In late 2011, Project REV participants gathered for a kick-off event in Kansas City where they met their Deluxe marketing mentors and advisors. At the event, each participant conducted a strategic analysis of their business and identified key challenges to tackle during Project REV 2012. Participants left the event armed with a preliminary marketing plan using the $15K they are receiving from Deluxe.
Next, each participant will finalize the 2012 marketing plan for their small business, and begin implementation.
I was skeptical when I learned our business was selected to participate in ProjectREV2012. As I headed toKansas City, I feared that the next few days would consist of a hyped up sales mission with theDeluxeCorp team pushing their products down our throats.
I was totally wrong. I walked away feeling like I had met several great people who are all interested in seeing me and the other participants succeed.
There were many “aha” moments where my mentor, advisor and I came to some pretty obvious, but up to this point overlooked, tactics and visions. For instance, we should not be a “lowest bidder” type of company; we provide a superior service that should demand a higher price in the marketplace. We should be directing our marketing toward a higher level, more affluent client, instead of the client that has become a good portion of our income which is in a low to mid income area, serving a low to mid income clientele themselves.
The little bit of juggling I had to do to cover what was going on back at the office was well worth the time investment of getting 2012 started right in terms of marketing. I’d do it again in a heartbeat!
When you know you have to be away from your business, what do you do to prepare? How do you prepare your staff?