What are you waiting for?

I think it's high time for a wake up call for many business owners.  You cannot wait for this economic downturn to blow over.   It's not a 6-month variance.  It is, at least for now, the new normal. 

Sure…maybe in 2010 or 2011 the pendulum will begin to swing in the other direction.

But even then…it's not going to be what it was. 

Our world is experiencing change like we've never known before.  It's not just the economy…it's technology, it's communication, it's the proliferation of consumer driven media, it's about the new reality of life expectancy and how that is impacting our views on retirement, pensions and medicine.   Just about everything has changed.

The world as we knew it in 2007 no longer exists and it isn't coming back.

Which gets me back to my question — what are you waiting for? 

You'd better figure out how to market your business in this brave new world, or you might as well close up shop.  Your marketing budget (both dollars and time resources) should be more robust than ever before.  Because the stakes are higher.

Will you market differently?  I sure hope so.  We've talked before about how you can market wisely during a recession….but please don't think you can wait this one out. 

If you don't figure out how to be of value in 2009, odds are you won't be around to answer that question once the recession recedes.

Let's help each other….my readers are about as smart as it gets.  Jump into the comments section and tell us what's working for you.