Week 6 – 'This is What I Do' is No Longer Enough

Fewer businesses with which I have a connection closed their doors this week, so I guess that is a victory of sorts. As I was writing last week’s journal, I learned the restaurant that hosted my Chamber Leads Group for years had closed, and we would no longer have a place to meet. Prime Meridian Bank has generously offered its lobby for a couple weeks, but we still need a permanent home. Finding weekly meeting space for 50 people in northeast Tallahassee is no easy task.

But what is easy these days? Everyone is more cautious. Margins are tighter and businesses are desperately looking for ways to cut costs. Even if there is the slightest hope that the recession has bottomed out, it will be a long, tough recovery.

But that does not mean there is not opportunity. Even as we are putting the marketing materials together for the launch of davemail, I am evaluating potential new products and vetting ideas with potential customers about their viability.

How can I merge what I do with what businesses need right now? How can I meet those needs in a profitable way?

Moving from a mindset of “this is what I do” and then try to convince people to jump on board to “how can I meet a need with the skill set I have developed,” is a good first step. What I do doesn’t really matter anymore. How I use it to meet needs that are constantly evolving is much more relevant – and, I hope, profitable.

It was an exciting week behind the scenes at camp davemail. The Web site is really coming together as the home page design was finalized and the first interior pages were finished as well. This week, the focus is final approval on all Web design so the coding process can begin. The marketing brochure and logistical conversion issues also are on the front burners.

I also created a new twitter account for the business (in addition to my personal tweetings). Follow davemail at www.twitter.com/mydavemail.

It is getting more exciting every day.


ECONOMIC SNAPSHOT
Dow: 8017 (another week up)
Unemployment Rate: 8.5% (highest rate since 1983)
Big News: Since the recession began, the economy has lost 5.1 million jobs. In lighter news, Pres. Obama gives Queen Elizabeth an iPod full of showtunes.