Cook a large pasta in just a matter of minutes

If you a difficulty of please have your like, why not try him or her by delicious meals to please? It was said that a way to get your heart love through the stomach goes. As soon as you use your imagination and try to be very creative and imaginative, can you create something that is worth to love and ask for. Most people use their expertise in the kitchen, if she close be who want to love them or if they want someone to comfort and this technique is very effective proven.

Admit there are times wherein you get so tired, what to cook for dinner and times wherein you already ran out cooking ideas planning. If this is your problem, you can try to cook different pasta dishes. You see, pasta dishes are very easy to cook. Basically pasta is dried dough in different shapes and sizes such as spaghetti, noodles and cannelloni. There are other shapes or designs of pasta, which you can see on the market and it and have used to you, what kind of pasta for your dish.

You have to note taking, that the fresh pasta in some foods sold within two or three days to use points of sale, but can dried pasta be kept indefinitely in a cool cupboard for a few weeks, provided that you have checked the expiration date as well as the same how check the expiration date of gun pepper spray to ensure, it still works.

If you seem to have more time of cooking and that your love those already coming in a few minutes start page, no need because by you already can you in your closet, pasta spend time worry a large bowl in a matter of minutes. All you really need is a pasta, herbs and spices, sauce and meat and voila, you have even a delicious pasta.

Usually takes only five minutes to get fresh pasta in cooking, you have cooking pasta quickly, you must only follow the instructions on the package page or its cover. Cook the pasta in boiling water and make sure that you all 50 g or pasta added half a teaspoon of salt. If already cooked, let drain off the water with a sieve and add flavor your pasta butter or oil.

After doing you serve this pasta with cheese or fresh chopped herbs. With the addition of cheese, meat, tomato sauce and spaghetti sauce, a filling makes pasta dinner Bowl. Canned sauces, you will find that only must before serving or add the pasta heating. Meat, such as grinding meat can be cooked while you cook the noodles are. You are two birds with only a single rock beat, when you technology do it same as the Tazer stun gun has a dual purpose function.

In just a matter of 15 minutes you have come to a sumptuous pasta just-in-time if your love of school and work. The next day, you can a different pasta recipe that really melt your heart. Just try, whether you be creative and resourceful. Not only is it save money, it saves your energy.

Joseph Pressley is a certified TASER instructor and founder of the BestStunGun.com provides non-lethal self defense products such as stun guns, Tasers and pepper sprays. Discover how stun guns and Tasers can save your life. A free report on "top 10 self defense secrets everyone needs to know" will receive. Limited quantity available. Visit us and get your own copy of http://www.beststungun.com now

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Many fine pasta dishes, not simply have enjoyed enough

Dealing with fine pasta dishes, is the first thing you will notice, there is really the actual amount for recipes. There are so many different pasta recipes from Italy that, long, it would take a life for you to try them all. This is far from being a nuisance, as pasta dishes are actually worshipped by most of the world's population as a whole. Exit from Italy a pasta dish can easily find its way to unknown remote locations, and be considered always still very popular with the local region. This is because, the pasta dishes are not only very filling; They are also very tasty.

There are several, are you hungry?

Would Court, on a fine pasta quest to try and try them all listed, you need very hungry and have a lot of time on your hands. This is because there are so many pasta recipes around, to be honest, there are even some that have been made in the centuries. Some of the old Italian pasta recipes went out of fashion as the shift which makes saw Italy to make changes, and this happened several times in the course of existence of Italy. Many of the pasta dishes were actually survive situations, not really as a way to create created to more recipes for fine dining. If you think of the fine Italian pasta dishes that are floating around, it's a shame that not actually the recognition received so many who really deserve it. This is because they are mentioned not even in many fine Italian culinary books today.

Installation in mainstream expectations

Often you will find many fine pasta dishes are forgotten and or not recognized because they fit into established expectations. This means that the recipe broad not fancy enough or not "Italian" enough for the restaurant, the Court for the public to present. A large baked dish is something that should not be ignored as this is something that could you even feed the children and they would not complain. Many fine pasta spaghetti and Angel Hair including command are very common and they the attention of their familiarity. If the Italian restaurants would actually try and promote some this beautiful yet unknown recipes, would certainly find you the menu actually grow and so also the business very likely.

