In the midst of newfound support for small businesses, I’ve also been observing a backlash. I can best compare the culprits to backseat drivers. These people aren’t in charge of the car but they’re offering everything from suggestions to judgment and criticism, trying to exert control over the direction and outcome, without any control of the gas pedal, brake, or steering wheel. 

As an owner myself, whose main clientele is business owners, I’ve always felt business owners are misunderstood. There are a lot of myths about who we are, and some of the worst ones are rearing their ugly heads right now: rich and selfish. Be honest: have these labels ever crossed your mind?

I want to offer some thoughts to those who have opinions about how business owners are handling their business these days. For those who are open to hearing it, I hope this offers a chance to reflect and creates a conversation that continues to strengthen our communities.

1. I’m worried sick about my team. It is gutting to have to cut salaries and hours. I know the situation it’s putting people in and I feel responsible for it. I’ve replayed years’ worth of decisions, wondering what I could have done differently, how I could have prepared better for this catastrophe. If I could personally pay salaries, I would. But I can’t afford it. And that makes me feel like I failed.
2. My business fundamentally changed in the blink of an eye because my client’s and the market’s needs fundamentally changed in the blink of an eye. What we were offering, how we were offering it, is no longer in demand. 
3. This situation isn’t about surviving short-term pain. I need to manage my business for long-term viability. If I want to bring my team back in full capacity, there better be a business to bring them back to. 
4. A big part of long-term viability means making really hard decisions about how to conserve cash. The cash I carefully invested in all the things I needed to grow and scale: space, equipment, software, people. 
5. Another part of long-term viability is to morph my company to meet the changing demands of my clients and prospects. I first need to identify those changing needs, and then I must also consider: Is that the business I want to have? In many ways, it’s like starting an entirely new company.
6. So now there’s a new company with old infrastructure and perhaps outdated paint. Some of it is probably usable, hopefully even helpful. But a lot of it won’t be. Everything needs to be assessed with a critical eye – from space to equipment to software to talent – to determine its place, or not, within this new company. And then it must be built again, from the ground up.
7. Oh, and we’re doing this all under a cash and time crunch, or the whole thing collapses and we’re done anyway. 
8. I’m human, trying to take care of other humans (my team, my family, my friends, and my community), and I’m doing my best. On very little sleep.

So please, have some compassion and empathy for business owners. Please don’t judge us for how we’re spending or not spending our money, our staffing choices, our smiles, our tears. There’s a lot going on underneath the hood, way more than you could ever know unless you’re also a business owner.

The truth is, most of us started our companies because we’re passionate and excited about what we can offer the world, and we wanted to build something that contributes to our community. We’re facing some really tough decisions right now and our own financial and emotional health is all wrapped up in the outcome. I promise, most of us are trying to do the right thing. Please, don’t judge us. Just support us.

The post The Choices Business Owners are Facing Deserve Your Compassion Not Judgment appeared first on Grotto Marketing.

“How many emails are too many?” is a top three marketing question in our world. It’s one that feels even more relevant and feverish these days, with COVID-19 forcing a more robust and pointed digital strategy. Once again, people are realizing that email is one of the best ways to connect with your customers, prospects, and partners. But there is a right way and a wrong way to do it; don’t convince yourself otherwise. Right and wrong just might not mean what you think it means.

So, how many emails are too many? Our answer is always, it depends. (Which is also a lawyer’s favorite answer!) Here’s why.

You can send an email as often as you have something of value to say. BUT – big but – only send it to the people you think will care to hear it. That means:

1. Be intentional in your message and objective. Don’t “mail” it in.
2. Segment your email list according to identifying characteristics and behavior.
3. Send meaningful content to relevant people.
4. Check your data! Make adjustments based on what you learn.

We suggest you rephrase the question: “how many emails are too many… for me?” And answer accordingly.

If you want an objective outsider to evaluate your email marketing strategy and identify areas of opportunity, we’re here to help. Our CEO, Kim Grotto, is offering complimentary 1×1 sessions. Schedule one here.

The post How Many Emails Are Too Many? appeared first on Grotto Marketing.

Do you know what gets results? Taking action. Not discussing it, planning it, revising it… but actually doing it.

That doesn’t mean you should jump in feet first without a goal, strategy, and plan. That would be the other extreme.

But it does mean stop talking and start doing. 

The post How to Get Results appeared first on Grotto Marketing.

“Unprecedented.” This word – and its overuse – has bothered me for weeks. I finally figured out why.

I agree; there are many unprecedented aspects of COVID-19. But as an entrepreneur, and one who works with entrepreneurs, there’s something very familiar about what’s happening. It’s change. Change forces reinvention or extinction. And there is precedent for change.

