I get the message!

[NA Foster]

This arrived in my email this AM and is so good I pass it to you!

Proctor & Gamble (P&G) is an international conglomerate with 25 separate billion-dollar brands including: Gillette, Pantene, Crest, Tide, Dawn, and Olay. P&G is one of the biggest companies in the country. But how did they get so huge?
I heard the story recently, and it’s a perfect marketing lesson…
Apparently, in 1929 they were a normal-sized soap company. When the Great Depression hit and businesses from every industry cut back on everything -- especially marketing and advertising -- P&G didn’t.
Why? Because they understood that marketing is marketing, no matter what the economy is doing. And they knew their competitors were running for the hills, leaving them free to dominate a lion’s share of the advertising space.
So how did this work out for P&G? Well, this was the point where they began their rise to complete market dominance. They didn’t just stay afloat; they actually grew and expanded during the depression.
They grew during a depression — and one that was far worse than the recession we are just now starting to emerge from (not to downplay its seriousness at all, of course).
The point is: you have a choice. The power is in your hands. Take ground or give ground. Fight or flee. Market or slowly fade into oblivion. Aubrey-PostcardMania

[Dale Osborn]

Marketing in the down times will definitely reward you in the long run. Many people listen to all of the doom & gloom side and start to believe it. You have to be able to do the opposite of what the herd mentality is actually doing.

[John Stevenson]

ABSOLUTELY! You have to see beyond the financial troubles of today and invest for tomorrow. The adage has always been buy for a little, sell for a lot. Since housing prices are the lowest they have been in a decade, it does not take a lot of vision to see there can be a lot of money to be made here.

I have seen investors buying discounted homes out of the foreclosure and short sale market, rent them out for a period of 3 - 5 years and plan to sell them after the market recovers. They can easily see a yield of 15 - 20%! The sad thing is that these investors are coming from other countries to take advantage of our deals. As Americans, we need to step up and see the potential!

[Dale Osborn]

People in the US can see the opportunities, but FEAR keeps them from taking any action. Fear of making a mistake, fear of losing all their money, fear of the strange & unknown or whatever. They need to learn to overcome this then they can see the profits to be made.

[John Stevenson]

Originally posted by Dale Osborn:

People in the US can see the opportunities, but FEAR keeps them from taking any action. Fear of making a mistake, fear of losing all their money, fear of the strange & unknown or whatever. They need to learn to overcome this then they can see the profits to be made.

That is true and that is why this forum is such a good place. When you have a network of mentors and experienced advisers to double check investment decisions then your fear can be pushed to the side.

It is strange though that the American public has very little fear of maxing out their credit cards on flat screen plasma TVs and buying gas guzzling automobiles but has such fear of real estate.

[Chris Masons]

I agree whole heartidly. Fear cripples and holds back so many and prevents them from reaching their full potential.

When I did my first deal I Was terrified about so many things, when I did my 2nd deal I Was still terrified but a little less, whenI did my third deal I was still scared and also 2nd guessed myself but the fear slowly began to dissipate.

Therre will always be that fear but the more experience you get the more confident you will become in your own judgement.

Sure, we make mistakes along the way, that si how we learn. I always like to say "experience is what you get when you don't get what you want" this experience is invaluable in yoru long term career!

great post F Foster!

Chris

[Dale Osborn]

John Stevenson They are comfortable with buying new toys and gizmos, but since there is no financial education as they were growing up, they have no idea how to invest their money. America needs to get the youth financially literate so they can return the USA to its former top position.

[James H.]

Good post. This approach to marketing is exactly why my firm has grown over the past few years. We only shrunk a little at the fall in 08/09, but kept marketing and are now bigger and better than we were at the peak before the crash.

[John Stevenson]

Originally posted by Dale Osborn:

America needs to get the youth financially literate so they can return the USA to its former top position.

I agree. Youths today do not understand risk vs. rewards. If only we could help to educate them on the benefits of home ownership, not ARM, home equity loans and refinancing. The younger generation looks as these as methods to get spending cash, not as a long-term wealth creation.