Reader:

How being prepared - and being flexible - can turn tragedy into triumph!

(click image below for the video version:)

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Morning Minute 8.18.26

Plan in Advance — Pivot to Win How being prepared—and being flexible—can turn tragedy into triumph.

The story:

On the morning of September 11, 2001, our GM dealership in South Carolina was hosting a “Captured for Kids” fundraising event for St. Jude Children’s Hospital.

Then America changed.

The 9/11 attacks in New York City and Washington ended our fundraising effort. The radio stations promoting the event left to report on the unfolding tragedy in real time.

Almost overnight, our vehicle sales declined by 75–80%. Businesses across the country were facing enormous uncertainty about what would happen next.

Then we received an important piece of information.

We learned that GM was preparing to offer 0% financing for 60 months in an effort to stimulate vehicle sales.

Our response:

We moved immediately.

Working with our advertising partner, Moon Marketing, we adjusted our media buy and developed an aggressive campaign around this new financing opportunity.

In less than 36 hours, we were promoting 0% for 60 months—even putting a huge banner on one of our commercial vans parked in front of the dealership.

Other dealers in our market took two to three weeks to make the necessary changes.

For that brief but critical period, our speed created the appearance that we were the only dealer offering 0% financing.

We weren't.

We were simply first - with the right message - at the right time.

But here's the important question:

How were we able to move so quickly?

The answer began nine months earlier.

In December 2000, we decided to forecast our marketing for the entire upcoming year. We worked with Dave Moon to secure our media in advance, locking in favorable rates, while scheduling our six major promotions for 2001.

We had a plan.

But we weren't prisoners of the plan.

Because the schedules were already secured, we could change our message without rebuilding our entire marketing strategy.

Planning created the foundation.

Flexibility created the opportunity.

Execution created our advantage.

That cooperative effort between us and Moon Marketing allowed us to respond to changing circumstances faster than our competitors—turning a difficult business situation into an extraordinary opportunity.

The lesson:

If your organization depends upon effective, timely messaging, consider forecasting your major marketing initiatives for an entire year.

Securing both media and schedules in advance makes economic sense while providing flexibility for unexpected circumstances.

Plan your major events for the year.

But never be so committed to your plan that you fail to recognize when circumstances change.

Plan early. Exercise sound judgment. Pivot quickly. Execute.

Because sometimes the greatest advantage isn't knowing exactly what’s going to happen.

It's being prepared to act when it does.

Keep Learning! Keep Leading!

And remember,

Information without transformation is wasted energy!

That is today’s Morning Minute.

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While the internet and social media have drastically changed the ways in which businesses market their products and services to consumers there is still great benefit in creating yearly forecasts and booking media for a year. Text me at 864-630-2625 or email me at lab@larryonlearning.com to set up a short discovery session to get you started on using a yearly forecast calendar to support your efforts to be more, do more, and earn more.

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(published by the Bonorato Creative Group, LLC; all rights reserved)