabbatical in order to explore other career options . . . ones perhaps less demanding of her having to deal with the pressures of being an internet star.  I of course said, “Sure,” and I said I would work things out with her agent.

Mindy the Cat ponders her future opportunities

My email at Chesapeake Systems will be: dryan@chesa.com and the main office number is 410-243-1023.  My cell will remain 301-717-3747.

Again, it has been a pleasure to be of service.  And for those of you who may have need of Chesapeake’s services, I trust we’ll be working together again very soon.

Regardless, I look forward to staying in touch.

Best regards – David Ryan

During this drawn-out recession, I have had the opportunity to counsel over a dozen people within my media “network” who have been searching for new employment.  When I have my first conversation with someone who is “looking,” they usually already know that I work in sales, so I off-handedly ask them, “Do you have any interest in sales?”

The answers have been most interesting.  From production experts, engineers to senior managers, the typical answer is, “Uh, well, David, you know, my expertise really is in production,” or “I consider myself more of a behind-the-scenes type,” or “I tend to concentrate on the technical side of things,” and so forth.

Then I smile and reply that my question really was a trick.

Igo on to explain that any interviewer worth their salt is probably going to ask that question.  The most effective way to answer is to take a moment to pause in deep thought, then look the interviewer straight in the eye and answer, “Hmmm, isn’t everyone a salesperson?”

Bingo.  You can then steer the conversation wherever you like from there, whether you want to work in sales or not, but you have said the magic words that assure the interviewer you have a mature understanding of your role as a media professional.

In 1999, I attended an industry conference in Los Angeles.  At the time, I was in production management for a DC-based media company, but one of the workshops on Sales and Marketing that I participated in really resonated with me.

The session was led by Keith Hatschek, at that time a marketing expert based out of San Francisco.  Keith has since gravitated toward his first love, the music field, and he is now a professor of music management at the university level.

Keith’s session that day changed my outlook on business.  He asked the simple question that is the title of this article, “Is everyone on your team thinking like a salesperson?”

At that time, I regarded the internal workings of a media company as a dichotomy.  There was Production . . . and then there was Sales; it was just a given fact of business that the two sides would always chafe against each other.  I mean, as a production manager, I liked my sales counterparts, but in our professional roles, it seemed to me that we were suppose to act more like a checks and balances rather than as a cooperative team.

But Keith got me questioning that assumption.

He really hit home by instructing us to try something new.   He said, “When you get back to the office next week, call in your receptionist and say that you are giving him or her a new additional title, the title of “Vice President of First Impressions.”

He paused and let us think about that.  He then said, “And then I want you to continue that process with the rest of your staff, creatively changing their title accordingly.”

Upon my return to the office, I gave it a try, and it indeed had an impact.  I noticed fellow production and administrative support team members becoming more sympathetic and engaged in the company’s sales activities.

In fact, it became a turning point for me: I started to steer my career path away from production and toward sales and marketing.

OK, here’s this month’s “Call to Action:” Over the next few weeks, look around your work environment and ask whether everyone is thinking like a salesperson.  If not, why not?  And if so, what’s making that work?

I invite you to share your observations with me at dryan@videolabs.net I will of course keep all correspondence confidential, but I would like to do a follow-up column to this at some point.  Be assured, I will contact you for permission before including anything you share with me.

Til next time, “Stay Strong!”

(If you enjoyed reading this article, you might want to also read my article, “What is the Difference Between Sales & Marketing?” — fyi, that one is a .pdf download)

Sure, it’s all positive, and I am most grateful to those who made those sincere comments.

But how about you?  Has your experience with me been favorable? 

I invite you to complete a quick 4-question survey.  You can certainly keep it anonymous.  Even if you do, you’ll see that you will still be able to get $20 off your next order for completing the survey.

As always, I appreciate the opportunity to be of service. – David  240-268-3504  dcryan7@videolabs.net

Follow me on Twitter for more media news & info you can use & exclusive short-term steep discounts.