Great opportunities, the unnoticed

There are many large fine Italian pasta dishes, which today unappreciated; that indeed a particular recipe book of the forgotten or unpopular could make dishes on your own. There are many wonderful Italian restaurants in the United States alone, which simply offer some of the fine dishes not their customers, who are the heart of Italy. This is really a shame how many of these wonderful recipes fully would be enjoyed of which, that Italian have a love for all foods.

Anna Fiori writes food related articles for the traditional Italian cuisine site at www.italiantraditionalfood.com

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The process of change in the marketing approaches

In a world economy that is in constant flux and undergoing turbulence, more companies are realizing that their most precious asset is their customer base. An even more important realization is the need to satisfy the whims and fancies of these customers in order to survive in these increasingly competitive markets. Organizations that do not act on this dictum have suffered the loss of market share or worse, total annihilation. Such dire consequences have awakened many organizations to rethink the way they see marketing. Thus, there is urgency for an organization (be it products or service providers) as a whole to develop appropriate holistic customer-focused strategies to ensure that the customer remains at the core of their organizational thinking.

With the rapid advancement of information technology (especially the rise of the Web) and the increasing difficulties of meeting customer's needs and wants (for example, their expectations of 24 / 7 customer service especially for online transactions), there is a shift from a traditional marketing approach to customer targeted marketing. Many organizations and marketing consultants are emphasizing the need to allocate more funds to apply new-found knowledge of consumer behavior in new products development, build better customer relationships through customer loyalty and retention programs.

This purpose of this paper is to raise the awareness of the need to concentrate marketing efforts towards the customer rather than the inward-looking traditional product-focused arrangement. And more importantly, the paper will shed light on how an organization could go about in making this important transition in this current competitive market.

Marketing Approaches Explained:

Before I proceed to discuss the shift in the marketing approach, it will be appropriate to explain briefly the two marketing approaches separately for greater clarity.

Traditional Marketing-The 4 Ps of Marketing:

The marketing mix or what is commonly known as the 4 Ps is a framework for marketers to implement a marketing concept. It consists of a set of major decision areas that a company needs to manage in order to at least satisfy consumer needs. According to Kotler et al. (1999), the mix is a set of "controllable tactical marketing tools [...] that the firm blends to produce the response it wants in the target market" (p.8). Hence, in an effective marketing program, all of those elements are "mixed" to successfully achieve the company's marketing objectives.

The traditional marketing mix contains four major elements, the "4 Ps of marketing". As defined by Kotler et al. (1999):

1.Product: Anything that can be offered to a market for attention, acquisition, use or consumption that might satisfy a want or need. In includes physical objects, services, persons, places, organizations and ideas.

2.Price: The amount of money charged for a product or service, or the sum of the values that consumers exchange for the benefits of having or using the product or service.

3.Promotion: Activities that communicate the product or service and its merits to target customers with a view to persuading them to buy.

4.Place: All the company's activities that make the product or service available to target customers.

With the rapid changes surrounding organizations, the traditional marketing mix of the 4 Ps has been criticized for being too myopic in this current market situation. The traditional marketing mix has also been disparaged for being too product-focused and for taking an overly inward-looking strategy with regards to the organization's resources and capabilities in production matters. This is antithetical to attending to the more important organizational goal of satisfying the desired needs and wants of customers.

In addition, the Web and E-commerce revolution has played a major role in alleviating customers' ability to shape their relationships with the company. This has led customers to expect companies to market their products and services in ways that reflect more directly their individual needs.

These changes have prompted enterprises that wish to stay ahead of their competitors to shift their traditional marketing approach to customer-targeted marketing.

Customer Targeted Marketing:

In customer targeted marketing, the customer becomes the central focus of the organization's strategy and activities, rather than the product itself (which is the prime concern in traditional marketing). The organization's paradigm shift in marketing requires a company to build a commitment to quality and to listen critically to the customer to determine the market needs and how the company can meet those needs more effectively.

