All sales, except perhaps a repeat from a loyal customer is bought. Your business pays for each and every sale. It might be advertising, special service, a discount, the website, a favor—something.

Lately I’ve seen businesses desperate to get more business jumping into crazy agreements to pay prospects for potential business. And I’m seeing a lot of people buy very deep discounted advertising—mostly print.

It’s no secret that I am not a believer in print advertising. Large companies buy print space because they can. Small businesses buy print because they think it will work.  It won’t.

Consider this. Would you buy a $20,000 car if I knocked the price to $5,000? Shouldn’t that make you suspicious? Yes, it should. That level of discount says is “this what this car is really worth”. And even then it’s only a maybe. I mean, why discount that car 75% and not that one?

If print advertising is so great, why are you never, ever offered a guarantee? Because it’s a crap shoot and no business decision should be a crap shoot.

What’s my point?

Before you waste money on print, fix the business. Clean up the place. Train your people. Improve your website. Bring in some expertise. Try something new. Build morale.

In other words, spend your money on things that directly benefit your business.

Make sense?

Chris Reich
TeachU