Be Prepared to Take Advantage of Opportunities

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Bad weather helps keep us on our preparedness toes. We don’t want to be without water, light, warmth, especially when the electricity goes out. So we prepare, or at least we know we should.

We put up extra food, have a stock of batteries and flash lights, or candles on hand, and make a pile of extra blankets and/or wood for the fireplace.

Think about how it feels to know you have those things ready and available. It’s a great feeling. You feel safe and secure. Because, being prepared helps ease your mind, and you know you can survive the storm.

You might even have some fun. A deck of cards, a board game, a favorite family book read aloud by candlelight, any of these might help to create a memory you and your kids keep as magical for the rest of your lives.

Do you have the same process in place for the “opportunity storms” that blow your way? Like, when an ideal advertising opportunity pops up at the last minute, or out of the blue a reporter calls to ask you about a current event, or trend related to your business.

Most pet professionals I connect with don’t, so they scramble to get the ad done, the fact sheet written, the keywords determined. It puts them in a panic, and they’re apt to feel like they’re losing ground, wasting money and sacrificing time.

So let’s shift that. Let’s go over the Opportunity Preparedness Checklist, in hopes this will ease your mind, help your business and give you some great exposure when the time comes.
This is what you will need to have:

1.    Your business logo ready and available in various sizes and formats.
2.    Your photo, with and without your pet(s), ready to email out at a moment’s notice.
3.    Ads in various sizes, including business card size, quarter, half and full page sizes. Also, you never know when you’ll be able to trade for ad space, or if you decide to advertise, you have something ready to use at your fingertips.
4.    A graphic artist you like and trust in place to alter and quickly improve your ads if need be.  This is one of those things that is vital to other things and can have a domino effect. Building a relationship with a reliable graphics person is a must.
5.    A list of keywords describing your business at the ready. You’ll use these terms in various ways, from website development and headline writing to crafting ad copy and preparing bios for you and/or your staff.
6.    A list of things to pay attention to whenever your business name is used, in order to keep your branding and message consistent. Include on this standard-use list: The colors you use; the logo you use; the proper slogan or selling-proposition line; the font you prefer; selected photos of you and your product(s) or site, all those things that, when used repeatedly, serve to remind clients and prospects of you and your business.

As you build this Opportunity-Storm Checklist you will add things you are asked for often, or wish you’d had quick access to. Much like assessing how to be yet better prepared before the next severe weather hits.

Get ready, because opportunity comes often, and all year-round. My wish for you is that it comes your way in great gusts and fevered flurries.