One of the major characteristics of the approach is to focus on each customer's interests and interactions with the organization to deliver targeted, personal messages. This would require the company to be constantly gathering information about their customers in an effort to better serve them and, most importantly, to retain them as loyal customers. As suggested by Peppers and Rogers (1998), the organization would need to use various techniques and strategies (possibly with the help of information technology and the Web), such as focus groups, in-depth interviews, customer surveys, attitude testing and so on to obtain information about consumers for more effective marketing of a product or service. With these customers' data and feedback, the organization will apply the knowledge to develop more customer-centric products and services and/ or to improve existing ones. In addition, the information will be shared within the organization to encourage employees at all levels to focus on creating maximized customer value and loyalty.

Why Customer-Targeted Marketing?:

In order to have a competitive edge and to satisfy increasing levels of customers' desires, companies realized that they have to see their customers as individuals rather a homogeneous mass of similar tastes, values and buying behaviors. Due to such transformation, companies need to be more customer-focused in its overall marketing strategy. This has resulted in organizations adopting a customization strategy to increase customer's loyalty to their products and services. For example, in banking and insurance industry, there has been a move towards greater customization. Standard products/services have been given way to a varied menu of features from which customers may select their own preferred combination.

In view of these changes, companies that understand the asset value of each customer, and that tailor their marketing efforts (and their costs) to acquire and sustain the highest-value assets, will win over less-adaptable traditional marketing approach of the 4 Ps.

The Process of Transition:

In order to strategically change from a traditional marketing approach to customer targeted marketing, an organization must be aware of these following areas:

Paradigm Shift. A company must fully understand that customer targeted marketing requires a shift in the organizational mindset, and not just structural organizational changes. They must realize that their sole purpose is to continuously satisfy customers' needs and wants. Thus, to ensure a smooth transition from a traditional marketing approach to customer targeted approach, an organization must reflect and ask itself questions as to what areas need to be analyzed and to understand the ramifications of such a transition in the organization. On the other hand, an organization needs to realize the negative consequences for not willing to be a more customer-focused marketing organization.

Customer Targeted Planning. As in any organizational change initiative, proper planning is needed. The objective of planning customer-centric marketing strategies is to find win-win opportunities with customer and to identify the best mutual opportunities for your customers and your company. This requires the organization to see the issue(s) from the customers' perspectives and to strategically plan the organization's resources around them.

In short, the organization's shift to customer-targeted marketing should embrace these three important points:

1.Planning should focus on customer wants and not looking inwardly at company goals

2.Focus on the honest feedback and suggestions through creating different channels of communications. Listen to the customers, rather than forcing them to listen to you.

3.Integrate your customers in every aspects of your business, from new product design to after-sales services and more.

Organization-wide Responsibility. For the approach to be successful, members need to understand the new philosophy of marketing and embrace it organization-wide. Many organizations tend to underestimate the degree to which every facet of the enterprise needs to be involved in the process and to be integrated into the actual customer relationship.

Organization Redesign. An organization has to assess the roles of all functional departments interacting with customers to ensure that they add value to customers instead of increasing the costs. By reorganizing the company with the customer as the focus, many departmental roles and responsibilities will have to be redesigned. And when that happens, the employees will have to adopt new work processes that would be more customer-centric in nature.

Human Resource Training. There is a need to develop customer-focused human resource through customer behavior training, across the functional departments. By investing in such training at all levels, the members will be more knowledgeable, more autonomous, and more efficient in anticipating and meeting the needs of the customers.

Use of Information Technology. With the advancement and increased affordability in information technology, more companies are able to collect available data on customer purchase behavior more efficiently. For example, technologies ranging from checkout scanning to Internet cookies are commonly used to track customers' buying behaviors. Companies that employ such technology will be more adept at acquiring new customers, retaining existing customers, and cross selling than those who do not.

Enhanced Customers Communications. With the use of the Internet as a medium for targeted communication, this allows companies to be in touch with customers at less than one-hundredth of the cost of more traditional snail mail, brochures or flyers. Communication through emails with the customers is almost free, and the customers can retrieve communications almost immediately. However, this has also resulted in customers having 24 / 7 service expectations of these companies.

