We used to love that opening question, "So, how's business?" These days, you might not like the answer. There's not as much to brag about when customers are cutting the one area they think they can sacrifice--marketing.
When business slows you have two choices: Use all that newly opened time, where billable hours used to be, to take a vacation and come up with fresh ideas for customer attraction. The other option is to find some people doing well--making money like there's no recession, and listen to their advice.
Just when things looked the worse (before the government checks to boost the economy arrive in May), here comes the Microsoft Small Business Summit 2008 for an entire week of help and practical ideas. Here's a few great points to act on:
- Four days of great presentations and practical help, starting Monday morning, March 24th at 9 a.m. Pacific/12 p.m. Eastern.
- Four hours of presentations each day, one hour each.
- No charge. You just have to register at the Microsoft Small Business Summit website. While there, look at the line up of speakers and business coaches who will be speaking every hour. Three or more speakers for each hour that the summit comes streaming to you through your web browser and speakers for your computer.
- John Jantsch is the kickoff speaker at 9 a.m. Monday (Pacific) presenting Duct Tape Marketing (simple, effective and affordable) and you also have the choice of hearing Andrea Lake present "Fearless Marketing" and Brian Kane present The "Word" on Marketing.
Personally, this will be a great adventure. Call it the BlackBerry convention. I will be on the go and in meetings most of those four days (taking care of customers) and my BlackBerry and blue tooth earpiece go with me. I registered, studied the speakers/sessions possible each hour, and can dial in and view the browser at the same time. Because you can multitask and tune in to multiple presentations with multiple browsers, this means we can hear more of the presentations that we first thought possible.
There's some other great reasons to experience as much of the Small Business Summit as you can. If you had to pay a registration fee for this caliber of program, you'd probably be in the $850 range. Extra benefits include the fact there is not exhibit hall in a massive concrete building that kills your arches and back after walking the aisles for several hours each day. This summit does not require the cost of airfare, hotel rooms, food and ground transportation.
What If You Need Hands-On Help and More Than a Presentation?
If you still want to do the in-person conference experience, which includes the added value of meeting people, networking and getting away from the normal office routine, we found another meeting for you on April 21-22 in the Houston, Texas area. It's the first ever Small Business Marketing Unleashed Conference and the registration fee is $850.
This one might appeal to you just on the merits of their promotion copy. If they can get your attention, then they can show you how to do the same for your prospects and customers. Search Engine Guide and Small Business Brief are the sponsors and gave it a catchy title: A Different Kind of Marketing Conference. Real Ideas for Real Budgets.
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