This Little Piggy Went To Market!

See if you can finish the rest of these famous marketing statements;  1. When E.F Hutton speaks...   2. M & M's melt in your mouth...   3. I am stuck on Band Aid brand...   4. Oh, I wish I were an...   Answers: 1. People listen. 2. Not in your hand. 3. Cause Band Aid's stuck on me. 4. Oscar Mayer weiner.            What do they all have in common?   Money.   Companies spent millions of dollars to make these messages memorable.  In fact, the brands highlighted don't even use these campaigns anymore but anyone over the age of 35 remember them.  E.F Hutton is even trying to resurrect its "dead" business, but people still remember the ad.   That's the power of marketing...   And marketing takes money.   What are you doing with your little piggy (bank that is)?    Is it going to market...or is it staying home?   Ok, a cheap play on words, but if you are not spending some of your revenue (income) on marketing, then you might be the little piggy with no roast beef!  Several Daily Crumbs from the archives have talked about the Returns On Investment (ROIs) of various marketing vehicles.  Of course, if you spend nothing, then the ROI is...yea...zero.   I wont go fancy on you this time, I will just ask a simple question...   How much did you spend on marketing last month?   I can hear some of you thinking that you can't afford to market.  I am reminded of a quote from Jim Rohn,   "I remember saying to my mentor, "If I had more money, I would have a better plan." He quickly responded, "I would suggest that if you had a better plan, you would have more money." You see, it's not the amount that counts; it's the plan that counts."   For small businesses, they wait for more revenue before they will spend on marketing and lead generation.  Marketing is not a chicken or the egg scenario...it is the kernel of corn.  To get the harvest of a corn stalk with multiple ears on it, you have to plant that little kernel.   Not eat it...not hold on to it...but plant it where it can grow!   Money spent on marketing is a seed.   Another quote from Jim Rohn,   "To become financially independent you must turn part of your income into capital; turn capital into enterprise; turn enterprise into profit; turn profit into investment; and turn investment into financial independence."    I know, for some of you, bills are tight and you may be barely making ends meet...or the ends are still far apart at the end of the month.  I get it.   What do you do?   First...go back and review the week on canvassing and work your butt off.  Next, take some of the money and market.  Start small, execute fearlessly and flawlessly, and keep doing it.  I know people they spend 25% of their revenue on continuous marketing.   They are the high income earners who would attribute their success to the money they invest in marketing and lead generation.   They aren't lucky or fortunate.  They made a decision to invest in their business above all else...yes, even their bills (for a season).  We could get into complex discussions on how to market, but for today, I want to you decide 3 simple things;   1.  That you will spend on marketing. 2.  How much you will spend on marketing. 3.  That you will stay committed to marketing.   One last quote from the great Jim Rohn,   "Shortly after I met my mentor he asked me," Mr. Rohn, how much money have you saved and invested over the last six years?" And I said, "None." He then asked, 'Who sold you on that plan?"    It's time you made a marketing plan.  It's time you become committed to investing in and seeding your business.  Go get the hammer and break open your bank because it's time...   This Little Piggy Went To Market!   Until tomorrow, I wish you Money, Power, Success!