Customer Targeted Measurement. An organization must be able to measure and evaluate the success of their customer targeted marketing strategy. In most cases, traditional measurement techniques such as profitability, market share and profit margins are used to measure the success. There should be an added emphasis given to developing measures that are customer-centric and which are able to assess the marketing strategy. Customer acquisition costs, conversion rates, retention rates, customer sales rates, loyalty measures and customer share within a brand are some examples of customer-centric measures than a customer-focused organization can adopt

Conclusion:

The need for survival has provoked many organizations to shift from traditional to customer targeted marketing. The market conditions surrounding us will continue to change at an accelerating rate and customer's expectation will continue to rise. Hence, without any doubts, more and more companies will adopt a customer-targeted marketing strategy with increased intensity.

About The Author

Dr. Alvin Chan is an Innovation Research Specialist in Asia. He has consulted for and aid in the development of managerial innovations and effective learning methodologies in several organizations. Currently, Dr. Chan is the Senior Research Consultant at FIrst Quatermain Centre of Collaborative Innovation (www.firstquatermain.com [http://www.firstquatermain.com]).

Please email to Dr. Chan at bizguru88@hotmail.com as a courtesy if you are reprinting the article online or in print.

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11 Monstrous small business marketing mistakes and how to avoid them

Increase your profit potential by identifying - and avoiding - these 11 marketing mistakes.

MONSTROUS Marketing Mistake Number 1: Sinking a Fortune Into an Unproven Product

Is your business idea built on market research or a hunch?

Entrepreneurs often fall in love with their products or services before they determine if there's a real market, and they throw fistfuls of money into the venture. If you, your spouse, your uncle, and your neighbor think you've got a winning idea, that's simply not enough qualified input to run to the bank and drain your savings account!

Avoid this mistake by:


Conducting your detective work (research).

Testing your business idea with the real marketplace.

MONSTROUS Marketing Mistake Number 2: Believing That "If You Build It, They Will Come"

Do you think you have a product or service that will practically sell itself?

Trust me - you don't.

There is a misconception among small business owners that, with the right product or service, your customers will simply "find" you when you open your doors for business. Whether you have a physical storefront on a corner lot in the busiest part of downtown, or a graphically pleasing online storefront offering easy access to your hot products and services, your customers will not find you if you do not market to them.

The day you open for business is the day you put on your "marketer's hat" and never take it off. You must consistently move product, or schedule service time.

To stay in business you must profit.

To profit you must sell.

To sell you must market.

The good news is that, with a marketing strategy, you take the control out of your potential customers' hands and put it into your own. If you have a product that will "practically sell itself," then your marketing job will be easy. Just remember that the job must still be done.

Avoid this mistake by:


Defining your niche market and USP (Unique Selling Proposition) that differentiates you from your competition.

Developing a marketing action plan and strategy to reach your niche market with your USP message.

MONSTROUS Marketing Mistake Number 3: Trying to Reinvent the Wheel

Marketing is an age-old practice with some very basic principles. Yet, I'm sure you've read many marketing information products that stress the importance of being innovative and creative with your marketing efforts. It's easy to get caught up in the innovation process and forget that the REAL focus should be on results.

Avoid this mistake by:


Emulating success instead of trying to create something completely new. Please note that I am not saying, "copy" what others are doing. Look at the basic structure of a tactic, campaign, advertisement, or event and use the same formula as a basis for developing your own tactics.

Realizing great marketing ideas are used over and over again with just the right twist to make them fit a specific business. Focus on results, and choose imitation over innovation to create your own twist on a proven, winning technique.

MONSTROUS Marketing Mistake Number 4: Over-Preparing and Doing Nothing

The fear of failure can be powerful. So powerful that we do everything we can think of to prevent it. Yet, there is a point at which we are so busy preparing, organizing, and researching to prevent failure that we never get around to the actual marketing of the business. Here are two things to remember:


Activity is not productivity.

In order to sell a million of something, you have to sell the first ONE.

Avoid this mistake by:


Doing something! If you believe in your business and have done your detective work, it's time to dive into the marketing pool. Start small, track results and build from there.

Not being afraid to make a mistake. Mistakes are the entry to success. At the very least, a failed promotion means you have SUCCESSFULLY determined what promotion does not work. And, to learn what does NOT work is a valuable tool in getting you closer to discovering what WILL work.

So, go ahead. Fail a little. It will make your eventual successes even sweeter.

