When you’re running your own shop, it’s easy to be afraid to open up about just how small your operation is.
Maybe you’re the one handling customer service and billing – and sales, fulfillment, bottle washing, dog walking, etc. So instead of saying that, you vaguely mention a “billing” department and use “we” instead of “I” a lot of the time.
“Our technicians are trained…”
“Our offices are located at…”
“Email our Customer Service department at customerservice@…”
“You gotta spend money to make money.”
You hear this most often from people who are about to drop funds on crap they don’t need.
In business the idea that investment is required before you see a return is a given.
But “investment” sounds a lot like “risk” lately. Plenty of companies are closing up shop after decades, unable to navigate the now treacherous waters of this economy. Suddenly every cost deserves scrutiny. It’s time to get lean.
So how do you get and stay lean without chopping away at effective marketing? Can you optimize your budget and only pay for what works?