As the quantity of my writing has expanded of late to include numerous blog articles, eNewsletters, magazine columns and eBooks, I am finding that I am drawing upon a new muse to further inspire my writing.

And it’s fitting to mention this as we near Fathers Day.  My new muse is my deceased father, John E. Ryan.

You may well ask why didn’t he influence me more when I was struggling with writing during my youth?  Well, it certainly wasn’t from his lack of trying.  My dad was a GE engineer through and through.  He would provide me with constructive criticism my writing, just as he would strive to receive concise and clear reports from his staff at GE.

My dad – with jacket on above – always encouraged his GE team to write clearly

But like any kid, I would roll my eyes, just as I did when he tried to get me to enunciate better,  use proper grammar, stand up straighter and practice my cello more.

When the Reader’s Digest arrived each month, my mother and father would test my brothers and me on the meaning of the words in the monthly vocabulary section.   Any words we didn’t know would be posted one at a time on a chalk board in our bathroom throughout the month.  (Believe it or not, I recall one of the words actually did show up on my SAT test).

But unlike Rick Sebak and Susanne Stahley (both mentioned in Part 1), I never became a true “bookworm.”  I think that really made a difference.   Both my parents and I read, but not incessantly.  So I just didn’t develop a strong appreciation for good writing.  Reading was ok, but I felt I was going to do just fine, thank you, with my hard work and engaging personality.

Fortunately, the schools today seem to have put a much stronger emphasis on reading and helping kids realize that it’s cool, and that it can be fun.  The schools seem to have also developed a concerted effort to teach writing skills throughout all the subjects, not just in English class.  I see how this has benefited my now graduating daughter, who, like her mother, is a very good writer.

But I digress.

You ask, “How is my dad inspiring me now to be a better writer?”  I may not have the technical aptitude that he had, but as I have migrated into media sales and marketing over the past decade, my desire to be a better-informed salesperson has driven me to passionately pursue improving my technical knowledge.  It just makes sense to do so.  It allows me to ”add value” to my sales equation, putting me several steps ahead of my competition.

As brilliant as my dad was in engineering, he also had a real knack in making science accessible  to the young and layperson alike.  He was an excellent teacher.

My dad could be a rather stiff engineer at times, but he also had a fun side to him, most notably evident when he played music.  He played violin, viola and bass superbly.

My Dad – playing bass above – had a blast with his music

And I saw that same flash of fun shining from his eyes whenever he got the opportunity to explain a scientific principle.  For example, I remember his enthusiasm while driving me to school on his way to work asking me if I knew why this or that was happening.  Like, “Hmmm, I wonder why there is fog on the road today, but not yesterday?”  He made his explanations so interesting and understandable that even a sleepy teenager in the passenger seat took notice.

Fast forward several decades.

It was a sad to witness my dad slowly lose alertness in his elderly years.  I remember vividly as he turned to me a few days before he was to go into a nursing home.  He said in his engineer matter-of-fact tone, “I know I am failing.  I tried to diagram a transistor this morning, and I couldn’t do it.”

My daughter, me and my father at his nursing home

My father passed away in Oct. 2000.

Rick Sebak and my wife Susanne inspired me to read more and to improve my writing.

I now also draw upon my father to add a pinch of passion and curiosity to the recipe.

So, if you feel you aren’t a good writer, or just don’t enjoy writing, I invite you to look around and find a muse or muses to inspire you.  They are there, you just have to open your eyes.

Oh, and Happy Fathers Day.

I welcome your comments below.

Follow me on Twitter for media info and news along with exclusive steep short-term discounts.

If you enjoyed this article, you might also enjoy reading Susanne Stahley’s blog post on “Sharpen your Sentences.”

You might get by being a good salesperson without good writing skills, but marketing is  different.  It’s a more diffuse activity that requires succinct communication presented in a creative manner.

