by Lisa J. Lehr

What’s wrong with this picture?

The fictitious Modern Widget Company in Grass Valley has a small staff of reasonably capable people who do pretty much everything. One day, Bob notices a leak in the restroom. “I can fix that,” he says, “and I’ll save the company a ton of money.” He goes the hardware store, buys some parts, and fixes the leak…or so he thinks. Next morning, when the staff comes to work, the toilet has crashed into the basement. You see, Bob didn’t know water was leaking under the floor, rotting out the floorboards.

Sally arrives, late and breathless, wearing a hat. Embarrassed, she confesses she’d cut her own hair. With an important presentation coming up, she didn’t have time to go to the beauty parlor. “It’ll grow out eventually,” she says, red-faced.

Jeff and his carpool buddy Jenny call to say they’re going to be late. They were on their way when they heard a strange racket coming from under the hood of Jeff’s pickup truck. “I can deal with that,” says Jeff. “Who needs AAA?” They might not make it in till afternoon.

What do all these people have in common? They tried to fix a problem themselves when they really needed the services of a professional. They ended up with problems far more serious and expensive to fix than their original problems. They suffered embarrassment, wasted time, and inconvenience.

Then one day the staff at Modern Widget Company is ready to launch their new Super Widget.

“I’ll do a website,” says Bob. “I’m a pretty geeky guy.”

“I’ll write a sales letter,” says Sally. “I majored in Creative Writing.”

“I’ll send out some e-mails,” says Jeff. “I like to do e-mail.”

“I’ll make a brochure,” says Jenny. “I’m a pretty good artist.” So they did. How did their cobbled-together marketing program do, you ask?

It bombed. You see, Bob, Sally, Jeff, and Jenny made the same mistakes twice: they thought they knew what they were doing—but they didn’t.

If you’re offering a product or service, you need a professional marketing program to reach your audience and make them buy. Even the best product or service is only as good as your marketing plan. Run, don’t walk, to find a professional marketing writer—before you waste time and money, before you suffer embarrassment and inconvenience. And definitely before your business crashes into the basement (figuratively speaking).

Lisa J. Lehr is a writer and copywriter living in Grass Valley. She can help you promote your business with a full range of online and offline marketing pieces. A member of Empire Toastmasters, she’s available to speak to your business or professional group. Visit her website www.justrightcopy.com for more information, opt in for a message series, and receive a free Marketing Guide.
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Lisa J. Lehr
I write words that make you money–just ask me how.
www.justrightcopy.com
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