The internet changed the world. Brick & mortar were forced to adapt to a new shopping experience, to reinvent themselves online. Streaming services changed video and entertainment. It overtook Blockbuster. Uber changed transportation. It devastated taxi companies.

In all these scenarios, companies that had been humming along were, all the sudden, severely threatened. They faced – and in some cases succumbed – to cash issues as their customers left in flocks and their revenues dropped.

They were left with a choice.

Accept. Adapt. Reinvent. Evolve.

Or not.

What’s happening is disruption. A sudden one, no doubt, and one affecting businesses in perhaps larger numbers than ever before. But there’s precedent for disruption. A history we can learn from. And stories of hope and success to hold on to.

What will you do?

The post “Unprecedented” appeared first on Grotto Marketing.

When a business is facing financial challenges, a knee-jerk reaction is to cut marketing out of the budget. This is a mistake. Contrary to popular belief, marketing is more than a cost center with an ambiguous return on investment (ROI). And it’s definitely not interchangeable with advertising, which is a marketing tactic. Marketing is:

• the process of creating a strategy to articulate and communicate your brand, mission, values, and products;
• executing it within a structure that’s systematic, methodical, efficient, and scalable;
• in order to expand your reach, earn revenue, intensify loyalty, and increase market share.

As a marketer, my goal is to disrupt thought patterns, behavior, and buying decisions. Why? Because when people are on autopilot, they’re not open to change. An interruption of thoughts, habits, and routines creates a space for a consumer to take notice and intentionally choose a solution that aligns with their values. For a business, this is where your opportunity to gain a new customer—or create a loyal ambassador—emerges.

What occurred this week was a disruption of such magnitude that I believe the world is forever changed. It’s scary, and I’m optimistic that it provides a unique opportunity for businesses. Current events have initiated widespread uncertainty among consumers which will challenge them to question how they live, eat, shop, and spend their time. This landscape creates an opening for businesses that are savvy, nimble, and clear on their brand to bond with consumers over their shared values, sense of community, and authentic needs and wants. While there will undoubtedly be short term pain, when positioned well, there’s also a long-term opportunity to deepen loyalty, generate attention and, ultimately, capture market share.

The Four Cs

Marketing is the only business function built and trained to lead this critical charge. The Four Cs explain why:

Cohesiveness

Many businesses make the mistake of focusing their marketing solely on the external market. It’s so important, if not more important, for companies to turn inward and engage their employees and partners. Your team is your most powerful asset. They are responsible, top-to-bottom, for executing all facets of the promised customer experience. Marketing ensures that, first and foremost, the team unifies around the brand and its promise, and then it rallies them to deliver on expectations.

Connection

At its heart, marketing is your connection with your customers and your people. If you don’t have a connection, you don’t have a business. You must know who your customers are, and you must know not only who you are, but also how articulate it clearly and concisely. Otherwise, it’s nearly impossible to build and maintain a connection. Marketing defines what you stand for, how you are different, and why that matters, Then, it nurtures that message over and over again with your employees, partners, prospects, and customers to build a strong foundation for the relationship.

Communication

Communication is a two-way street that, along with sharing, requires listening. If your strategy is to outshout your competition in order to convince someone to buy your product, I promise you’re not listening hard enough. Instead, strive to engage with people authentically, to meet them where they are, when it makes sense, and in a way that offers true meaning. Marketing fosters this communication, and it also knows that, for it to be genuinely relevant to consumer needs and desires, your message must come from a place that isn’t about you—it’s about what’s in it for them.

Creation

Creation without a plan is chaos. Creation within a structure is where the magic happens. Marketers are responsible for creating and methodically executing a system that communicates your values and products to an audience in a way that drives awareness, consideration, and conversion. To earn a measurable ROI, all aspects of the system must work together to build momentum. Marketing professionals employ a mix of research, data, testing, experience, intuition, and yes, creativity to inform decisions that, over time, achieve the goals of the business.

Why You Should Stay Committed to Marketing

End-to-end marketing encompasses both strategic and tactical execution. All of this work requires reflection, thought, and time. I’ve battled against the rise of instant gratification (AKA, chasing the bright shiny object) as a marketing strategy for years. In this societal moment, it seems it has reached a fever pitch. None of us are better for it.

It’s not easy to shift your mindset from being reactive, to responsive, and then further still to intentionally initiate activity. I urge you to step away from the 24/7 news cycle and think twice before you cut marketing from your budget. While it will lower expenses, you’ll simultaneously reduce the opportunity for revenue, growth, and innovation. Instead, invest in the time and talent to strengthen your message and develop your strategy. If you use your resources wisely—and lean into your marketing—you’ll come out stronger than ever.

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