And what’s more, you have to enjoy writing, and look forward to it.  I know, that’s asking a lot for many folks.  But it’s a critical mindset.  If you don’t enjoy writing, you will find any seemingly rational reason to procrastinate.   And avoiding marketing will make your business anemic.

Here’s how I make it fun for me.  I jot down ideas and drafts of paragraphs throughout the week.  Then I finalize the blog on a weekend morning while sipping my coffee.  It’s turned out to be  one of my most enjoyable times of my week.

Also, if you enjoy writing, guess what, chances are it will infuse your writing.  I can’t tell you how many readers have said to me, “You seem to have a lot of fun writing, don’t you?”

It wasn’t always that way for me.  I struggled with writing throughout my youth.  Somehow I got excellent grades in high school.  I guess it was through just plain ‘ole hard work and a gregarious  personality.

But in college, the jig was up, and it wasn’t until years later that I realized all the criticism from my professors about my writing was valid, and that my quick dismissal of them being academic snobs was immature and totally incorrect.

Where did things go wrong?

Well, you could blame it some on the ever-changing way of teaching grammar as I grew up in the 60′s and 70′s.  Just as there was ”new Math” being introduced, it seemed that every year in my school (a top notch public school no less) there was some ”new” way to to teach English grammar.  The result was that many of my peers and I somehow fell through the cracks in learning the basics of good writing.

It wasn’t really until I studied Latin in college that I finally gained a good grasp of grammar.

What’s most ironic is that after muddling through college, I went on to get a graduate degree in Communications.  Sure enough, the professors finally put their foot down and made me take a  ”remedial” writing course.  So I got better, and I actually did pretty well in some journalism courses.  But my real love was in television production, and I felt I could succeed in the field with my “superb” organizational and leadership skills . . . and leave the writing to others.

Wrong.

It wasn’t until my second job as a producer and director at the South Carolina Educational TV Network that I realized the power of good writing.

I was teamed on several projects with producer/writer Rick Sebak, yeah, that now renowned WQED Pittsburgh-based PBS producer who has brought us many great documentaries about the quirky, wacky and intriguing side of our culture.

When I worked with Rick at SCETV, it was like a light bulb went on.

David Ryan and Rick Sebak in 1985

Rick and I became good buddies, and I soon learned that part of the secret ingredient to his success as a writer was that he had always been an insatiable reader.   He had his own book review spot on our station’s art program that I directed, and his enthusiasm for the written word was infectious.

I knew I couldn’t be as good as Rick, but seeing the confidence and influence Rick derived from his writing skills, not to mention the sheer pleasure, I made a commitment to improve my own writing.

I read more (Hemmingway became my favorite author), and I kept working on my writing, starting at first with the modest goal of improving my memos at work.

The years passed on, and I remained diligent in improving my writing.  A stint at hosting my own cultural magazine series at KRMA in Denver was another great learning environment.  Fortunately, my good friend and executive producer Kaye Lavine, (of whom I have written before) provided me with excellent candid constructive criticism.

And then there was my admiration of the clear yet creative journalistic writing skills of my sister-in-law, Jackie Ryan, (now a VP of marketing and strategic planning at a hospital and subsidiaries in Georgia) and Patrick Pexton, now ombudsman of the Washington Post.

But I’d have to say that the biggest influence on my writing after Rick Sebak was my future wife, Susanne Stahley, whom I first met in an editing room in DC.  She was a producer from LA at the time, and I had been assigned to off-line edit her PBS documentary pilot on Native Americans.

I had worked with a lot of producers by then, and so was rather ho-hum about first drafts.  But when Susanne handed me her first draft, I could tell within the first paragraph that this was different.  Not only was it well-written, it had a unique voice.

Susanne had an MA in English, and like Rick Sebak, had been an incessant reader all her life.