MONSTROUS Marketing Mistake Number 5: Boredom

When I was working for an ad agency many years ago, I had one client that was running an extremely successful ad campaign. After about six months, I received a phone call from the client. He wanted to develop an entirely new campaign. When I asked, "why?" he simply said, "I'm bored with the one we have."

What?

That client may have had the money to spend on a new campaign due to "boredom" but you and I usually don't. Yet, I've often seen my small business clients switch promotions for the same reason. This is detrimental to your business!

"Losing money" is a reason.

"Boredom" is not.

Avoid this mistake by:


Remembering that, what is old to you, is new to an untapped target market. If you have a promotion that is consistently getting you results, stick with it until results show you its time for change.

Testing new promotions without abandoning the current one. Then track results. Never swap a current promotion with a new one that hasn't been tested.

MONSTROUS Marketing Mistake Number 6: Relying on Networking to Generate Sales Leads

Joining the Chamber of Commerce and schmoozing at association meetings can put you in contact with vendors and possible joint venture partners, and will be invaluable exposure for you as a community supporter - but it will rarely generate substantial sales leads.

Everyone else who attends these "meet and greet" assemblies is there to do the same thing you are. You may be able to make some valuable contacts for future ventures and promotions, but one-on-one networking is time-consuming and results are unpredictable.

Avoid this mistake by:


Treating networking opportunities the same as any other marketing tactic. Track results by determining your costs and measuring your payback.

MONSTROUS Marketing Mistake Number 7: Doing What Your Competitors Do

It's important to be aware of what your competitors are offering, but do not let it dictate the strategy you use for your own business.

If your competitor wants to be the low price leader, let him. Don't try to become the "lower price" leader. Chances are this will lead you to financial problems because it will thrust you into an ugly price war.

If your competitor wants to tout low prices, then you focus on value. Bargain hunters don't necessarily want the lowest price. They want the best VALUE. Make what you have to offer something of value.

Avoid this mistake by:


Finding an unmet need or want of your target market, and fill it to differentiate your products and services from your competitors.

Giving customers a reason to choose you over your competitors. Define your USP, and identify your niche market.

MONSTROUS Marketing Mistake Number 8: Not Targeting a Specific Market

If you believe your market is "everybody," you will struggle to attract people who will buy from you. The value of target (niche) marketing is one of the toughest sells I make to my clients. They understand the logic of it, but the "fear of losing a potential customer" gets the best of them.

Avoid this mistake by:


Viewing the practice of niche marketing as inclusive, not exclusive.

Think of your business as part of a person's support group. It's logical to say, "Everybody needs a support group so my business should attract everyone." But, will it? People - your customers - want to go to a support business that understands their specific concerns, needs, and wants. Make sure you ARE that business by targeting a niche market.

MONSTROUS Marketing Mistake Number 9: Targeting a Market You Can't Reach or One That Can't Afford You

Targeting a niche market is the smartest way to market. Yet, targeting a market that is too specific will limit your ability to succeed long term. For example, a market that might be too specific would be: female pilots under the age of 35 who fly ONLY New York to London flights. That's a pretty narrow market to sustain your business in the long term unless you can capture the ENTIRE market with a product or service that has a high profit point and customers need to use or replace it often.

In that same vein, a market that is begging for the service or product you have but cannot afford it will also be a business impossible to sustain. Never compete for someone's rent money. Your target market must have the means to buy your products and services.

Avoid this mistake by:


Creating your customer profile to identify characteristics of your potential buyers,

Identifying a niche market,

Examining the long term potential for new and repeat sales.

MONSTROUS Marketing Mistake Number 10: Focusing On Acquiring New Customers Instead of Promoting to Current or Previous Customers

When you first start a business you have little choice but to focus on gaining new customers. The cost of finding those new customers can be expensive, which is one reason it is so important to really target a specific niche. However, once you've made just one sale, you're ready to start looking at other marketing options.

Wouldn't you like to:

... slash your marketing costs by half or more?

... reach proven buyers for your service or products?

That little goldmine of proven buyers available to you "on the cheap" is already yours in the form of current and previous customers.

Any respected marketing guru, past or present, online or offline, will tell you that the biggest asset your company has is your customer base.

Avoid this mistake by:


Realizing that, when a sale is finalized, it is the beginning of your relationship with that customer, not the end.

