MARKETING MATTERS Are You Focusing on a Winning Season? Norwin Merens, NM Marketing Communications, Glenview, Illinois


ask yourself: what would it take to regain that same optimism in business? Nobody goes through the rigors of


A


pre-season football camp with the idea they’re going to lose. Sure, professional players have an economic motivation and athletes at major colleges may think that they have a shot at professional stardom. But what about the thousands of other players in small colleges, high schools and Pop Warner leagues who work every bit as hard? I suspect most of them play because


they enjoy the game, expect their hard work will pay off in victories, and are willing to risk putting their bodies on the line to achieve their goal. In many ways, they’ve overcome their fears—the fear of taking a hard hit, making a mis- take or coming up short despite their best efforts—to play a game. Unfortunately, this seems to be less


the case these days when it comes to the business “game.” Perhaps that’s understandable given


the economic rollercoaster of the last few years. Even though the economy has stabilized from its darkest days in 2008-09, every piece of good news seems to be offset with some negative information. And the constant barrage of information on the web, mobile de- vices and other 24/7 media only makes the mood swings worse. A recent article by Edward Marshall,


a change management consultant and leadership coach who serves as president of The Marshall Group Inc., Chapel Hill, N.C., notes the current economic stresses can make people feel like victims. Most people don’t think they created the problem and therefore


MODERN CASTING / October 2010


s we find ourselves several weeks into another football season, when hope springs eternal for high school, col- lege and professional teams,


don’t have much influence on how to get out of it. However, they feel the consequences every day. In a macro sense, these pessimists are


probably right that there’s not too much indi- viduals can do to change the over- all economic sit- uation. Admitted- ly, there’s been a shift in business conditions that will force adjust- ments. But some of these adjust- ments can come from within.


Changes You Can Make


Here’s Mar- While many of these companies


Sixteen of the 30 companies that make up the Dow Jones were started during a recession. Not every company will become a Microsoft, but it’s time to look beyond the current malaise and find ways to promote your business, examine new markets or cash in on a great idea.


shall’s take on adapting to the new economic climate: “To meet this paradigm shift, we get to reach inside and find out what we’re really made of, what truly matters—our values, whether we are reactive or proactive, how we work through difficult problems, and how we treat other people who are close to us at home and at work.” Forging ahead certainly involves


some risks, but with those risks can come great rewards. As a USA Today article during the peak of the downturn pointed out, tough economic times often provide new opportunities. Want proof? Sixteen of the 30 com-


panies that make up the Dow Jones industrial average were started dur- ing a recession or depression. These include Procter & Gamble, Disney, Alcoa, McDonald’s, General Electric, and Johnson & Johnson.


were founded during the Great Depres- sion, more recent examples abound. The early 1970s were not a ban- ner era for our country either. The Vietnam War had divided the country, the Wa- tergate scandal erupted and gas prices jumped by nearly 50% in two years. Consumer con- fidence was at an all-time low, yet this is the era that spawned the well-recognized brands Super- cuts, Chili’s and Cablevision, as well as a little company called Microsoft.


Not every company will become a


Microsoft, but maybe it’s time to look beyond the current malaise and find ways to promote your business, exam- ine new markets or cash-in on a great idea. For metal casting producers, the greatest challenge is recognizing they are not alone when it comes to invest- ing in marketing-specific services. Many companies are realizing that now is the time to get back into the ballgame by developing and implementing substan- tive market positioning strategies. To that end, as the air turns crisp and the sound of whistles echoes across the gridiron, it’s the perfect opportunity for business to emulate the enthusiasm that greets a new football season.


MC


Norwin M. Merens is managing direc- tor of NM Marketing Communications, Glenview, Ill.


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