Marketing to the right crowd

Everywhere we go lately there's someone crying about the economy, predicting that times are going to be even tougher than they are now, and predicting nothing but doom and gloom.

And yet... the steady flow of tourists to our nearby lake hasn't slackened a bit. Friends of mine spent Wednesday on the lake, and said the number of people burning gasoline pulling water skiers and driving personal watercraft just for the sheer joy of feeling the wind in their faces was amazing.

And... a new restaurant opened in our small town about a month ago. Their prices are far higher than anyone else around, and yet every time you go by you can see people seated inside. It's hard for me to believe that this "depressed area" can support $10 burgers and $30 steaks, but apparently it can.

So, the fact is, some people do have money. Or if they don't have money, they're willing to go further in debt to have fun.

Then too, our neighbor visited the John Deere dealer this week to buy a new oil filter for his tractor. He asked how business was going and got an answer that would startle the gloom crowd: "Great. We're far busier than last year, and it was a good year."

So folks aren't just spending money to escape for a few days - they're also spending plenty taking care of their yards and their small farms.

Think about your product or service. Then look around your own community and see how people are spending money. What are they after? Is it fun, or could it be vanity? Or are the people near you spending only on necessities? If so, look a little farther afield and see what they're looking for. (That is, of course, unless you sell necessities.)

How can you position yourself to appeal to the people who are still spending? Do you need to reach farther than your community? Should most of your marketing be done on the internet? Can you turn whatever you offer into a necessity - or position it as "fun?"

This is a question all of us need to address. Because the fact is, while some are out of work and barely scraping by, others are spending. And they're spending a lot.

Yours for prosperity,
Marte