Office Mentor

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• Historic Fort York David Spittal courtesy murmur.com
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While lining up at a buffet table recently, I noticed what looked like a dessert on the main course table. A chef scooped something resembling vanilla ice cream into a martini glass and added the toppings of your choice. I was curious. As I got closer, I could see the toppings and experienced some confusion. He was offering caramelized onions, chopped green onions, and mushrooms in cream sauce.

Why would we put that on top of vanilla ice cream?

When it was my turn, I recognized the mashed potatoes and laughed at myself. The potatoes were delicious with all of those toppings. I reminded myself that it's hard not to make assumptions. We like to believe we know what's going on. A few people completely missed out on this treat. As they walked by, they said that those toppings did not go on ice cream!

It made me wonder what other treats they miss out on by not gathering more information. When I returned to my table of eight, I saw that only two of us had accepted the mashed potato martini. The others watched us eat them and one person explained he didn't think mashed potatoes would taste good in a martini glass. That made no sense to me at all.

Then I recalled Seth Godin's book, Meatball Sundae. He asks challenging questions that made me reconsider my marketing plan. The focus is on New Marketing, which is a dozen trends, each of which is changing the way ideas are perceived and spread. He begins by asking us to consider:

"Ask not what the New Marketing can do for you; ask what you can do to thrive with the New Marketing."

So don't just try to use New Marketing to maintain business as usual. The question really is: How can our business itself be altered to utilize the new methods?

As I finalize my marketing plans for 2009, I will carefully test and measure the results I experience. I'll re-work my website and add free resources. I want to help entrepreneurs, even if I don't get to meet them face-to-face.

I'm adding an e-book to my site to find out if entrepreneurs will buy. I'll test pay-per-click advertising (sponsored searches), to find out how small business owners respond to my new product. It's all an experiment. As we settle into this recession, we must be proactive, rather than reactive.

Don't wait for buyers to give you a clear message. Check in with your clients to find out how you can continue to help them. Increase your marketing efforts. Try a few new marketing ideas that are a solid match for your product or service.

Have you noticed big businesses are trying to tempt buyers to order online by giving Air Miles when we shop online. Others are sending generous coupons to be used on phone or online orders.

What can you add to your marketing lineup? Are there new products or services to test out this year? How can you benefit by New Marketing? What will you need to test and measure?

Just resist adding toppings to your product or service that don't seem like a match to your target market. Take the time to ask your customers what they see as a fit.

And please, don't ever add caramelized onions to your vanilla ice cream!

Elizabeth Verwey likes to stay in touch with clients. Visit her at www.officementors.com.