Willing Ourselves Out of Recession?

A recent story I read was pretty much a mixed bag of stats, figures and forecasts for manufacturing and the economies of the U.S. and Canada (the link to the full story is at the bottom of this blog).

Buried in the story was a piece of information that got me thinking... again... it happens about every other week:) that our economic ebbs and flows have much more to do with our own attitudes than outside forces. It seems that investors are selling off more "sure thing" investments (government bonds etc) for riskier offerings because of a greater optimism in the near future. If this trend catches on, could our climb out of recession jump into high gear? And if so... is it not because as some level, we determined it to be that way? Perhaps I'm over simplifying this... and I hope this blog isn't going to be read by any economists or I am going to get a few tongue lashings but what do you suppose would have happened if no one had paid any attention to the news of the fall of Fanny Mae & Freddy Mac (which by the way are the weirdest names for financial giants... they sound more like fast food joints). What if we had ignored all of the gloom and doom trumpeted on the news and just kept investing, buying cars, taking vacations etc? Could it be that the recession would have been little more than a blip?

For those of you who remember or still read bible stories, you might recall the story of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. These patriarchs held to a different view than the rest of the world. Even in times of regional famine, they prospered because they chose to believe in the promises of God rather than the evening news. Imagine... all of your competitors still downsizing while you are expanding.

Faith plays a big part of our daily lives whether we want to admit it or not. We have faith that our cars will start in the morning when we turn the key. We have faith that our next paycheck will be honoured by the bank (unless you worked for Freddy Mac). We have faith that the stuff coming out of the kitchen tap is water, not hydrochloric acid... so we drink it without second thought. Why not have faith in the Word of God. It might just be the boost you and your business need to jump into high gear.

http://ca.news.yahoo.com/canada-jan-factory-sales-fall-auto-sector-strong-124037575.html

Light at the End of the Tunnel?

After a painful few years consisting of several waves of closures, devaluations, bankruptcies, job losses and the like, there seem to be hints of a turnaround. Large companies such as Toyota and Honeywell are experiencing hiring spurts and overall manufacturing sales are up $15 Billion. Sure there maya still be tough times ahead and even if we have the best year in a decade, that is no guarantee of a smooth future but even if this is simply a small rise in the ebb and flow of economics, the reprieve is sure welcome.

The Other Kind of Branding Consistency

There is a fair bit of information available on the importance of making sure all of your marketing materials carry the same look/feel and message but there is a missing element to this concept that isn't as widely discussed. Does the impression that your logo, website, and brochure present, carry through to the rest of the sales process? This is especially important if your customers need to visit your brick and mortar location to complete any part of the sales cycle. Does the look of your reception area match the picture your client has in his head? Does the receptionist greet him with the same personality that he would expect? Are your sales or technical people giving off the same vibe as your brochure?

I remember a manufacturer's rep that would visit me and other sales staff regularly (I wasn't always working full time as a designer). He wore a Hawaiian shirt, had a fun and casual demeanour and was more laid back than any of the other reps that would come in to promote their latest wares. That was enough to keep him likeable and memorable but his business card, literature and email signature were just like him... fun colours, loose design and very casually fun. He presented a complete marketing package. To this day, I remember him better and with more fondness than any of the others.

Conversely, I remember walking into the office of a well established advertising agency. I had to walk through an unnerving labyrinth of narrow corridors (made from those portable cubicle dividers) to end up in a reception area that hadn't been redecorated since Gunsmoke was still a pilot. When I asked for a prospectus, a very sad looking receptionist handed me a stapled booklet of about 50 black and white photocopied pages that read like microwave oven instructions. For the purposes of this article, I guess I have to give them a high mark for consistency... consistently bad, but I wonder what my final impression would have been if the had real snazzy printed materials. I think in addition to being unimpressed with my physical experience, I probably would have been just plain confused as to which represented the company accurately.

Don't confuse your prospects. If you have a brochure that is bright and flashy and fun, make sure your day to day activities within your office are bright and fun as well... from the walls to the water cooler conversation. This last piece of the marketing puzzle will leave your prospect with a complete and clear impression of who your company is... and they will be far more likely to return.