I went to the Dothan Area Botanical Gardens this afternoon with my wife and children to take pictures for the family Christmas cards.  As were were walking around the Botanical Gardens I noticed the windmill pictured below.  The old windmill caught my attention. With no on in sight to operate the windmill it stood there spinning in the wind.  It continued to operate the water pump attached at the base.  The old company branding on the windmill also made me think.  If you do not have advertising up at all times how can you expect to gain new customers.  You have to put the right advertising up and in a way which demands attention.  Advertising is a tool that will work for you even when you sleep.

Windmills are impressive structures which draw attention from both young and old.  They stand firm over surrounding objects ready to do what they were designed to do.  By design windmills were meant to convert wind into a more useful energy source.  The windmill design may have changed  over the centuries, but they still take an energy source with little value to produce a product with value. Advertising can be worth more than the paper it is printed on if used correctly.  Maybe the following ramble will make you think.

If you think about some of the common things a windmill has to offer and how it might relate to business you may be surprised.  I know some of you reading might think this comparison is simple or wonder why I am even posting this.  The reason for this post is to make you think about the fundamentals of business and how you need to stand prepared.

• What is a windmill?  A windmill can be traced back to ancient Tibet and China during the 4th B.C., and all throughout the history of the windmill it has been meant to convert wind energy to rotational energy.  Once converted Humans have found innovative ways to use the energy to lessen and make human labor more efficient.  If you would like to make a windmill comparison to your business model you can certainly do so.  In business we build methods to make business more efficient and stand ready to answer the call of our customers.  A windmill’s blades are called sails.  In the case of a business sails can be viewed as advertising.  Without advertising or some way to pull customers in to spend money your business can not convert employee labor to profit.  As a business owner you must have your sails up at all times prepared to pull in new customers.  A business with no sails up will have a difficult time gaining momentum and market share.
• By design many windmills have the ability to turn and face the wind for maximum efficiency.  In business it is imperative to have the ability to adjust your sails (advertising) for the best possible return on investment.  Advertising can be expensive and you must use it correctly if you plan to grow your business.  You must make sure your advertising campaign has direction and the ability to adjust with the market place and outside trends.  Is your windmill ready to change with the flow of business if needed? Read More→