Offering additional products or services to current customers. If you don't have your own to offer them, then develop a referral, joint venture or product bundling program so you can reap profits from your already-interested (and buying) customers.

MONSTROUS Marketing Mistake Number 11: Not Systematically Following Up on Leads

The least expensive part of business is making the sale. The most expensive is generating leads - finding the people who are interested in what you have.

Once you find people who express an interest in what you have to offer - whether they buy from you or not - you MUST develop a follow up system that will keep marketing to those interested prospects. A person who has expressed interest in your products and services is far more likely to eventually buy from you than someone who did not respond at all!

Avoid this mistake by:


Curbing the tendency to become obsessed with generating more leads until you have exhausted the ones you already have.

Developing an easy, systematic follow up for leads, designed to convert a "maybe" into a "yes."

About The Author

Susan Carter helps business owners ?do more with less? to operate and market their small and growing businesses. She is the author of How To Make Your Business Run Without You, and SPLASH Marketing for Overworked Small Business Owners. Carter offers FREE book chapters, and distributes free business-building advice in her twice-monthly ezine, SuccessExpress Press, available at http://www.successideas.com susancarter@successideas.com

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Quiz: Where is your marketing message?

Wondering if your marketing message is dancing in the

spotlight right in front of your target market or is busy

cowering by the punch table nowhere near your customer

base? Take this quiz and find out.

1. Overall, you would describe your marketing as:

A. Going strong. You consistently get lots of good leads and

sales from your marketing efforts.

B. Getting better. You're seeing some positive results, but

you're always looking for ways to improve.

C. Flat. Your sales are neither growing nor shrinking.

D. Don't ask.

E. You don't do much marketing. Or any marketing for that

matter. Customers pretty much find you.

2. Your last marketing campaign was:

A. A huge success. It exceeded your expectations.

B. No complaints. You're pleased with your results.

C. Not sure. You didn't notice much change with your sales.

D. A waste of good money.

E. You can't remember your last campaign. In fact, you don't

think you've ever had one.

3. At the last Chamber of Commerce meeting, you bumped

into a woman who you felt would be your ideal customer.

Her response after you introduce yourself is:

A. "I'm so glad I ran into you. I've been meaning to talk to you

in more detail about how your business can help me out."

B. "Oh, I think I remember hearing about you. Tell me more

about what you do."

C. "Sorry. What did you say you do again?"

D. "Who are you?"

E. "Excuse me. I need to refill my drink."

4. While working out at your health club, you find yourself

exercising next to your sister's new boyfriend. Even though

you know he has no interest in your business, he starts

quizzing you about what you do. After you tell him, he says:

A. "Oh, that's interesting." And changes the subject.

B. "Yes, I think I've heard about your business." And

changes the subject.

C. "Yes, I think I saw one of your ads in the paper last week."

And changes the subject.

D. "Oh course. I've been seeing your ads all over the place."

And changes the subject.

E. Changes the subject.

5. You run into one of your customers at a restaurant. He's

sitting with a large group of people, but still jumps up to

greet you. When he turns to introduce you to the rest of the

group, he:

A. Describes your business perfectly.

B. Gets it mostly right.

C. Manages to describe one aspect okay, although he got a

couple major points wrong.

D. Described someone else's business. At least that's what

you think he was doing. He certainly wasn't talking about

your business.

E. Didn't quite get your business' name right. For that

matter, he didn't pronounce your name correctly either.

6. You feel like you're getting your money's and/or time's

worth from your marketing efforts:

A. Most definitely.

B. Definitely.

C. Not sure.

D. Don't want to talk about it.

E. You're getting a great return -- after all, you spend hardly

any time or money marketing so ANY return is huge.

7. Overall, how would you rate your marketing in terms of

meeting your overall business' goals?

A. Exactly on track.

B. Doing pretty good. For the most part, your marketing is

helping you meet your business' goals.

C. You're still in business so you guess something must be

working. Although you're not exactly sure what.

D. Business isn't so hot.

E. What goals?

Scoring:

Mostly As. Your marketing message is definitely the life of

the party. It's getting in front of your target market and your

target market is responding to it. Better yet, you aren't

wasting your efforts reaching people who have no interest in

what your business does. Great job.

