Blogs

Frozen in Time
Several times a year I do a SCORE workshop on website design, branding and internet marketing which makes for a busy and information-filled six hours. In previous years, the workshops had 30-40 registrants and sometimes standing-room-only. Last week, the seminar drew 9 people. Setting aside Christmas holiday madness, that is still a weak showing by anyone's yardstick.

The precipitous drop is SCORE-wide and country-wide and not a particular reflection on the topic (based on my post-workshop evaluations and the attendance of other workshops) but rather a reaction to a new, leaner economy looming large in the coming year. This is creating fear and uncertainty, which is leading to inactivity and disinterest in the arena of marketing and sales. This is unfortunate and a sure way to yield poor sales in 2009. Unfortunately, hunkering down and turning off the sales and market pipeline creates its own bleak future.