Don't call an audible.

How's your plan. I spent a lot of time this year encouraging and guiding you through planning your fall harvest season marketing. So, how's you plan? In the thick of things, you should be referring to your plan and executing the tasks in it.

For instance, my radio advertising plan runs every week. Depending on the weather and specials for the week, I just record the ads and send them to the station to run. Our promotions come up on the calendar, and we knock'em down.

Don't call an 'audible'. In football, calling an 'audible' means that the quarterback looks around and changes the play called by the coach based on what he sees. Sounds like a good idea doesn't it?

In marketing, it's generally not. The reason is that you can't 'see' well enough this early in the season. Attendance might seem low, might seem high, but the real data is so limited that you are not getting enough information to change things on the fly.

Stick to the plan. It is so hard for me to do, too, but you've got to stick to the plan. Don't change your radio station, buy more ads, cancel ads, buy some 'fire sale' new ad you didn't plan for, or drive yourself crazy second guessing your decision.

At best, you'll ruin your chances of finding out what works. At worse, you'll cost yourself an arm and a leg to move from radio station to radio station, just when you were about to have played enough ads to convince the 1st station's listeners to come!

I can't see it either, neither can anyone else. Everyone thinks they can see what's happening - ad reps, your staff, your friends, you, me - but they don't. You really can't tell until the end of the season, and we all know that weather is really the biggest factor. Weather beats clever every time.

Consistency beats trickery. Your ads do not need to tricky - there aren't magic words - they just need to be on all the time, time and time again, hammering your message home, to whatever audience you are trying to reach. Stay consistent to the end.
I truly wish you the best, most profitable season you've ever had. As an industry, we have so much to offer the general public and this is our time to shine.

Stick to the plan. Don't call an audible. Remain consistent. That's the key to success.

Have a great week.

Hugh

PS Hayride Audio Systems. If you want them for October ORDER NOW!

PPS If you want to make it easy for groups to book your school tours and parties online, check out our online booking system at www.BookMyGroups.com. See it in action on our home website at www.MazeFunPark.com

PPPS If you missed the "Goal without a plan is a wish" live event, we recorded it for you to view anytime!

Reach us at: www.mazecatalog.com