There are many sayings that have sprung off of the old military slogan of, “When the going gets tough, the tough get going.” There is so much truth in that for almost everything in life, that the real depth of the statement often eludes us. We all recognize the “woman’s” version that says we all go shopping when the going gets tough, but in truth, we all tend to do what ever we feel gives us the most comfort and encouragement when life overwhelms us. At times that is finding an inspirational book, or seeking advice from our pastor or friends whom we have confidence in, or just wrapping up in our favorite robe and sitting in front of “A Knight’s Tale” for the twentieth time with a bowl of chocolate ice cream and just escaping for a couple of hours.
What I have found during this first 15 months that our own business has been housed in commercial office space is that two things are absolutely true: 1) launching your business out in the world is expensive and will soak up every penny of your well-thought-out budget and then some, and 2) the first place to dedicate your advertising dollars is a solid proven organized professional networking group. Now, I have never thought of myself as a public speaker, or as gifted in promoting anything, so when we opened our doors last May and one of the first people I met told me that I HAD to get out and stand in front of people and sell my business, I about panicked! All I knew was that I did not know anything about networking, and that I had secretly hoped that our signs would go up and people would magically start pouring through the door. That was my plan, or well most of it at any rate.
So, we joined the Chamber of Commerce and met some nice people, and gained one client, and then I drummed up the courage to visit a few networking groups in our area. I joined one and gained another two clients. Oh, my one-minute commercial didn’t improve right away, but I knew that if I hung in there and learned from the other men and women who were taking their time to help me grow, something wonderful was bound to happen. And, it did!
What I learned through joining serious networking groups such as eWomen, BNI, the local Chambers of Commerce, and others was confirmation that perseverance and keeping your eye on the goal were absolutely essential, and that I was no longer alone in trying to tell people about my business. I was out there meeting other business owners who cared about helping one another succeed!
Now, we’re six months down the road and money is tight, gas prices are absurd, time is precious, our clients (all of whom are small business owners) feel the crunch as much as we, and business is slow. Since we do their bookkeeping and taxes they sometimes ask what expenses they might cut, and almost always they want to cut advertising first. After all, print advertising is expensive and you can’t really make sure it gets in front of your targeted audience. What I tell them every time is that the more times get tough for us the more I get out and network! I invite them to visit networking groups with me and see what they can gain by moving some of their advertising dollars to networking instead of that coupon ad, or flyer that may or may not generate any business. Even in these very challenging times, our own business is steadily growing thanks in great part to getting out and meeting people face-to-face, shaking their hand and telling them about what our services can do for them.
Oprah has an article on the last page of her monthly magazine titled something like “One thing I know for sure,” and all I can tell you with absolute confidence that I personally know for sure about making it through the tough times for our business is that the rougher things get, the more networking brings us through! At my office we tell our clients to look at what is working for them and what is not before deciding where to cut costs, and then I give them OUR numbers for growing solid clients through networking! After all, the reality is that people do business with people they know, like, and trust — and the only way that people can get to know, like, and trust you is when they can look you in the eye, shake your hand, and get to know you.
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