Publisher's Note

I've heard the definition of an entrepreneur is someone who would rather work 16 hours for him/herself than eight hours for someone else. Although I think that 16 hours is sometimes a low number, that often pretty well sums it up.

So what is the attraction?

I've asked that question of many business owners, and with the variety of answers I have received, I believe it can all be summed up in one word - control.

I am not saying that entrepreneurs are controlling people, but that they like feeling in control of their own lives (as much as is humanly possible, that is). Certainly, throughout my 23 years of owning several companies (speaking of serial entrepreneurs), one of the things I have most treasured is having some control over my time. That may sound funny to those who know that I sometimes work until 3 a.m., but that's the way I like it.



20 Touches

I often refer to sage marketing advice that was written in 1885 by Thomas Smith. I find it applies as well today as it did 125 years ago. While most marketing specialists will tell you it takes at least five "touches" before someone responds to your marketing efforts, Smith believed it took 20. Note, where he writes "ad" you can read "touch" because an effective marketing campaign is usually a well-rounded one.

"The first time a man looks at an ad, he doesn't see it. The second time, he doesn't notice it. The third time, he is conscious of its existence. The fourth time, he faintly remembers having seen it. The fifth time, he reads the ad. ...

"The tenth time, he will ask his neighbor if he has tried it. The eleventh time, he wonders how the advertiser makes it pay. The twelfth time, he thinks it must be a good thing. The thirteenth time, he thinks it might be worth something. The fourteenth time, he remembers that he wanted such a thing for a long time. ...

"The seventeenth time, he makes a memorandum of it. The eighteenth time, he swears at his poverty. The nineteenth time, he counts his money carefully.

"The twentieth time, he or his wife go out to buy it."

What this means is that a successful businessperson cannot ignore the importance of making consistent "touches" to clients and potential clients. I interviewed several marketing specialists for this issue (see page 10), and they agreed on the same messages. Don't stop marketing; even in the downturn, diversify your marketing efforts and keep your message consistent.

Sounds like sage advice in 2010.





Becky Mangus

Publisher