At the height of World War II, with bombs raining down on London, prime minister Winston Churchill was called upon to make a speech which would be broadcast to the people of Great Britain. Churchill stood up, and here is what he said, in its entirety:
“Never, never, never, never, never, never give up!”
Then he sat down. His spirit and his words helped to rally his people during those dark times. And they are also good words for a struggling small business—especially with regards to marketing.
Worried about the economic conditions? Never give up on marketing.
Facing fierce challenges from competitors? Never give up on marketing.
Pressures on your time and budget? Never give up on marketing.
Here are seven compelling reasons to never give up.
1. Customers Have Short Memories
In one experiment, a company ran an ad once a week for thirteen weeks. After that time, 63% of people surveyed remembered the advertising. A month later, 32% remembered it. Two weeks after that, 21% remembered it. In other words, 79% forgot it in six weeks.
If you stop advertising, you quickly disappear from customers’ radar screens.
2. Your Competition Isn’t Giving Up
If you’re not out there, someone else is. If you’re not showing up on the customers’ radar screen, someone else is. And customers that might have been yours will spend their money elsewhere.
3. Consistent Marketing Builds Consumer Confidence
As Levinson puts it in his book, Guerilla Marketing, “When you quit marketing, you shortchange your reputation, reliability and the confidence people have in you…The bond of communication is too precious to break capriciously.” The more people see and hear from you, the more they’ll have confidence in you.
4. Marketing Keeps You Visible
Woody Allen said, “Eighty percent of life is just showing up.” If you’re not showing up, people won’t know you’re there. You’re on the path to nonexistence.
5. Marketing Strengthens Customer Relationships
Repeat business and referrals are probably very important to you. But when old customers don’t hear from you, they tend to forget you. So even though your advertising may be aimed at new prospects, it serves as a reminder to old customers. And they’ll find it reassuring that you are still out there.
6. Marketing Helps You Shine Bright in Dark Times
In tough economic times, some of your competitors are going to pull back and reduce their marketing. This is a prime opportunity for you to gain an advantage by showing up when others don’t. You’ll attract customers that have forgotten your competitors.
7. Marketing is a Morale Booster
It boosts your morale, and it boosts the morale of your employees to see that your voice is indeed being heard. And this is no small thing.
As you think about your business and your marketing, you might want to write these words from Louis Pasteur on a piece of paper and put them near your desk:
“Let me tell you the secret that has led me to my goal. My strength lies solely in my tenacity.”
