Why Moving House Should Be Like Marketing For Your Small Business

I moved home this last weekend.  Naturally it involved plenty of planning, some hard decisions, a lot of work and swift execution but it was worth the effort.  Hmm – sounds like a plan for you small business doesn’t it.

My partner, Susie and I had to move – our landlord had decided to sell.   We could have waited until after Christmas to begin the search for our new home but decided to explore the options.  Our list of needs and wants meant we had a limited choice of places and so when one came available we made a decision and got on with it.

It is very different from anything either of us has lived in, quite modern, in a cul-de-sac and very suburban, so we wondered if we were doing the right thing. But we decided that it wasn’t the end of the world even if we didn’t like the place. We could always do something else if it didn’t work out.

We both decided to be rigorous with what we kept or rather, what we discarded.  We had both been carrying some “stuff” for a few years that no longer served us.  For me it was old papers, presentations I’d given, Internet marketing seminars around the world I attended and other stuff which was “leading edge” when I first came across them ten years ago. (I’ve always been into exploring new ideas).

For Susie it was clothes and her “foo-foo” stuff as she calls it.   She loves to fossick in recycle stores for clothes, furniture and nick-nacks.  I have to say, she is very good at it and has furnished most our house that way and receives loads of compliments on her style. So for her to part with some of these possessions was a hard decision.  My daughter, Billie, forced Susie into even more discard choices with her clothes  – “Have you worn that in the last six months?” “No.” Out it goes.

There are a few cool things about giving these clothes and ornaments back to the recycle shops.
•    We de-clutter and create more space in our lives
•    Other people get the chance to rummage and find bargains
•    The charity shops get some more revenue.

The sorting and packing was plenty of work –but we broke it down into manageable amounts each evening so we could see progress but also move forward at a good pace.

I then approached furniture removals companies that were on lower pages of Google and offered them a contra deal – I’d optimise their site if they did my move.  And that was an interesting exercise as most thought it was a scam or too good to be true. One guy though, Paul, who is spending significant amounts on Adwords each month immediately saw the benefit to him and went for it, especially when I showed him how the new Google map scrolls down over his adverts! So we got to move for free and he saves $$$.  Plus, when he arrived with his team, he had a hot SEO lead for me. 

Once we got to the new house, Susie had a brain wave about changing the master bedroom for the office.  This meant the office was on the ground floor and close to the rest of the living space so I can remain “connected” with the rest of the family instead of being stuck upstairs.. This one small change has made the house even better suited to us and our life.

Then more, swift, focused hard work with unpacking and placing belongings in their new places.  And already the house looks like we’ve been here for ages.

Some added bonuses are a super friendly dog the children play with (in fact he just walked past my door as I typed this), cats my daughter loves and my son Joe has rediscovered riding his bike.

The result?

Within 3 weeks from the initial idea, we were settled in a new place which is ideal for us at this stage of our life
We are carrying much less baggage and
My children have new buddies to play with

Lessons to apply in your business

• If you have an idea or desire to do something but are unsure of the outcome, start on it immediately.
• Precisely define what you want.
• Research quickly.
• Don’t hold onto preconceived ideas, they are probably wrong.
• Have a plan and make it manageable.
• Be creative like using your services in exchange for what you want.
• Be bold in your decision making.
• Act fast knowing you can change if it’s not what you want.
• Small changes can produce huge benefits.
• Be flexible and willing to change quickly.
• You never know what other benefits you will get by making decisions and taking action.

So what marketing plan have you been putting off in your business?
•    A promotion to your customers?
•    Optimising your website so people can find it easier in Google?
•    An on-line promotion for Christmas perhaps?

Whatever it is, decide to do it or get outside help to make it happen.  And with the holiday spending season fast approaching, you could receive a nice windfall.

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