Susanne Stahley

In working with Susanne, I realized that while I had improved to being a decent journeyman business writer, there was much, much more room to grow.  One poignant lesson that I learned from her (and author William Zinsser of “On Writing Well,” – a book given to me by a former boss) is that there is no shame in editing your copy over and over.  “Relax, it’s ok,” she said.

Some twenty years later, I am still learning to be a better writer from Susanne.  She is now a producer for Maryland Public Television and our discussions have advanced from lively exhortations trying to get me to stop writing in the passive voice . . . to more sophisticated discussions on how to develop my own style.

Click here to continue on reading Part 2 of this article, where I talk about my latest writing muse.

But if you do not fit into that category, (like most of us mortals), and you recognize the need to market yourself and your services, then read on.

Do you disdain going to networking events?

If so, then I’m here unabashedly to make a pitch to change your outlook.

As much as you may wish to deny it, attending networking events is a  critical tool in the game of marketing.

Sure, as for any marketing activity, one can come up with a slew of seemingly valid reasons why not to attend networking events:

* I’m too busy (who can’t relate to this?)

* It’s always so far away.

* It’s too expensive.  (e.g. I never get my money’s worth of food or drink).

* I’m just not good talking about myself with strangers . . . I rely more on my reputation within my established network.

* It’s just a professional version of a cocktail party “meat market” . . .

* . . . and any business cards I get just end in the drawer anyway.

* And I should be networking with my family instead!

* (. . .  add your own reasons here)

OK, I can relate and respect all of the above, but in the end, those reasons are all lame.  Look, this is your job.  And if you are serious about your responsibilities of sales and marketing, then mastering the networking game is essential.

Now, full disclosure, I really enjoy attending networking events.  I seem to always come away from them re-energized.  In fact, I say, “there is no such thing as a bad networking event.”  (OK, yes, I’ve come close to admitting to a few exceptions to that rule, but even in those cases, the event turned out to be rewarding before I left.)

So, am I a just an extroverted “nutcase?”  (OK, ok, ok . . . my teenage daughter’s opinion doesn’t count.)  Maybe.  But here’s something to consider:  At worst, networking events are certainly more effective than cold-calling, no?, because at least you are with like-minded people who have come to the event supposedly to meet others . . . and at least you are meeting each other face-to-face.  Again, that sure beats cold-calling.

But let’s set our goals higher than that, ok?

Let me digress for a second.  Many of you know that one of the marketing “gurus” that really resonates with me is Robert Middleton of Action Plan Marketing.  He offers lots of free information, including a weekly eNewsletter.  He also has a nominal fee-based marketing club of which I am a member.

One of the benefits of the club is that there are lots of interviews with marketing experts (side note:  I myself will be featured soon in this elite group of experts talking about my views regarding the critical importance of online marketing).

One the club’s expert interviews I have listened to recently features Diana Darling of Effective Networking.  She is a much in-demand speaker, and she has written extensively on the importance of attending networking events as part of one’s marketing strategy.

She has countless insights on ways to maximize opportunities that arise at such events, and she also has tons of specific tips for those who have an inherent disinclination for such activities.

But there were two points from Robert’s interview with her that really struck home with me:

1) Diana said that it’s important to approach such events with a sense of “curiosity.”

2) And she said it is also important to take the pressure off yourself.  In other words, don’t expect that you are going to land a huge client at such an event.  Look at these events more like prepping the garden in the spring.  These are environments to make initial contact with people, and then follow-up and build relationships accordingly.

Ah, this may be where you roll your eyes.  You may be saying, “That’s the critical point, David.  Too often at networking events I don’t meet appropriate people in the first place for the services I offer.”

My counter to that:  Sure, it makes sense to be selective about which events to attend.  And yes, you may want to concentrate most of your attention to events where many within your industry will likely be attending.

Here are some of my favorite media-related networking events in the DC area:

Capitol Communicator

Ad Club of Metropolitan Washington

TIVA

But I would also say that you should go to events that are outside your comfort zone – like a business trade show where there may be lots of folks who seemingly, at least on the surface, have nothing to do with your field of business.

