Building Your Business

By Matthew Schweitzer, Vice President - North Rim Partners

Ever since I was a kid, if there was a game being played, I was either right in the middle of it or on the sidelines begging to join in. With an ever-growing crop of gray hair, the sports that I once enjoyed in my youth were not conducive to my staying injury-free. I had to find a new way to stay in shape and not, as my lovely wife put it, "start to look like my father".

One not to be outdone, when my sister participated in a triathlon, I thought, I can do that. It seemed straightforward enough; swim, bike, and run. However it was no small feat, as I had never swam a lap in my life and I only rode my bike as a kid to the local store for baseball cards. I can honestly say that I have learned a lot about myself and life through my new found sport.

After months of learning how to "really" swim, putting in hundreds of miles, and some very sore muscles, I discovered that I could push myself further than I ever though possible. Through the haze of my exertion, I realized that I truly enjoyed the simplicity of each sport.

Training for a triathlon takes a lot of hard work and determination, just like running a successful business. There are a lot of paths you can take to get to the finish line, but sometimes, the simplest way can be the most effective. Straightforward marketing techniques often yield the best results. I was speaking with an owner of a local restaurant the other day about how business was down. He was frustrated with how ineffective his marketing efforts had been to date. He told me a story about how a woman came in for dinner and told him that she lived a few blocks away and didn’t know the restaurant existed. I understood his frustration because he had been open for more than year! I asked him if he had sent out any direct marketing to the neighborhood homes, and you can guess what his answer was.

The point of the story is that sometimes, we miss the most obvious things that will help our business grow. Having ongoing communication with your current and potential customers can go a long way in keeping your business in the forefront of their minds. Much like sports, hard work and a straightforward approach can lead you in new directions.

Don’t forget! In your direct marketing, put a specific reason for them to give you a call. At North Rim, we have developed a marketing system that can help any business grow. Call me today for a FREE CONSULTATION for your business!