Marketing Blues

I was reminded today of some sage advice from Robert Craven, who Richard Branson refers to as "the entrepreneur's entrepreneur" and how businesses ought to react ( can you detect the yearning tone? Good.) when all around them belts are being tightened, budgets are being squeezed and the consumer wants "owt for nowt". The words still resound as strongly as that day in Spike Island amongst the melee of the Bristol Enterprise Network."When your competitors are slashing their marketing budgets, don't be tempted to do the same." The intrinsic value of good quality and innovative communcation cannot be ignored. Of course, as Co Director of Wonkana Productions and with both feet in the pod and vodcasting camps, I am duty bound to say that, but the moment you stop putting your message out there, you start to lose. Mr Craven ( no relation to John, or Beverley for that matter ) also underscored the importance of "burning the shoe leather" i.e. the value of actually going out and meeting people, articulating the passion you possess for your product and looking them in the eye and asking for the business. Wonkana has long since recovered from its collywobbles over price - we're not embarrassed to show our rates ( if you'll show us yours !! ) but the credit crunch aka "times are challenging" only brings a new sales objection to be surmounted. As any businessman or woman worth their dividends knows, some clients resist more than others and want to see you jump through those fiery hoops. Here at Wonkana, our podcasts and vodcasts are of unsurpassed quality and when we come to visit you, be sure of one thing : resistance is fertile.