Huh?  Am I crazy?

Follow me here:

If you take the attitude that successful marketing involves constantly adhering to the credo that “it’s not about me, it’s about you,” . . .

and add a drop of “curiosity” to that recipe,

then your approach to networking events becomes one of learning about everyone else’s story.

And if you have taken the pressure off yourself as mentioned above, well, then a networking event becomes more of a way to just listen to others.  Good salespeople know the importance of that — just listening.

Back to my point: if you go to at least some networking events that are outside your comfort zone, you may be surprised at the results.

Here are two of my favorite non-media networking events:

Baltimore Business Journal (they have what’s called, “BBJ Biz Mixes”)

Maryland Hispanic Chamber of Commerce

TechCouncil of MD

I can’t tell you how many times I have received new business from people I met at networking events who seemingly were not a fit in any way for my services.  What occurred was that they eventually referred me to a contact of theirs who was a perfect fit.

And taking that “listening approach” can really be a helpful boost for those who tend to be introverted.  Sure, you gotta have your “elevator speech” and business cards ready, but after that, just “chill.”

Just make yourself approachable as someone who is open to listening to others.  Smile, look at people in the eyes, and the rest will take care of itself.

There is one final step that is critical in making networking events work for you.

And that occurs after the event.

Don’t file those business cards in a drawer.  Be sure to write an email to each person you met.  Just do a couple a day within the next week (but don’t wait too long.)

It can help to have a few email templates set up for such followups, but be sure to revise accordingly so as to personalize each follow-up.

Now, those who have known me for awhile are well aware that I am an a huge advocate of blogging.  Here’s where that becomes most valuable.  If you strive to convey useful information in your blogs (I now have 140+), you can then really add value to your follow-up emails by including in them a link to a pertinent blog post of yours.

And if you happen to also send out a periodic eNewsletter, you can add this person to the mailing list, and . . .

Get the picture?

See how the result is so much different and better than filing the business cards into a drawer relegating them to perpetual oblivion? . . . Or worse yet, just finding another reason why you can’t attend the networking event?

So, look at those pending invitations you’ve received and go ahead, commit to one.  Have fun!

My eBook, written with Leslye Reaves, “Synchronize of Sink: Develop and Online Marketing Strategy that Works,” covers in depth many ways to merge your “traditional” marketing strategies with “online marketing.”  The effective combination has proven to be very successful for me.  I invite you to check it out.

Also, follow me on Twitter for more media news and info along with exclusive quick-turn steep discounts.

Contact me at  dryan@videolabs.net  240-268-3504

(Cool way for the challenged print media to try to transition to the online world.)

“qr” stands for “quick response” codes.

They were created in Japan in the ’90′s.

Here’s how it works:

You download a qr app on your smartphone.  (iPhone has apps for this.  I have a Droid, and there are a number of free apps available for my phone.  I chose QR Droid.)  I thought installing and setting this all up might be a challenge, but it was very easy and fast.)

Then you select the app.

Next you use the smartphone’s camera to view the qr code.  (There are other options for reading the qr code as well, such as from a saved image, but camera is what I have used exclusively so far.)

Once the camera reads the code, it then identifies the url of the website that the qr code represents, and a message appears asking whether you want to connect to the site.

Yeah, easy.  Notice the time saver.  One doesn’t have to type in the url on one’s smartphone.

So my marketing mind started turning.  Hmmmmm, potentials . . .

Aha!

So here’s how I am using the technology so far.

For a long time, I have been adding stickers to the back of my Video Labs business cards that promote my ”added value” website, www.DavidRyanMediaSolutions.com.

All good, but up til now, I have had to rely on the recipient of my card to type in the url of my website.

Hmmm, what if there were an easy way for them to facilitate getting to my website, maybe even while we are talking at a networking event?