The only caution I would offer is to not allow yourself to be

lulled into a false sense of security. Things change. Markets

shift. Don't allow your current success to blind you to a new

competitor or a new product or a changing marketing

landscape. History is littered with companies who allowed

themselves to lose market share or even be toppled by a

shift in the marketplace.

Mostly Bs. Your marketing message may not be the star, but

it's certainly turning heads. While you could be getting more

from your marketing efforts, you've definitely accomplished

much. Your target market is both getting the message and

acting on it. You're seeing a slow and steady growth in your

business.

While everyone would love to the next "overnight" success,

truthfully that's not terribly realistic. Marketing is about slow

and steady growth - and even an occasional setback. While

huge marketing success is great as a goal, you should be

very pleased with what you've accomplished.

Mostly Cs. Your marketing message has about half of its

dance card filled. Your business is flat. Probably as flat as

your marketing. Your business is certainly not growing and

may even be slowly declining.

While there's nothing wrong with holding the status quo, this

is still a precarious place to be. If you're not careful, you

could find your business sliding into the "business is not so

good" category.

I would suggest taking a hard look at your marketing

message. Maybe you're not reaching your target market at

all. Maybe you're wasting your marketing efforts by getting

your message in front of people who will never buy your

products or services. Or maybe you are finding your target

market, but your marketing message isn't persuading them

to do business with you. Maybe the marketplace or your

target market is changing. Or maybe it's a combination of

things.

Mostly Ds. Your marketing message is hiding in the

bathroom and has been there for awhile. This is not a good

place to be, but you already know this. If it isn't too late, I

would suggest a complete revamp of your entire marketing

plan. Maybe your target market isn't right. Maybe you have

too much competition. Maybe you're competing on price

(never a wise selling point). Maybe you're not differentiating

yourself enough from your competition. Maybe you're not

explaining your product correctly. Or maybe it's something

even deeper, a major problem with your product or

business.

But don't lose heart! It's still very possible to turn things

around. Remember, all successful people suffered

setbacks (and downright failures) at some point in their

careers. You can make a comeback.

Mostly Es. Your marketing message is still outside looking

for a place to park. Many service-based, single-person

businesses find themselves in this category - for instance

consultants, coaches, graphic designers and (ahem)

copywriters. You never really take the time to put together a

marketing plan or market yourself in any orderly manner.

When work falls into your lap, you happily snatch it up. When

it doesn't, you find yourself wringing your hands a lot.

Yes, I too was in this category. When I first started my

business, I didn't write down my goals and promoting

myself was haphazard at best. Believe it or not, I was

actually pretty successful for several years using this model.

I was lucky. I had good, loyal clients who I could count on for

repeat projects.

However, even with good clients, you still end up with the

"feast or famine" business model. Does this sound

familiar? Work starts raining from the heavens, so you hole

yourself in your office and focus on, what else? Getting the

work done. And you're so busy with paying work, you stop

promoting yourself. When you finish the work, you pick up

your head, look around and discover there's nothing new

waiting for you. So you rush out, start networking and

contacting people and pretty soon the work is raining down

again. And you stop promoting yourself because you're busy

and...you get the picture.

In this model, you aren't really growing your business. You

don't have time. You're either doing billable work or looking

for billable work. Even if you use outside help during the

busy times, the busy times don't last so you can't build your

business.

Speaking from someone who's been there, I would strongly,

strongly urge you to take a hard look at your business, your

goals and your marketing model. A regular, sustained

marketing campaign can lead to regular, sustained work.

Your cash flow will even out, and you can start outsourcing

certain tasks on a regular basis so you can start growing

your business.

(A note on Question 4 in case you thought I had the answers

reversed. The point of this question is to find out if you've

picked marketing vehicles that are reaching your target

market or if your marketing is so scattered it's reaching

people who have no interest in purchasing your products

and services. Don't waste your time and money driving just

anyone to your business - target people who have the

interest and the means to purchase your products and

services.)

Michele Pariza Wacek is the author of "Got Ideas? Unleash Your Creativity and Make More Money." She offers two free e-zines that help subscribers combine their creativity with hard-hitting marketing and copywriting principles to become more successful at attracting new clients, selling products and services and boosting business. She can be reached at TheArtistSoul.com.

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