So I had our Video Labs grfx team alter my back-of-the-card stickers to include a qr code as well.  (Oh, yeah, the qr apps make it easy to create a qr code image as well.  I mean, it’s like simp-dimp.)

Now see what can happen.  The recipient of my card can use their qr reader app on their smartphone to scan the qr code on the back of my card and presto, get right to my website.

Hey, maybe we should also include qr codes on name tags at networking events.  (Probably that’s already being done, right?  Anyone?)

Whew, I think this is powerful stuff.  I’m brainstorming other ways this technology might be useful for marketing.  Let me know if you have ideas.

I welcome your comments below.

If you liked this article, you may want to read Why I Twitter – part 1 and part 2

Don’t forget to contact me for all your media replication and related multimedia needs.

Follow me on Twitter for more media news and info and exclusive steep quick-turn discounts.

Again, it’s very tempting to put off marketing efforts when you are busy.  I mean, look, there are only so many hours in a day, and it’s more challenging than ever for me to leave the office and go out to meet clients and attend networking events.

And sure, taking care of my clients’ inquiries and orders is always my top priority.

But that doesn’t mean that I have to yield to the thought of totally shutting my marketing down.  In fact, doing so could be disastrous.   One aspect of successful marketing is consistency.  And if you shut down marketing activities when you are extremely busy, you violate that most important marketing tenet.

So what to do?  Here are some answers I’ve come up with for myself.  Perhaps they might resonate with you as well:

1) Prioritize.  Just as you have with your budget these past few years, take a hard look at what marketing activities have been most fruitful for the effort put in . . . and then concentrate on those for now.  For example, that might mean trimming the number of affiliations, but at the same time, perhaps increasing your participation with the remaining ones.  One specific tip in that regard: since there is usually a constant turnover of people arriving and leaving during an event, try arriving earlier and staying longer at the events you do attend.  That’s being efficient and effective.

2) Utilize the power of online marketing.  If you can’t get out of the office as much, online marketing . . . with heavy emphasis on blog posts and social media, can be a very efficient and effective use of time.  (Again, I present a primer for coordinating this activity “in sync” in my eBook.)

3) Find ways to further take advantage of your existing marketing assets.  Here’s something that’s working for me:  Ezine@rticles By basically just re-purposing my blog posts, I get a fresh presence on a whole new portal that does indeed attract traffic.

4) Our CEO at Video Labs, Mike Weiss, had an excellent suggestion recently as we discussed plans for 2011.  He said, “if it’s harder to spend time away from the office, maybe see if you can get more folks to meet you here.  Give them a tour and then go for lunch nearby.”  Hmmm, good idea.

5) Finally, keep your marketing fun.  Don’t be afraid to try something new and perahps a bit wacky – like my “Mindy the Cat” discount campaign.  As marketing expert Robert Middleton of Action Plan Marketing says, if it isn’t fun, you’ll find any number of seemingly valid reasons to procrastinate – and jeopardize your future as a result.  The roadside of our economy is strewn with entities who got complacent about marketing.  Make marketing fun, and chances are you’ll find time to do it. 

In conclusion, it’s predictable that good sales folks are going to feel overwhelmed at times during any uptick of activity during an extended recession.  My advice is to take a step back and see from a macro-economic perspective what’s going on.

You can take some pride that this spike in activity, no matter how temporary it might be, is likely due in no small part to your executing your sales process successfully and providing superb customer service.

But don’t yield to the temptation to put your marketing efforts on hiatus.  Revise them perhaps, and maybe explore some new efficient avenues, but don’t take your foot completely off the pedal.

And remember, keep it fun.   Speaking of fun, you might also be interested in reading my blog post titled, “Marketing Tip: Keep it Fun!”

As always, I appreciate hearing your thoughts.  Feel free to write a comment below.

Contact me at 240-268-3504 or dryan@videolabs.net to discuss your media replication and related multimedia needs.

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